¶ … Idiots" (An Indian Movie) "3 Idiots" is an Indian movie with a strong message for its viewers. Two friends (immersed in their own career of choosing, that a third had helped them pursue) go on a quest to find their long lost close friend, from whom they have not heard since completing their education. They are reminded of a long forgotten bet, along with a wedding that they crashed and a funeral. Also, they are loaded with their memories of the friend, Rancho, on their way to find him. They remember him as free-thinker and special in his own way. He was unique, passionate, and touched their lives, changing their destiny forever.

What Happens in the Passage?

The passage selected for the purpose of this paper is about an approximately 4-minute scene when Raju is summoned to the college principal's (a strict authoritarian) office for transgression of rules, and following a disciplinary exchange, decides to attempt suicide (torn between the devil and the deep sea). The scene is scripted in English below:

Raju enters.

Raju: Sir?

Principal: Close the door. (Raju closes the door) Can you type?

Raju: Yes sir.

Principal: Will you type a letter for me?

Raju: Definitely sir.

Principal: Come, sit.

Raju: (starts walking towards the principal desk) Sir, I am sorry.

Principal: Please type ... Dear Sir ... it is my painful duty to inform you that your son is rusticated ... no sorry, delete that. Go back ... Your son, Mr. Raju Rastogi ... is rusticated from the Imperial College of Engineering. Come on, type.

Raju: (starts crying) It'll kill my dad, sir please.

Principal: Type.

Raju: Sir please.

Principal: My decision is final and irrevocable.

Raju: (continues crying) He lives just to see me become an engineer.

Principal: Should've thought of that before peeing on my door.

Raju: Sir, give me one chance ... please.

Barber enters at 2pm of the clock. The principal stands up from his chair and says:

Principal: Ok, remove your name from the letter ... and put Rancho's. I know he was with you last night. Be my witness and I will spare you. (Principal lies down on the couch for a shave). You have 7 1/2 minutes to think.

Raju stands up and looks at the principal, not believing his ears. He continues crying, thinking about the fate of his father, mother, sister and his close friend Rancho. After some time, he starts walking towards the window, stands up on its sill, and jumps. The principal and the barber stare disbelievingly the window from where the student jumped.

Scene Analysis

The major characters in the scene are the college principal and Raju. A barber also appears later in the scene but his role is insignificant. The scene appears towards the second half of the movie but is shown in the retrospect of the real story. It is depicted as one of the memories of those two friends who have set to search for their third friend, Rancho. At that point of the selected scene, Raju and Rancho had become close friends and Raju did not want to have him rusticated instead of himself. The reason for their closeness also rests upon the fact that Rancho had once saved Raju's father's life by taking him to the hospital on time. Raju did not want to lose his dear friend and on the same time, did not want to lose his degree caused by his rustication.

Mise-en-scene

The decor is that of a principal's office, with a table and chair set in the corner of a spacious room. There are lamps, tables, desks, shields and wall hangings, couch, chest of drawers for keeping files, sitting chairs in another corner, plants, paintings and large bookshelves in the room as well. The principal is working on his laptop when Raju enters. He is an aged man with glasses on and a stern expression on his face, whereas Raju is terrified due to his previous indecent actions and wary of the principal's reaction.

The daylight seems to illuminate the room. Laptop is used as a prop since Raju's principal hands it over to him to write a rustication letter. Costumes are a perfect fit for the scene as the principal is suited in white shirt and grey ants, giving the outlook of a school dean, while Raju is in maroon kameez and jeans, giving the outlook of a casual student on a college campus.

The body language of Raju is that of a petrified, guilt-stricken student evident through his way of walking, sitting and talking to his principal. He walks hesitantly into the office and sits in the same way in his chair. He gives an aura of weakness and subjugation to his principal. He already seems powerless and the principal appears as the domineering, strict,...

The scene is shot strictly from each person's point-of-view so that vivid facial expressions are revealed along with their mental viewpoints that are highly evident through their facial appearances in the scene. For example, the point where the principal says "My decision is final and irrevocable" shows his angry gaze filled with determinism. Raju is terror-stricken while the principal overwhelms the student intimidating him with extreme poise, rebuke and anger.
There were some unusual shots in the scene as well. For example, when Raju's principal asks him to become his witness for the last night's incident and write Rancho's name in the rustication letter instead of his own, Raju's mind starts reflecting on some defining moments and facts of his parents; his father who is a paralysis patient, his mother who is a full-time housewife, struggling with their poverty, and his sister, who is waiting to get married. The shots are played in black and white colors, accentuating stark, practical realities along with Raju's facial expressions as he is thinking about them. He is continuously crying since he cannot decide. He is also reminded of his friend Rancho in these flashbacks and becomes more powerless to make up his mind.

Sounds and Music Inserted into the Scene

The scene also includes music and sounds to accentuate the position, expressions, and effects of the characters in the scene. The opera music is used to provoke certain emotions in the audience. For instance, the music starts playing as soon as the principal says "You have seven and a half minutes to think" and with that, his shaving time starts. At the same instant, the music plays to signify Raju's thinking time, filled with dilemma and melancholy, where he is reminded of his parents, sister and friend in black and white shots from the past.

On one hand, the music tells that the principal is taking rest, which is referred to as his "seven-and-a-half-minute power nap" in the movie. He is meant to relax and listen to the music while doing so. On the other hand, it symbolizes as Raju's critical decision-making time; the only time where he has to take a major stance in his life. During the music-playing period, he is strangled by his own thoughts and choices that he has to make. Eventually, he gives up and decides to jump from the window, indicating a suicide attempt.

When the audience hears that music, they are immersed into deep thoughts along with anxiousness about Raju's decision. They want to know as soon as possible what choice he would make. Besides, the feelings Raju has at that moment are also kindled among the audience. The intensity of emotions is greatly amplified by the voice of the singer in that music. Raju's increasing dilemma corresponds to the musical impact through its tone and tenor.

Explain the Significance of the Passage within the Film

The entire movie is based on a lesson that children should not be pressurized to pursue subjects (academics) that their parents want them to, or the parents should not expect their children to become a doctor or engineer only, when the child himself would rather aspire to be a musician or photographer. These psychological pressures from their parents and the educational system, into which they are forced, destroy individuality and passion for life. As a result, high suicide rates are observed in various countries all over the world. This scene in the film, which is based on the same theme, conveys this significant message.

Just before this scene, another scene was shown in which the three friends sneaked into their principal's house at night to meet Rancho's lover Pia, the principal's daughter. As the three of them are drunk, they sneak into the house to tell Pia about Rancho's feelings based on a bet that if Rancho dares it, the two of his friends would follow their heart instead of fulfilling their parent's dreams. Rancho is of the view that one should pursue a passion rather than mere academics. For example, his friend Farhan, who wants to become a wildlife photographer and even has written a letter to his favorite photographer, did…