World Teachers’ Day: Real UPSC professor Vikas Divyakirti To Play Himself in Vidhu Vinod Chopra's 12th Fail

On this World Teachers' Day (celebrated globally on October 5th), an interesting trivia has come to light about director Vidhu Vinod Chopra's '12th Fail' starring Vikrant Massey.
For a critical role of a teacher in the film, Chopra has chosen a real-life professor and mentor, Vikas Divyakirti, who has guided countless students in their pursuit of clearing the Union Public Service Commission's entrance exam - including the real Manoj Sharma, who's life has inspired the film.

In the recently unveiled trailer of '12th Fail,' Vikas Divyakirti makes an impactful appearance, delivering a profound message to UPSC students. He emphasises that a student's journey should not end with getting a position in the civil services but they should strive to bring meaning to that position.

Vikas Divyakirti is widely recognised and respected for mentoring students for the rigorous UPSC examination. Now, he joins a select group of individuals who have played themselves on the big screen.

Reflecting on his experience of portraying a professor on the silver screen, Vikas expresses his gratitude, stating, "This is a historic occasion. Perhaps for the first time, Hindi cinema has tried to touch the pulse of Hindi society at such a deep level. The story of Manoj Sharma, who became IPS despite once failing in 12th class, actually shakes every person who has accepted failure as his destiny in life. The film forces him to give himself another chance, to 'restart' his journey!"

The trailer highlights Vikrant Massey as the lead and provides glimpses of the protagonist's journey, starting from a small village in Chambal and leading to the bustling hub of UPSC preparation in Delhi's Mukherjee Nagar. This film, based on a true story, draws inspiration from the gritty struggles faced by countless students aspiring to clear the UPSC entrance exam. However, it transcends the confines of a single exam and encourages people not to lose hope in the face of failures, but to persist in their efforts.

'12th Fail', directed by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, is set to have a global release on October 27th, featuring versions in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Kannada.