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Poster for 12th Fail

12th Fail

Seen it?

2023 | 146 min | Drama

Saturday Special

Why it’s a Saturday Special

Critics loved it (91% on Rotten Tomatoes) and it's still drawing plenty of interest, despite a box office loss. A strong pick for the weekend.

Based on critics, audiences, awards, box office and buzz. Details below.

Is it for you?

Who'll love it
Made for anyone who loves a strong drama. Critics rate it higher than audiences do, so it rewards patience more than it chases thrills.
The mood
Thoughtful and character-driven.
The pace
Takes its time with its characters, at 2 hr 26 min.
What might put you off
  • Rated PG. Worth a look first if you have very young kids.
  • It's in Hindi, so expect subtitles (or a dub).
  • Audiences were cooler on it than critics.

Based on the true story of IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, 12th Fail sheds limelight on fearlessly embracing the idea of restarting the academic journey despite the setbacks and challenges and reclaiming one's destiny at a place where millions of students attempt the world's toughest competitive exam: UPSC.

How it earned its rating

  • CriticsVery strong

    91% on Rotten Tomatoes

  • AudiencesSolid

    8.0 out of 10

  • AwardsSolid

    10 wins and 11 nominations from smaller awards and festivals

  • Box office & staying powerWeak

    $37K worldwide on a $2 million budget; interest faded quickly after launch

  • Buzz & cultural impactStrong

    About 411K people sought it out in the past year

Trailer

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Cast & crew

Directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra

  • Vikrant MasseyManoj Kumar Sharma
  • Medha ShankrShraddha Joshi
  • Anant JoshiPritam Pandey
  • Anshumaan PushkarGaurinandan
  • Priyanshu ChatterjeeDushyant Singh
  • Geeta Agrawal SharmaPushpa Sharma
  • Harish KhannaRamveer Sharma
  • Vikas DivyakirtiVikas Divyakirti
  • Sarita JoshiDadi
  • Sam MohanDeep Mohan