Katrina Kaif praises success of Vikrant Massey’s ‘small film’ 12th Fail

Mumbai: Actress Katrina Kaif praises Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s 12th Fail for ‘doing so well’ despite being ‘small’ in comparison to the ‘action blockbusters’ of 2023.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s film 12th Fail is based on IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma’s life, with Vikrant Massey playing the lead role. The film, which premiered on OTT recently after being released in theatres in October 2023, has been praised by celebrities such as Kangana Ranaut and many others. Joining the list of celebrities is Katrina Kaif. The actor and her Merry Christmas co-star Vijay Sethupathi were in a conversation with Film Companion, when she gave 12th Fail’s example to stress the importance of ‘interesting story’ in a film.

When asked if ‘experimentation was all the rage’, Katrina Kaif said, “I think you should be just fearless in your choices. Don’t calculate so much. And I think this year (2023) is probably one of the best years for me to give this example where we’ve of course seen high octane action commercial blockbusters and we’ve seen a small, intimate film,12th Fail, do so well. I think that’s all the example we need. If a film has an interesting story, it will find its audience. It’s the job of the producers to calculate the numbers, but it is the job of the actors and directors to tell the right stories.”

12th Fail, starring Vikrant Massey and Medha Shankar, is now streaming on Disney+ Hotstar. The film, sent to Oscars 2024 as an independent nomination, has received acclaim, with Vikrant also getting praise for his performance as Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame poverty to become an IPS officer.

12th Fail tells the real-life story of Manoj Kumar Sharma and his IRS officer wife, Shraddha Joshi. The film, highlighting the struggles of millions of students who attempt the UPSC entrance exam, chronicles Manoj’s life as a young boy from Chambal, who manages to join the police force after years of hard work.