Chetan Bhagat feels betrayed by ‘3 Idiots’

Spicezee Bureau

Mumbai: You already know about the connection between ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Five Point Someone’.

Ebbing with joy Chetan Bhagat was eagerly awaiting the film ‘3 Idiots’, for it was he who first conceptualised the plot. ‘FPS’ was an overnight hit. The moment the book had hit the stands it was soaring high on the bestseller charts! And even though the Hirani – Vidhu duo once again did a wonderful job with ‘3 Idiots’, the author harbours some grievance over credits courtesy, it seems.

Not only did the makers of the film shout from rooftops that the movie is “only loosely inspired” by his book, they also buried the author’s credit at the end of the film. So much so that most of the viewers missed it.

Terming it rather strange, Bhagat says, “I was expecting an opening credit and I was quite surprised on not seeing it. They had bought the rights, made the payment and committed to a credit in the contract. It’s there, but it’s not about it being there, it’s about the placement and the prominence.”

Asked if he feels disappointed - “Umm, it felt strange. But then Rajkumar Hirani (director) and Aamir Khan are bigger names and they would rather use their names. If they don’t want to give me credit what can I do or say?”

Feeling left out of the limelight this time, he says, “What can I do? They control the print, I don’t. It depends on them how much they want to honour the author. I left it to their goodwill. At that time I didn’t have the knowledge or the power to ask for an opening credit.”

The director of ‘3 Idiots’ Rajkumar Hirani said in an earlier interview, “The idea was originally taken from Chetan Bhagat’s Five Point Someone but, when we started working, we realised that we couldn’t really adapt the book, we would have to modify it to shoot a film because the way you write a script for the film is very different from writing a book.”

Bhagat, however, rubbishes the filmmaker’s claim. “Most of the film is based on my book, even the dialogues, and anyone who has read the book will be able to see the contribution in the film,” he says.

Bhagat adds that when he went to a multiplex, there were some youngsters there and they all knew that the film was based on his book. “But, my fans recognise the book, so, I am happy.”