Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s12th Failis the kind of filmeveryone seeking inspirationneeds to watch. Based on Anurag Pathak’s biographical novel, it tells the story of Manoj Kumar Sharma, who grew up in poverty and aspired to be an Indian Police Service officer. Sharma struggled to pass the mandatory Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams, but he never gave up. After over a dozen attempts, he finally was allowed to become a part of the law enforcement body.
Cineastes who haven’t watched the 2023 biographical masterpiece yet definitely need to do so, and for those who’ve already made it to the closing credits, there are several more similar movies worth checking out. Like12th Fail, these films below feature individuals who either overcome multiple obstacles before achieving their dreams or explore the challenges that come with examinations and academics as a whole. They are, therefore, ideal for both students and the public.
10The Man Who Knew Infinity (2015)
Based on Robert Kanigel’s non-fiction book of the same name,The Man Who Knew Infinitytells the story of Indian menial laborer Srinivasa Ramanujan, who earned admittance to Cambridge College at the height of World War I because of his superior arithmetic skills. Though he achieved his dream, Ramanujan endured several challenges, such as an endless battle with Tuberculosis and depression stemming from a lengthy spell away from his wife and children.
How It’s Like 12th Fail
Ramanujan and Manoj are both willing to do everything in their power to escape poverty. Additionally, they each fail their crucial exams, but they keep pushing and eventually experience the excellence they crave. Besides that, the two characters have to deal with external parties that are attempting to sabotage their love lives. For Ramanujan, it’s his mother who keeps hiding the letters he sends to his wife. For Manoj, it’s a jealous friend who spreads lies about him and his girlfriend simply because he is jealous.Stream on AMC+ or Roku
9The History Boys (2006)
The History Boys
InThe History Boys,eight students at a Sheffield grammar school obtain the school’s highest A-level scores, but decide to take an extra exam in history to earn admittance to a more prestigious university like Cambridge or Oxford. Eager to see them achieve their dreams, the school Headmaster appoints a temporary teacher to tutor them, but dirty secrets soon emerge.
The majority of people do exams because they are mandatory. If they fail, they move on to something else. Interestingly, the main characters of12th FailandThe History Boyshave no problem with doing more tests. They all have one specific goal and are ready to keep trying until they get what their hearts desire. Away from academics, plenty of time is dedicated to exploring the complexities of friendships. As good-hearted as the protagonists are, they are forced to settle for buddies who aren’t always honest.Rent on Prime Video
83 Idiots (2009)
Ever since it was released,3 Idiotshas remained one ofthe most popular Bollywood films, and it sure deserves all the attention it gets. Its plot centers around the students, Rancho, Farhan, and Raju, as they bond and find ways to pass their exams while studying at Delhi’s Imperial College of Engineering. The trio reunites later in life, each having found a different level of success.
3 Idiotsand12th Failacknowledge the effects that assessment-based education systems have on the mental health of students. In the former, one student commits suicide and another comes close to doing so because of failure. Manoj, too, almost gives up on life entirely because he struggles to cross the bridge that will take him to his chosen career path. And as gloomy as life is for characters in both films, humor is infused into the proceedings, giving audiences a thing or two to chuckle about.Rent on Prime Video
7October Sky (1999)
Every parent feels proud when their child follows in their footsteps, but more often than not, youngsters tend to have different dreams.October Skyhighlights this parent-child dynamic through the story of NASA engineer Homer H. Hickam Jr (Jake Gyllenhaal). During his early years, his father wanted him to be a coal miner like him, but after watching Sputnik 1 cross the sky, Homer began pursuing Rocket Science.
Oktober Skyis one ofJake Gyllenhaal’s most emotional films, something that puts it in the same category as12th Fail. Like Manoj, Homer always looks like he is going to fail. Whether it’s failed rocket launches or arrests by the police, the young scientist endures so many challenges to the point where he destroys his launch site and considers a career change. Thankfully, fate becomes kinder to him as time progresses. Eventually, he proves all the doubters wrong.Rent on Prime Video
6The Freshmen (2018)
DuringThe Freshmen’s opening minutes, audiences are introduced to a French medical school, where there are over 2000 freshmen, but only the best 300 will be allowed to move to the second year. It’s what is commonly known as thenumerus clausussystem in France, and the result of the extensive sieving process is that students who see themselves as doctors and nothing else, keep repeating their freshman year to get the required grades.
