An outstanding movie. It's a movie that aims to give hope and belief to those who wish to change the world, and it manages to do so powerfully.
Manoj's story inspires by showing how a poor, honest boy can work hard to gain power and change the system from the inside. There are a few people like Manoj in India's bureaucracy, but the majority are not. Do we think that a person who has spent years struggling to crack one of the world's most competitive exams wants to live a life of constant fear from the political brass? To be transferred when they become too much of an inconvenience to politicians? These people have families, they want to live normal lives as well. No, the reality is still the same, the game has not changed. There are too few Manojs out there in India, and any power they have is only enough to win a few battles compared to the huge war we are losing. In India, dishonesty, greed, corruption, nepotism and intolerance are still our companions, our masters and our reality. They've seeped into our culture and our blood, generation after generation, and we have come to accept and tolerate them. We turn a blind eye from the parasite that is sucking our soul dry, and we cannot seem to imagine, or even desire, anything different.
I completely fell in love with Shraddha's character. Do people like her exist in our world? This generation, with respect to love, are ruthless and unforgiving in optimizing for and filtering out potential partners. Right from age, height, looks, income, background - love becomes a calculation, almost a market transaction to get the best deal possible. How many people would look beyond class, and love a boy who had nothing but the clothes on his back and a dream? One who worked at a library, cleaned toilets, worked at a flour mill? Call me romantic and impractical, but there is no purer form of love than to love someone when its inconvenient, irrational and breaks conventions and social expectations. To love them simply as they are for their goodness, their character and the capacity of love in their hearts. Just as iron that is tempered by the hottest fire becomes the strongest sword, relationships that weather improbable odds and difficulties are the strongest and most resilient. Relationships borne out of convenience and comfort are easy to make and easy to break.
The scene after Manoj had failed the mains exam will stay in my mind for a long time. That Shraddha was sitting right next to him and holding his hand despite his failure, supporting him in his toughest moments when he had nothing and was simply a failure, speaks volumes about Shraddha's character and the depth of her love for Manoj. When someone truly loves you, they will be there at your worst to hold your hand, pick you up and give you the belief you need to rise again. Everyone can and will love you when you're rich and successful, but only a precious few will be there when you're a liability. Treasure them.
