Bollywood’s Modern Masterpiece With A 100% RT Rating Turns 17 This Year

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Indian cinema had a fantastic 2025, led by the huge success of Dhurandhar, which became the country’s highest-earning film that year. Fans are now eagerly awaiting its sequel. Indian action movies are gaining international recognition, and Peddi, the latest film starring Ram Charan from RRR, is already generating a lot of excitement for 2026.

Next year, audiences are eagerly awaiting the release of Varanasi, a new Indian film starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas. This movie will be her first return to South Indian cinema since she began acting in 2002. South Indian films are known for their large-scale action sequences, which are incredibly popular with viewers. In fact, many of today’s globally successful Bollywood movies are also large-budget action films.

Bollywood used to be particularly well-known for historical dramas filled with emotional stories, rather than action films. While it didn’t dominate for long, comedy remains popular with viewers around the world. And a beloved college musical, often hailed as one of the greatest Bollywood films of recent times, will celebrate its 17th anniversary in 2026!

3 Idiots Is A Coming-Of-Age Saga

If you find today’s Indian action movies too over-the-top, this film is a great place to start. It perfectly captures a sweet spot in Bollywood history – a time when filmmakers focused on charming, relatable stories about growing up, before action became the main focus. It’s a perfect film for a new generation to discover this style.

Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots, with Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, and Sharman Joshi playing the leads, is widely considered the standout film from that era. The movie centers on the humorous experiences of three friends – Rancho, Farhan, and Raju – as they navigate life and studies at the made-up Imperial College of Engineering. Throughout their time there, they face challenges with their coursework, romantic interests, and a difficult relationship with their college dean.

The film 3 Idiots follows three friends as they navigate college and grow into adults. It tells their story in a fun, non-traditional way, designed to keep viewers thoroughly entertained. The movie is full of funny moments, both from the friends’ playful antics and the hilarious behavior of their strict dean, Virus, brilliantly portrayed by Boman Irani, alongside Kareena Kapoor Khan as his daughter.

3 Idiots Doesn’t Shy Away From Harsh Truths

While the movie 3 Idiots sometimes shows a fun side of college life, it doesn’t shy away from serious issues. It realistically portrays the intense pressure students face from their parents, the financial struggles many endure, and the tragically common problem of suicide within engineering colleges.

Although many films touch on these issues, tackling them in a popular Bollywood movie back in 2009 was courageous. The film bravely addressed a widespread problem, despite its large audience. Sadly, it’s disappointing to see that the situation hasn’t changed significantly, even after 17 years, as the filmmakers likely envisioned.

3 Idiots’ Music Is Still Highly Popular

Like many popular Bollywood films from the early 2000s, the music from 3 Idiots remains incredibly popular both in India and around the world. Shaan’s vocals on the song Behti Hawa Sa Tha Woh make it a classic choice for road trips, and as a fan, I believe it will continue to be enjoyed for decades to come – even when the film turns 50!

Shaan and Sonu Nigam’s lively singing in “All Izz Well” transforms a simple comedy song into something both incredibly comforting and funny – it’s a truly memorable tune. And Sonu Nigam and Shreya Ghoshal’s “Zoobi Doobi” remains a favorite, consistently played at weddings for years to come.

3 Idiots Defined An Entire Generation Of Indians

For me, the song that really stuck with me from 3 Idiots – the one that became almost like a national student anthem – is “Give Me Some Sunshine.” Suraj Jagan’s singing just perfectly captures that feeling of being totally burnt out by the pressure of the Indian education system, and it really resonated with me when I first saw the movie. Honestly, it still hits hard, and I think a lot of people my age feel the same way – it just gets that experience.

I’ll never forget hearing that song for the first time, and how powerfully it connected with my middle school classmates as we prepared for high school. We all belted out the lyrics because they really resonated with us. 3 Idiots feels genuinely real, and it had a big impact on many people born between the late 1990s and early 2010s.

3 Idiots’ Timeless Themes Are Relevant Across The World

As the film 3 Idiots celebrates its 17th anniversary, it’s remarkable how well it captured the college experience – the excitement of newfound freedom for many first-year students, and the intense pressure that comes with it. The movie likely resonated most with that age group when it was first released.

As a movie fan, I’m always struck by films that just get the human experience, and 3 Idiots is definitely one of them. What really hits home is how the film’s themes – the pressure to succeed, finding your own path – still feel so relevant today, no matter where you are in the world. It wasn’t just a hit in India, it really connected with people everywhere. The humor, the romance, the way it tackles tough issues, and especially that beautiful friendship… it all just translates, you know? It’s a film that genuinely resonates with audiences globally.

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2026-01-11 00:29