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Sunday, January 03, 2010

The real story behind Chetan Bhagat's fight with 3 Idiots

Being an engineering student, I have been interested in both the movie 3 Idiots and also the novel Five Point Somone. Infact the movie has been so successful that it has grossed over 100 crore rupees at its launch while the novel sold over 0.01 crore copies. That is the difference between films and novels. Films are so much bigger, get so much attention, and have such a wider audience.

Now there is a dispute between Chetan Bhagat and the makers of the movie 3 Idiots as to how much credit must have been attributed to the writer for the movie. The media is having a field-day with the dispute and it is really interesting to watch them play it out. (Yes, I watched it for whole 15 minutes or so, before I decided to come and check some real facts from the internet).

Here is the inflammatory, self righteous blog entry by Chetan Bhagat which is being quoted in the media. It was written by Bhagat in anger fueled by hundreds of fan mails; talks with sycophants(it means chaploos, yes I am reading dictionary these days :P ), whom he suddenly acquired after the launch of the movie. A novelist is not capable of keeping up with as much media attention as a film-star and does not know how to ignore it. An English novel is read only by a few lakhs of people who are so busy with their own lives, that they do not have time to go and appreciate the writer. While, a movie on the other hand, is watched by nearly everybody including students, un-employed, house-wives and all those people who have plenty of time at hand. Thus, the amount of feedback a film-star receives is humungous (and often irrelevant too) as compared to a novelist.

So this is what happens when too much attention goes to head. The movie makers have nothing to lose, they have got all the legal documents, their film is doing well and all this attention will only lead to more viewership for the film. Chetan, himself, does not need any more money. His books are doing well. The only thing he currently needs to do is damage control which he seems to be doing with this post. The damage done has been real, see here. Aamir refuses to give credit to Chetan while the producer and director of the movie have said publicly about not wanting to work with Chetan ever again. Their anger is just from their side, even if it is a mistake by Chetan done in ignorance.

What's the solution? Well I don't know, but it does prove that higher up you go, more you have to watch your words. They will be analysed, mis-interpreted(many-a-times deliberately) and always be quoted out of context. And I wish good luck to Chetan too.

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous12:27 pm

    well... read vir sanghvi's take on it, in HT (3 Jan).
    And I kind of agree with him.
    its not about right and wrong, its all about decency. All the ones who have read the book can point out that the movie has been "inspired" from bhagat's (doesnt matter to what extent). I am not drawing a line here..nor am I taking any sides.. but to call Bhagat attention seeking just sheds light on their hollow morals. Going pillar to post to generate publicity for a "bullcrap' movie.. but not acknowledging (rather doing so after amir's spot boy :P) the writer who wrote the 'bullcrap' in first place :P
    sounds like biggest mistake of all their lives.. :D :D
    Nobody is being a bigger person there.. petty and money seeking..

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  2. Amir is a smart enough man business man to back the movie group and Chetan Bhagat is smart enough 'best seller' writer to prop up the controversy at the right time.

    "Two years of grappling and couldn't hold out anymore" my ass.

    It does good to both of them and nothing more to us than wasting our time.

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  3. Amir Khan is an idiot. The entire point Chetan is trying to make is that there is a grand difference between a "story" and "screenplay" which is where the credit mixup has taken place. You can give credit to the screenplay writer in such grand fashion but the story on which this screenplay is based is thrown into obscurity. Amir Khan's comments in media seem to be plain ignorant and devoid of logic (incase he read Chetan's blog post).

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  4. Was about to write what Rooney wrote, your post itself is quite ignorant of the whole issue.

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  5. @nigam89: Yes Vir Sanghvi's column is a bit of fresh air on the issue after all the media round of volleys. Yes, its a matter of decency.

    @karan: I see your point on any publicity is good as long as it comes. But isn't this publicity going to be bad for Chetan's film career.

    @Rooney: Yes, I agree. Aamir Khan's comments are not after reading Chetan's blogs; they are basically comments after hearing to media.

    @Tikna: I am sorry, yes, I have not been following the issue too much in depth. The issue itself did not matter that much for me; but the fact, how facts and opinions convulate and complicate it all.
    And that is apparent even with the comments on this blog.

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  6. @Deepank:

    Do you really think Amir Khan hasn't still read the novel?

    Chetan Bhagat's film carrier depends only on the kind of books he writes. If he produces another best seller, he'll get another movie.

    I came to know of this controversy through your blog and from whatever little I read, I found these lines said by both the sides.

    " Read the book, watch the movie"

    I can't see why it isn't evident for others.

    Anyways I've seen the movie now. It is like taking a white shirt called five point someone, slashing a few lines & splashing a few colors and you get a good looking collage called 3 idiots.
    Only that the white shirt seemed possible in our world. This collage is only for art galleries where you admire it and go home.

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  7. Wow.

    Thats the best description for the movie ever :)

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  8. I baught the book and i paid for my movie ticket.

    Loved both of them ...

    As far as Chetan and 3 Idiots (or Aamir) go, they already have all the money they need.

    Don't know who 'deserves' what and i don't even care.

    With books we got to imagine things but with movies we get to see it. Maybe thats why majority of the audience would rather buy a Rs 180 ticket and watch a 2hr n 50 min movie rather than read 250 pages of a book.
    But unlike books, movies can't match the 'depth' of plot in a limited duration(quite evident in the HP Series).

    You guys must have enjoyed both.(like me). And thats what matters.
    Worth the money we spent. :)

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  9. Whoever writes the story ...Amir's acting was lovely in the movie...and i like the movie so much..

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  10. Anonymous6:20 am

    Hi
    Very nice and intrestingss story.

    ReplyDelete