3 Idiots
Rent/Purchase
Rascal. Joker. Dreamer. Genius... You've never met a college student quite like "Rancho." From the moment he arrives at India's most prestigious university, Rancho's outlandish schemes turn the campus upside down—along with the lives of his two newfound best friends. Together, they make life miserable for "Virus," the school’s uptight and heartless dean. But when Rancho catches the eye of the dean's daughter, Virus sets his sights on flunking out the "3 idiots" once and for all.
What critics thought
3 Idiots landed as a crowd-pleasing phenomenon, with audiences responding far more warmly than the critical consensus fully captured — the gap between popular love and measured critical opinion is part of its story. Indian critics broadly celebrated its blend of comedy and social urgency around education-system pressures, though several noted the film feels calculated at times and that Hirani doesn't quite match the emotional authenticity of his Munnabhai films. International critics admired its energy and message while acknowledging it takes time to find its footing.
“The emotional truth that shone through both the Munnabhai movies doesn't come through strongly enough.”
Shubhra Gupta·The Indian Express
“Going home after watching 3 Idiots I felt like I'd just been to my favorite restaurant only to be a tad underwhelmed by their signature dish. It was a satisfying meal, don't get me wrong, but not the best meal I'd been expecting.”
Rajeev Masand·CNN-IBN
“Rajkumar Hirani's one of the directors of the decade, a man with immense talent and a knack for storytelling. On his debut, he hit a hundred. With his second, he hit a triple century. This time, he fishes outside the off stump, tries to play shots borrowed from other batters, and hits and misses to provide a patchy, 32*-type innings.”
Raja Sen·Rediff
“The film is a laugh riot, despite being high on fundas [...] Hirani carries forward his simplistic 'humanism alone works' philosophy of the Munnabhai series in 3 Idiots too, making it a warm and vivacious signature tune to 2009. The second half of the film does falter in parts, especially the childbirth sequence, but it doesn't take long for the film to jump back on track.”
Nikhat Kazmi·The Times of India
“unavoidable joie de vivre (symbolised by Rancho's meditative mantra 'All is well') and a performance charm that makes this one of the more naturally gregarious Bollywood imports.”
Robert Abele·Los Angeles Times
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorRajkumar Hirani
StarringAamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Boman Irani
ComposerShantanu Moitra, Atul Raninga, Sanjay Wandrekar
3 Idiots
Rascal. Joker. Dreamer. Genius... You've never met a college student quite like "Rancho." From the moment he arrives at India's most prestigious university, Rancho's outlandish schemes turn the campus upside down—along with the lives of his two newfound best friends. Together, they make life miserable for "Virus," the school’s uptight and heartless dean. But when Rancho catches the eye of the dean's daughter, Virus sets his sights on flunking out the "3 idiots" once and for all.
What critics thought
3 Idiots landed as a crowd-pleasing phenomenon, with audiences responding far more warmly than the critical consensus fully captured — the gap between popular love and measured critical opinion is part of its story. Indian critics broadly celebrated its blend of comedy and social urgency around education-system pressures, though several noted the film feels calculated at times and that Hirani doesn't quite match the emotional authenticity of his Munnabhai films. International critics admired its energy and message while acknowledging it takes time to find its footing.
“The emotional truth that shone through both the Munnabhai movies doesn't come through strongly enough.”
Shubhra Gupta·The Indian Express
“Going home after watching 3 Idiots I felt like I'd just been to my favorite restaurant only to be a tad underwhelmed by their signature dish. It was a satisfying meal, don't get me wrong, but not the best meal I'd been expecting.”
Rajeev Masand·CNN-IBN
“Rajkumar Hirani's one of the directors of the decade, a man with immense talent and a knack for storytelling. On his debut, he hit a hundred. With his second, he hit a triple century. This time, he fishes outside the off stump, tries to play shots borrowed from other batters, and hits and misses to provide a patchy, 32*-type innings.”
Raja Sen·Rediff
“The film is a laugh riot, despite being high on fundas [...] Hirani carries forward his simplistic 'humanism alone works' philosophy of the Munnabhai series in 3 Idiots too, making it a warm and vivacious signature tune to 2009. The second half of the film does falter in parts, especially the childbirth sequence, but it doesn't take long for the film to jump back on track.”
Nikhat Kazmi·The Times of India
“unavoidable joie de vivre (symbolised by Rancho's meditative mantra 'All is well') and a performance charm that makes this one of the more naturally gregarious Bollywood imports.”
Robert Abele·Los Angeles Times
Genres
Comedy, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorRajkumar Hirani
StarringAamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Boman Irani
ComposerShantanu Moitra, Atul Raninga, Sanjay Wandrekar
Rent/Purchase