25th December (Friday) – This is how it started (see the pic). Chetan Bhagat and his book is not mentioned in the opening credits of the film 3 Idiots. In the closing credit, it comes quite late.
27th December (Sunday) – In an interview to Hindustan Times, Chetan says that it feels strange. Click here to read the full interview.
29th December (Tuesday) – Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Aamir Khan accused Chetan Bhagat of being publicity hungry at a press conference in Bangalore. And then this is what happened. Check out the video.
Vodpod videos no longer available.December 31st (Thursday) – Chetan Bhagat wrote a post on his blog titled A book, a film and the truth and explained his stand on the credit controversy. Click here to read the post.
1st January (Friday) – Vidhu Vinod Chopra started the year with a bang. Shut Up! Today at a presser in Delhi, Vidhu Vinod Chopra lost his cool and went insane when asked about Chetan Bhagat’s claims. Check out the video.
And here is more….
September 9, 2009 – Here is the link to an interview where RajKumar Hirani said that the film is only 5 percent similar to the book.
How true are you keeping 3 Idiots to the book by Chetan Bhagat Five Point Someone?
3 Idiots is inspired from the book but it is completely different. I would say just five per cent of it is the same. Books and films are different. So the moment you decide to pick up a book and make a film as it is, it will be a disaster. It’s a nice book, but it’s anecdotal and films can’t be anecdotal. It has to have a story. The reason I mention this is because people should not go to the theatre thinking, we are going to watch Five Point Someone and later find out that it’s a completely different film.
Chetan Bhagat is also not exactly holier-than-thou. He said that he never read the script or may be, just the first draft. But check out this video (thnx for the tip Mohammad Moizuddin), at 5:30, Chetan saying that Raju narrated the full script to him, 2-3 times.
We havent read the book. But those who have, said its easily more than 5-10 percent. And if thats the case, then Chetan surely deserves better place in the credit. Watch any film which is based on any book, its always mentioned in the opening credits. And if the similarity is beyond the set up and the one liner pitch, Chetan also deserves a story credit.
Whats surprising is that in the centre of it is Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The man who doesnt leave any small credit. Remember the song bande me tha dum in Munnabhai MBBS. If we are not wrong, Vidhu Vinod Chopra suggested one or two lines of the song, to be exact, just the phrase bande me that dum! Rest was all written by Swanand Kirkire. But check out anywhere, Vidhu Vinod Chopra is credited everywhere for those few words. He made sure that he is credited.
At the Apsara Awards that year, when the song was nominated and only Swanand’s name was mentioned in the nomination list, VVC was shouting from rooftop for getting his name in the credit list. Yeh to poori kahani hai Sirji!
We love the filmmaker because he is insanely passionate about films and has discovered some great talent. He is the only producer who shares profit with his cast and crew. Abhijaat Joshi was paid Rs 1 crore after the sucess of Lage Raho Munnabhai. A writer getting a crore in this country ?? Thats Ripley’s Believe It Or Not. But thats VVC!
But the man is equally pompous and loud and loves talking about only his films. Its difficult to say why he did this to Chetan Bhagat, whose PR guys are always on overdrive to the point of irritation. But sadly this time, the man seems to be on the right side. And to read the contract between Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Chetan Bhagat, click www.vinodchopra.com and scroll down to the bottom of the page.
And isnt it a great irony! The film which told us that ranks, grades and marks are not everything, their makers are fighting over the credit! Wow! Strange are the ways of bollywood. And you, Mr RajKumar Hirani, where do you stand ?
F.i.g.h.t C.l.u.b 