I forgot how brilliant the 3 Idiots movie was until I re-watched it this year. It made me crave more films like this so I ended up rummaging through Netflix of films by the same director– Rajkumar Hirani. PK’s journey is a whole lot of fun. This is the best movie I’ve seen this 2020, in a year that needs much joy and cheers we can afford. It was like a complete and perfect mixture of flavours in my very first bowl of Tantanmen Ramen. Hilarious jokes are on point, awesome screenplay, and visually appealing cinematography.
Photo Source: filmibeat.com
How can I review a movie without giving out spoilers? Hmm..
The film was about PK’s (tipsy in Hindi) adventure– an alien who had a mission to research the Earth and its inhabitants. Unfortunately, the remote that will take him home got stolen. Bombarded by Sci-fi Hollywood alien films, at first I was like ‘alien without clothes and looked weird? This probably not my cup of tea’. But glad we still decided to give it a go. The next scene setting was in the beautiful and romantic Bruges, Belgium. I’ve been in Bruges and seeing it on the screen has brought back memories. The scene revolved around a couple and their newly found love with each other, followed by the girl’s parents’ rejection because they’re from different religions. I’m aware of this religious conflict of Pakistan (became a Muslim country) and India (became a majority Hindu but secular country).
Ignorant about the Earth and the Earthlings, PK was basically just like a kid who just came to this world who easily believes whatever humans are saying. He wanted to get whatever help he could get in order to find his remote so he could go home. PK’s meat and potatoes in establishing his character was his curiosity. An outsider perspective with innocence and simplicity and curiosity of a child without the societal pressure of being human. Since there’s no fear of divine punishments or any fears instilled in his mind, he asked the questions that people who are indoctrinated into religion never consider asking. Unlike most of us who are confident that our ancestors’ beliefs are the absolute truths, he didn’t just follow blindly. A reminder to question everything that doesn’t make sense no matter how sacred it is. Most importantly, if it can cause division, fear, corruption, and suffering.
PK Struggles:
Struggles 1 – In search of his remote, he asks a heap of people where he can find it and they unanimously say God will help you find it. Just ask God.
His solution – In order to know who is this God that people are saying, he ended up trying all religions— Hindu, Muslim, Jain, Sikh, and Christian. He finds more confusion than answers.
“You will never understand my feeling as a mother because you’re not a mother”
You often see this phrase and as we all know, even though this is not logical, there are people who can be persuaded by it. They thought a first-hand experience was the sole indicator and it’s all ‘black and white’.
Trying all the religions in India by first-hand experience gives him a good position where he can answer their questions and vice versa. Because of his ability to question organized religions with no qualms, he became popular. He continued questioning organized religions such as why they get money from poor people, while their holiness is getting wealthy. Pointing out the hypocrisy that is still prevalent today. As we all know, it is really difficult to persuade a significant number of people when it comes to their beliefs. It’s like telling them that you believe in something you’ve been believing all your life was a lie.
It’s so petty that humans need a non-earth entity to believe in themselves and help one another. Giving us hope that we should’ve known better.
Tipsy is no ordinary species. He’s asking the right questions that need to be asked. He can easily catch up because he can save files instantly like a computer. Scenes are so smooth and able to deliver the answers to whatever questions he had. An on-point conversation between characters. Scripts were eloquently written, well-executed by the actors, and it never gets too preachy. And as par for the course, If it’s from Hirani’s, you’ll always definitely enjoy the songs and dances. I’m awed by how this film made a heavily controversial topic so light – delicious toppings of humour – the dancing cars, the condom joke, the blood in a stone, and more. See all the fun and watch it.
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