Vikrant Massey's ‘12th Fail’ Scores Big Win With China Release!
Vikrant Massey's '12th Fail' goes from strength to strength.
Can a film about a high school dropout become a box office hit in China? Vikrant Massey's '12th Fail' is set to test the boundaries, with its upcoming release in the world's second most populated country. Cinema has no borders, said the legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray. This statement rings true as Vikrant Massey's '12th Fail' prepares to conquer a new audience – China! After its huge success in India, the Vikrant Massey-starring movie ‘12th Fail’ is set to be released in China. The actor told India Today that around 20,000 screens in China will broadcast the film. ''It has been in the works for a few months, but finally the news is out, and everyone knows that the film is releasing in China. There is a huge demand for Hindi cinema or Indian cinema in China. There are more than 20,000 screens [given to ‘12th Fail’]. China really caters to the entertainment sector and hence the numbers [of screens],'' Massey said.
According to actor Vikrant Massey, China's robust entertainment industry is the reason for the large number of screens in the nation.
For those unaware, ‘12th Fail’ performed surprisingly well at the box office and was a sleeper hit. A number of well-known people and Bollywood celebrities, like Anand Mahindra and Kareena Kapoor Khan, also gave the film and Vikrant's performance in ‘12th Fail’ high marks. Vikrant Massey also received a Filmfare award for his performance in the film.
Details of the Bollywood Blockbuster 12th Fail
‘12th Fail,’ helmed by renowned Bollywood filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is an enduring masterpiece.
The movie tells the true story of Manoj Kumar Sharma, who succeeded in passing one of the world's most challenging exams and joining the Indian Police Service despite coming from an extremely poor background. It is based on the same-titled novel written by Anurag Pathak in 2019.
In October 2023, Zee Studios' low-budget drama ‘12th Fail’ made its theatrical debut. Big-budget action pictures ruled Bollywood at the period, with many lesser films opting for the simpler route of bowing straight to streaming services.
The movie touched a nerve with viewers and has made USD 8.5 million in total revenue, which is more than three times its original budget.
‘12th Fail’ also gave Bollywood directors hope that lesser-known films that prioritise story over spectacle, may do well at the box office. This is something which was mostly seen from south Indian films. The film first released on 27th October, 2023 in theatres, debuted in late December 2023 on Netflix globally and on Disney+Hotstar. Additionally, it made its premiere on Sony's Indian television channels in February 2024. It won best film, director, screenplay, and editing awards at the January 2024 India Filmfare Awards. Additionally, Massey won the award for best actor chosen by critics.
Some Highlights of the Movie Scenes
In one scene, Manoj becomes angry with his boss for allegedly defrauding money from the office. He even threatens to hit him with a slipper after being called "chor ki aulaad." He yells involuntarily, "mera baap chor nahi hai," in response to the charge. Ironically, this happens right after he lies to his partner Shraddha (Medha Shankr) about everything.
Manoj has been fooling Shraddha into believing he is an aeronautics engineer because he wants to seem wealthy and intellectual as the Mussoorie girl and him have fallen in love. When Shraddha finds out that Manoj is truly a BA graduate, she retreats into her shell.
Manoj then turns his attention away from the love life he messed up to prepare for the IAS Mains exam.
Then, Manoj turns his attention from his messy love life to studying for the IAS Mains exam, only to make another mess with a simple mistake. That disillusionment leads him to decide to pursue his love interests once more. Saying "I love you," he knocks on Shraddha's Mussoorie home. She doesn't take well to his abrupt return, though, and uses her housekeeper to send him away.
When Shraddha goes back to their Delhi tutoring centre to apologise, Manoj begs her to hold off till his IAS Prelims. She wishes him well, though, she is astonished by his reluctance. She recognises that her earlier rejection of him may have conveyed to him the impression that she is unwilling to commit to him because of his shortcomings. Actually, though, she became further distant from him since he betrayed the integrity that was the primary quality that initially drew her to him.
Other Successful Bollywood Films in China
China has grown to be a key market for Bollywood films, and almost all of the big Indian blockbusters are shown there to maximize profits for the producers, who consider the Chinese market to be highly beneficial. Whether it is Salman Khan's Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Ayushmann Khurrana's Andhadhun, Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, or Aamir Khan's Dangal, these films have made a significant profit at the box office in China and have made a lasting effect on the public. The following is a list of the top five Bollywood films that played to sizable audiences in Chinese theaters.
Andhadhun
Over Rs 303 Crore is taken in at the box office in China.
Director: Sriram Raghavan
Ayushmann Khurrana, Tabu, and Radhika Apte all had outstanding performances in the film. The gripping thriller Andhadhun kept spectators interested all the way through. The story's main character, Akash, is a pianist who passes for blind and gets into trouble after seeing a murder occur. The story and the powerful acting are what set this film apart.
Secret Superstar
Made a whopping Rs 831.47 crore at the box office in China.
Director: Advait Chandan
Even with a low budget, Secret Superstar turned out to be one of the most successful films of 2017. The movie performed better at the Chinese box office than other well-known films, despite its success in India. Meher Vij, Zahira Wasim, and Aamir Khan all had important parts in the film. Millions of people were moved by a story about a young, idealistic girl named Insia who wants to be a singer. The young girl shares her music online under a pseudonym as she pursues her passion, even in the face of opposition from her father. Conversely, this one was definitely a breath of fresh air and an unanticipated smash.
Bajrangi Bhaijaan
China brought in a total of Rs 295.76 crore at the box office.
Director: Kabir Khan
This Salman Khan movie had a very endearing and moving plot. One day, a young man full of adventure decides to take it upon himself to bring a young mute girl back to Pakistan after she misses her train and becomes stuck in India. In addition to receiving great reviews upon its premiere in India, the film shattered Chinese box office records.
Dangal
Made almost Rs 1400 crore at the box office in China.
Director: Nitesh Tiwari
Aamir Khan portrays Mahavir Singh Phogat, a man who achieves his goal of earning a gold medal for his country with the help of his daughters. This film is based on an actual story. Aamir played a former wrestler in the film who trains his daughters to be competitive grownups. After the film's release, Sanya Malhotra and Fatima Sana Shaikh—who played his daughters—won over many hearts with their superb performances. Not just in India, but all over the world, the movie was a huge hit. It is also currently the highest-grossing Bollywood film produced in China.
Hindi Medium
Made Rs 219.17 crore at the box office in China.
Director: Saket Chaudhary
The distinctive storyline of this movie, which starred Saba Qamar and Irrfan Khan, stayed with audiences long after they left the cinema. Because of their upbringing, the story's primary characters, Raj and Mita Batra, are willing to go to any lengths to ensure that their daughter is accepted into a prominent school. The movie's primary selling point was that it was a message-filled, all-around enjoyable film.
3 Idiots also made huge highlights in China. Because of the widespread sale of pirated DVDs in China at the time, the country was only the 15th largest market for movies when 3 Idiots was released. However, the pirate market made 3 Idiots a cult favorite in China, where most Chinese customers watched it for the first time. It climbed to the 12th spot as China's all-time favorite movie list, according to ratings on the Chinese film review website Douban; the only other domestic Chinese film to rank higher is Farewell My Concubine.
Stay tuned to B4U Entertainment for more updates about Bollywood and the upcoming news surrounding Vikrant Massey's "12th Fail" scoring a big win with its Chinese release!