While each of the films emphasizes the importance of not giving up, it also serves as a cinematic condemnation of the flawed assessment systems that exist in many countries. Because candidates are allowed to repeat again and again, the end-product consists of students who aren’t necessarily bright and competent but have simply gone through the same material again and again. There is the suggestion that once they become professionals, they will be worn out and might be reluctant to put in the same kind of effort they did while in school.Rent on Prime Video
5The Great Debaters (2007)
The Great Debaters
The Great Debatersis still one ofDenzel Washington’s most underrated films, yet it’s a great tale about resilience. The movie is based on Tony Scherman’s 1997 piece forAmerican Legacymagazine and centers around Wiley College’s Professor Melvin B. Tolson (Washington), as he trains his students for a national debate contest, where they end up defeating Harvard.
Both films have level-headed senior figures who help the students realize their true potential. In12th Failit’s the lawman DSP Dushyant Singh, who urges everyone to stop cheating in exams if they truly want to make their dreams a reality. InThe Great Debaters, the students initially feel they have no chance because they are black, but Prof. Tolson assures them that they can overcome prejudice and challenge students from predominantly white universities if they remain industrious and fearless. In both cases, the students listen and go on to reap the fruits.Rent on Prime Video
4I Am Kalam (2010)
I Am Kalam’s central character, Chotu, is a young boy forced to work as a laborer at a roadside café so that his family can make ends meet. Not content with his current life, he dreams of being an influential figure like former Indian leader, President Kalam, so much so that he changes his name to Kalam. Soon, he meets a foreigner who takes a liking to him and attempts to convince his mother to let him study instead of work.
Poverty is a recurring theme in the two Bollywood productions, so at some point, the protagonists put a pause on their dreams and take up jobs to enable them to help out with the bills at home. Chotu’s experiences while working at the café are very similar to Manoj’s experiences while working as a rickshaw driver. Lovers of happy endings will also enjoy the conclusions of both stories. After great suffering, there are major victories for the likable dreamers.Rent on AppleTV
3The Under-Gifted (1980)
Ordinarily, students dream of passing exams and moving to the next level, but inThe Under-Gifted, this is the least of priorities. In the film, the scholars at the Louis XIV Lycée school in France intentionally put in no effort in the Baccalauréat test, so that they can fail and continue enjoying their fun school lives. After sniffing the mischief, the school director, Lucie Jumaucourt, comes up with strategies to change the situation.
The Under-Giftedemphasized the fact that education is essential for anyone who wants to be successful. The same message was passed across in12th Fail. In this particular film, the students feel they are better off at school, but after a series of mischief, the police offer them two options: they either pass their exams or go to prison. This serves as a wake-up call, and when they do well in their tests, many of them go on to become successful in life, something that couldn’t have happened if they had stayed in school.Rent on Prime Video
2Exam (2009)
The main characters ofExamare eight people hoping to get employed at a company known as DATAPREV. As part of the interview process, they are required to do an employment assessment exam where they are all locked in one room and given 80 minutes to come up with a conclusive answer to one question. The candidates are then instructed not to talk to the invigilator or leave the room.
Examis way more similar to12th Failbecause it also focuses on an assessment that job-seekers in a specific industry are required to take, rather than tests forstudents at colleges. Still, it’s palatable for movie lovers in general because it has plenty of thriller elements. The exam isn’t ordinary and there are plenty of twists along the way. On top of that, there are a few action scenes, so anyone who might find the idea of assessments boring will still find plenty to enjoy in the indie flick.Stream on YouTube
1The Perfect Score (2004)
Cheating is never advisable, yet that’s what a group of high-school buddies opt for inThe Perfect Score— the first of manyScarlett Johansson and Chris Evans collaborations. Desperate to gain admission into prestigious universities, they make a plan to steal SAT questions from the test facility. As expected, they fail to factor in the risks, so several challenges pop up while they pull off the heist.
Cheating is a common misdemeanor shared by characters in both12th FailandThe Perfect Score. To them, the end justifies the means, so they do whatever it takes to pass their exams. However, with time, they realize that it was the wrong approach. After embracing honesty, they all excel and go on to become influential members of society. Most importantly, humor is a key ingredient in the two stories, giving audiences something to briefly laugh about as they sympathize with the desperate candidates.Stream on DIRECTV
