MUMBAI: Record-breaking film 3 Idiots, starring Aamir Khan, Boman Irani, Kareena Kapoor, R Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi, hit the theatres more than 10 years ago and continues to be one of Bollywood’s most beloved films of the decade.

The film is also noted as one of Aamir Khan’s most critically acclaimed films of his career making it the highest-grossing Indian film of 2009. The film also marks one of Boman Irani’s best roles in Bollywood as the epitome of discipline, the university dean, Viru Sahastrabudhhe for which he won the Filmfare award for Best Supporting Actor and a Star Screen Award for Best Actor in a negative role. Sony MAX, India’s leading premiere Hindi movie channel, will telecast Bollywood blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’ on Monday, April 20 at 9 PM.

In a conversation with veteran actor Boman Irani, who plays Dean Viru Sahastrabuddhe, spoke at length about his experience shooting at the IIM Bangalore campus. The actor said, 'Bangalore was great. I asked the production which hotel we would be staying in Bangalore. When I was told it was IIM campus, I was taken aback initially. But it was Aamir's idea and a masterstroke. We stayed in the campus and we used to walk or cycle to work. I think it was very convenient, as it helped build a camaraderie between the entire unit, students.  We weren’t a disturbance to them, we were a part of the furniture and that’s what I think was the most beautiful part. The boys, Aamir, Maddy and Sharman actually felt like students. It wasn’t fun for me initially, I used to cycle around the campus and walk around the passages the whole day and this is how I used to be at the campus. When people used to wish me, I used to bark back at them. They used to wonder, "Who’s this guy?" I used to cycle around the campus and blend in and pretend to be part of it, the students probably thought I was a new teacher who was very grumpy all the time.' 

Adding on, he also spoke about the milestone of completing 10 years of 3 Idiots and said, 'A lot of kids come to me and tell me how much they love the movie and I usually get surprised because some of them must have been even 5 or 10 year old at that time and I ask them how do you know about this movie, to which they answer Sony MAX pe dekha which is great as the love for the movie is still alive. This is a part of it, telecast of such films helps people relate to movie and its characters. I am pleasantly surprised that people actually like an unhappy character like virus, because he is so negative. I have never thought Virus would be a character people would catch on with because of the negativity but it seems that more times the people watch this movie, the character becomes more relatable. Also, the character redeemed himself in the end and that’s what helps add to the relatable nature of this character. I am so grateful that the film is so loved. People should choose to love a character and the viewers have the real power over cinema – It is because of their love and appreciation for the characters in this movie that it has come so far. It is their opinion that counts the most. The film is special for us because it is special for them. Ten years from now, I hope I can say the same thing.' 

SOURCE – THE DIGITAL HASH