To celebrate the 100-day milestone since its release, the makers of Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankar's 12th Fail organised a special event in Mumbai. Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, the movie has defied expectations, continuing to run successfully in theaters.
Based on Anurag Pathak's book bearing the same title, 12th Fail narrates the story pf Manoj Kumar Sharma, portrayed by Vikrant, who overcame poverty to ascend to the position of an IPS officer. The film tells his extraordinary journey and the crucial role played by his wife, Shraddha Joshi, an IRS officer.
During the event, Vidhu Vinod Chopra revealed how Vikrant came on board to play the lead role in 12th Fail.
He said, "When I got the book, 12th Fail, I saw filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar praised it. I called Raju and he told me that this book is a (can be made into a) film. I asked will you direct it? But he was busy with something. Then I started writing and I fell in love with the script. It was Raju who suggested Vikrant's name. I had seen his film A Death in the Gunj and I adore him since then. In fact, Vikrant inspired me to direct this film."
The filmmaker added that he undertook the project because of his unwavering belief in the film.
12th Fail emerged as the surprise hit of 2023 and it raked in Rs 67 crore at the global box office. While Vikrant is being lauded for his performance, Medha is tagged as the 'national crush'. 12th Fail was co-written by Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Jaskunwar Kohli.