We, The Idiots

Certainly our education system requires serious thoughts by our great educationists and policy makers. Until then, we are compelled to be proud of being 'Idiots'.

"Don't worry, just say Aal izz Well," everybody is saying the language of '3 Idiots'. I was trying to figure out, why we are happy to call ourselves 'Idiot'? What's there in the movie that deserves a record-breaking response specially from the youth.

I found myself revolving around some factors: Is it because it has enjoyment-friendship-love, everything we want to see in a movie? Is it because it is based on a novel written by an IITian? or Is it because we see ourselves in the characters of the movie, struggling with the education system?

Certainly our education system requires improvement. Being from the same engineering background; I can say most of us are like 'Raju', who are studying to get a job. There are many 'Farhans', who are stuck in different worlds because of their parents. A mechanical or civil engineer doing a job in IT or BPO with the guys from non-technical, non-science background, is surely an indication of 'Under Employment' which is quite similar to unemployment. You can easily say on what factor our progress depends- 'well trained' or 'well educated'?

We all are trying to become 'Silencer' to compete and survive in the draconian world. The 'Rancho' inside us is unexplored, may be because it is not necessary or may be because we think so. It's not only engineering but every level of education in India lacks inclusiveness.

Obviously, It is not possible for everyone of us to become 'Rancho', who was extra brilliant to top the batch despite of all the enjoyment with his friends and loving his girlfriend in director's home. But, certainly our education system requires serious thoughts by our great educationists and policy makers. Until then, we are compelled to be proud of being 'Idiots'.

The Ultimate Recognition ???

‘Academy Awards’ or popularly known as ‘Oscars’ are considered to be the highest recognitions for any movie, presented annually by the United States Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). Does it deserve so much importance for Indian Movies which are qualified to be nominated only in best foreign language category?

The Academy Awards were started in 1929 to recognize the excellence of film makers of Hollywood basically and not for the whole world. There are about forty categories for the awards but any non-English dialogue movie is qualified only for one category ‘Best Foreign Language Film’. Does our nominations for only one category not makes Hollywood movies superior?


We produce about three times the movies which are being produced by Hollywood. We can’t disagree the facts that many of them are mere copies of Hollywood movies and lack technology, but not all. Many of them have the potential to claim the quality and originality. So far 34 Indian movies have been sent as official entries for the Oscars including the 2008 entry ‘Taare Zameen Par’ but only three of them could get the nomination- 'Mother India' (1957), 'Salaam Bombay' (1988), 'Lagaan' (2001). Do they need American Stamp to prove themselves?



Amitabh Bachchan, visiting Britain to receive several awards, told a news conference at the Houses of Parliament in London he did not believe that an Indian film winning an Oscar was the "ultimate recognition for any great film" and added that it was offensive to suggest that.


Indian Culture and traditions are obviously different from that of western and these appear in our movies. Many things in Indian Movies may appear funny to the western audience and especially to the jury. If we watch the movies which could make the nominations, you will find all of them were about the undeveloped, poor India, including foreign productions ‘Gandhi’ (1982) and ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ (2008). Do they not want to see the progressive, developed India? I appreciate Indian and western co-productions like ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ which got 8 Oscars in 10 categories nominated, including A R Rehman for best original score and best original song, but this does not indicate that he deserves recognition only for this movie.