Zero Se Restart

On the flipside, the narrative has a few issues. It patiently shows how every location was finalized but for some reason, the director chooses to skip how the final interval round scene was shot. Medha Shankr, who became a sensation after this film, is hardly seen and no information is given about her casting. This is strange since the documentary throws light on the casting of Vikrant Massey and even the supporting actors. Lastly, it is a documentary at the end of the day and hence, it is too niche. At a time, when the audience is wary of watching even feature films in cinemas, expecting them to spend Rs. 200 or 300 for a documentary will be foolhardy. In fact, a film like this is meant for OTT and not for cinemas at all.

What is equally riveting to watch is how much effort went into hunting for the right space and recreating a railway canteen, then timing shots to capture a train passing in the background. Or getting the flour mill (where Manoj lives, works and studies) just right so that the reference to a 'hell hole' in the script, gets a visual representation.

That is both the film’s win and pitfall. Chopra, with films like Parinda, Khamosh, and 1942: A Love Story, is no stranger to ‘cinema’ and he has the means to simply build a massive set if he so pleases. While the film accurately captures that aspect of his work in 12th Fail, the look into his anxieties about the film feels comparatively superficial. The shift from ‘Nobody believed in this film’ to ‘Director saab will handle it’ doesn’t happen as seamlessly as it should because a nuanced study of the man behind the camera feels absent. While Chopra’s quick wit and Rangarajan Ramabadran’s (aka Ranga) ingenuity are fascinating to watch on screen, you can’t stop seeking something more complex. This documentary doesn’t have place for ‘interviews’; instead it stays in the ‘creative’ as long as possible, with voiceovers leading the audience through the narrative.