It looks like a Pandora’s box has been opened which in turn resembled a can of worms. Who gets the credit? Chetan : It is based on his book and so many of the scenes have been used as it is. Raj Kumar Hirani & Abhijat Joshi : They have hardly spoken against anything in their entire life and the outburst, probably taking a cue from Vidhu, was something that shocked everyone.
I am one of those who few millions who have read the book and seen the film both so let me put my point across. What Chetan missed in bringing in his book were a couple of things which I am trying to put across. Some of them may sound trivial and frivolous but for some reason I believe that they are integral to the whole controversy.
My observations :-
Characters
1. IIT became a regular engineering college not something where students across nation battle it out for admission. Five Point Someone was about GPAs of the student studying there but 3 Idiots had no such mention of GPAs.
2. Hari, Alok and Ryan became Farhan, Raju and Rancho.
3. Neha became Pia.
4. Instead of falling for Hari, Pia falls for Rancho.
5. Professor Cherian became Viru Sahastrabuddhe aka virus.
6. Chhotu, Ranchhoddas Shyamaldas Chanchad (the poser and the original) are not there in the book and Mona doesnt exist anywhere in Viru's family.
7. Pia's supposed fiancé Suhas appears mysteriously in the film.
8. There are other characters in the film which take the movie forward like the boy in the hostel, and not to mention Chatur aka silencer was such a full blown character in the film that he not only stole the lime-light but also assumed the role of narrator.
9. While Hari urf Farhan is supposed to be the narrator in the book, here everyone helps story move forward.
10. Professor Veera finds no place in the film and hence Rancho aka Ryan’s fluid mechanics machine made with Kinetic scooter also finds no mention, instead it is replaced with the idea of Virus generator.
Now the scenes
1. The ragging scene is gross in the book, as the students are supposed to sit butt naked with the cold drink bottles going up their arse. Just when some of them are doing, Ryan appears and breaks one bottle and threatens these seniors to sod off, which they do and thus saves two of his friends. The ragging scene in the film is sadly hilarious with james bond…alampanah tohfa kubool ho etc.
2. The indigenous idea of the spoon connected with electrical wires for the senior to piss on is only in the film the book somehow seem to have missed it.
3. Story of Rancho’s disappearance and then the journey of Farhan and Raju to find him was hidden in the book I presume.
4. The original Ranchhod das angle to the whole story was classy and was making fun of the education system where someone else takes the exam for you and the degree at the convocation and the photograph can all be yours.
5. The story did not have any mention of the special pen that Virus treasures and yet awards it to Rancho in the end.
6. In the book, they steal the exam papers for themselves and not for Raju.
7. Raju’s jump from the building is kept ass it is but his selection in the interview has been a journey of self realization, which has been acutely underplayed in the book.
8. Neither Mona’s marriage and her pregnancy was in the book nor was Pia’s angle of Suhas and then her becoming a runaway bride.
9. The delivery scene has been conceived originally and finds no space in the book.
10. Pia’s brother has couple of elaborate chapter in the book while in the film he finds only a couple of mentions.
11. The love making scene between Hari and Neha, and Prof. Cherian coming back, Neha’s cigarettes etc. are living in the book but not in the film.
12. Chatur’s character has been really built upon and his histrionics including the “Balatkar” scene was not in the book.
13. The 50’s setting of Raju’s house and the his mom using the same handle for scratching his father were two things which were not in the book.
14. The idea used for Farhan’s stroke just when the flight is taking off and his running away, picking up Raju, running in only Kurta etc. were not in the film.
15. Phunsuk Wangdu, the entire sub-plot is not in the book. Including the climax scene where Pia is blabbering about her surname changing to Wangdu is also not in the film.
16. Pissing on Virus’ name plate was an idea which was purely original and has no mention in the book.
Now please read the whole thing again, and think of the most hilarious scenes in the film. You will find that they were never in the book but created by Abhijat and Raju to add to the meat of the film. Cinema is a willing suspension of disbelief while book is like a mirror to life. The book had a lot of believable things while the film took to a more dramatic level with funny scenes and dialogues.
In my opinion, the film is based on the novel. The film has not been shot exactly the way novel is written. It has the writer and director’s imagination built in to it. I had posted the contract between Vidhu’s company and Chetan a couple of days back which also says that the credit will be given in a certain way as agreed and the payments will be made to Chetan as agreed. The producer went by the contract and paid him the money, giving him the credit. Why cry over the spilled milk now?
I am yet not clear about Chetan’s intention on this whole controversy. Also, he is an investment banker by profession so I am sure he understands the importance of legal agreements and sticking to the deliverables. If he had any doubt about the film not doing well, he should have put his foot down and asked for the final draft of the script before it went for filming. Another case in point is that we have read “One night at a call center” and have seen the adaptation in hello (Salman/ Katrina/ Sohail/ Arbaaz/ Amrita Arora/ Isha Koppikar/ Sharman/ Gul Panag, directed by Atul Agnihotri) and co-written (story/ screenplay) by none other than Chetan Bhagat himself. Now the fate of “Hello” is almost like a call transmission in terribly stormy weather conditions, only garbled sounds are heard.
We all are intelligent enough to realize what has made the film worth watching. The story as claimed by Chetan or Abhijat and Raju’s working on it. Leave it to you Five Point Someones and Idiots. You guys can take a call.
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