Shivani Sharma

After a loooooonmg time, and so many baseless movies like Animal and all, watched this refreshing, content heavy, meaningful, beautiful, amazing and morally impacting movie. Wow, I mean it regained my trust on Hindi Filmakers, hats off to the makers for choosing such an engaging plot to educate through this movie in not so overbearing manner. Loved it and I wish more and more people watch it. Its the story of the major part of India, rural India, real India.

Finished watching it in less than 12 hours, I was hooked on it since the first episode. I loved the plot. Things I liked: Engaging Cast Suspense Story Things that could be better: The police officer could have solved the case slowly instead of simply guessing it all always, she entered the old house and the crime that happened 60 years ago, and she easily decoded looking at the latch and papers within seconds. The police's role could have been written and played better, it was too easy and carelessly done. Overall enjoyed it, amazing plot, and storyline, based on journalism and I hope its an eye-opener for today's politicians and journalists that although not through super natural ways but somehow karma will get at you for the wrong-doings.

"12th Fail" delicately peels back the layers of societal biases, notably highlighting how the English language has been exalted to an unfair pedestal in India. The film brilliantly portrays the reality that in our society, one's proficiency in English is often unjustly equated with intelligence, competence, and potential success. It's an unfortunate truth that those unfamiliar with English often face barriers in various spheres of life. In India, this language, originally a medium of communication during colonial times, has morphed into an unwarranted benchmark. Opportunities, education, and even basic respect are frequently linked to one's English proficiency, creating a pervasive hierarchy that undermines the talents and capabilities of countless individuals. The movie sheds light on the inherent flaw in this perception, showcasing characters with immense potential whose abilities are overshadowed solely because they lack fluency in English. It magnificently underscores that language proficiency should never serve as the yardstick for measuring someone's worth or competence. English is undoubtedly a powerful tool for global communication, but it's crucial to recognize that it's merely a medium, not a barometer of intellect or capability. India's diverse linguistic landscape brims with talent, creativity, and innovation beyond the confines of English. It's high time to recalibrate our perspectives, acknowledging that brilliance, expertise, and aptitude exist irrespective of the language one speaks. By breaking free from the confines of linguistic biases, we can create a more inclusive society that appreciates and values the multitude of talents regardless of the language they are expressed in. "12th Fail" masterfully echoes this sentiment, urging us to embrace diversity in language and celebrate the richness of talent beyond the limitations of any single tongue.

The job of a movie or a book is to transport you to another world, it's an escape from reality. And right from the introduction song in the beginning "Suno.." Archies takes you into another slow-paced hill station town painted in pastels. The plot isn't new, but today when every movie is either action-packed, loud, or trying to induce too many stimuli at once it's refreshing to be transported to the '60s era, with a simple plot. The story unfolds with a rich man being too ambitious & trying to abrupt the peace of this simple town by commercializing it. That's the plot we follow while the movie rolls with musicals during sweet instances. I was flown to a scenic small town and wanted to be in this world. A sense of community, small-town exchanges, where everyone knows everyone, a bookstore, a salon where aunties gossip, a publisher's office, a cafe, a cool school, the picturesque early 60s panorama weaved in the movie gave me the feels of Indianzed Marwellous Mrs. Maisel's Catskill holiday episodes (Season 2). At times it feels like a stretch although I think it's our mind's impatience to watch one thing for two hours in the world where you're habituated to scroll through 1000 reels in the same timespan. Regardless it is a comfort watch. Admirable job done by cinematographers & production crew because one thing that am sure of is what I saw in the movie was beautiful & played a major part in keeping me hooked to the screen. It's the holiday season, the season of love & joy, if you're free this weekend, curl up in a blanket with hot chocolate & watch this on Netflix without any expectations or prior notions. Overall the movie is a good watch. I would recommend watching it for sheer watching. It will be a treat and you will definitely want to hunt down your old comics :) Re-reading those good old Archies comics now! P.s : Being blown away by the quaint charm of Riverdale town in the movie, I obviously googled the movie's shooting location, and its Ooty (as per Trave Leisure Mag). Planning a trip to Ooty soon :D P.s.s: Pop Tate's Cafe in the movie reminded me of Truffles - BLR, we also have our very own Green Park in the middle of the city (Cubbon Park) :p