Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s movie “12th Fail” was a hit at the box office and resonated with audiences nationwide. The film featured Vikrant Massey as IPS officer Manoj Kumar Sharma, portraying his journey from poverty to becoming an IPS officer.
IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma Revealed What He Received From 12th Fail Makers
Recently, speaking at the ABP Ideas of India summit, IPS Manoj Kumar Sharma explained that he didn’t get paid for his role in the movie and then elaborated on the specific reason for this.
During the summit, when questioned about what benefits he gained from both the book and its movie adaptation, Manoj said: “If you ask me personally, I didn’t receive anything. It is so because I don’t take money from anyone or go in expecting any monetary benefits from anyone. I am a totally honest person about these matters, and I am as I was at the time of selection. My wife is also like that.”
Further, he elaborated on his gains from the movie, expressing joy in receiving letters from school students aspiring to emulate his honesty and integrity. He said: “What makes me happy is when school students send me letters saying that they want to be like me, and to be honest like me. That is my reward… Through this movie, thanks to director Vidhu Vinod Chopra, people came to know about my story, otherwise there are so many stories but no one really cares. How do you find someone like him to tell a story like this? This story is not special, it is a simple story about a kid that you’ll find in every nook and corner in our country. In the future, even if a few people feel that they should work hard and be honest and not take shortcuts or become dishonest in their ways, then I don’t feel there can be a bigger reward than that.”
Manoj Revealed The ‘No-Gift Policy’ Of His Wife And Him
Later in the discussion, the IPS officer disclosed that he and his wife, IRS Shraddha Joshi Sharma, adhere to a ‘no-gift policy’. Since their UPSC preparation days, they agreed not to wear expensive jewelry. Sharma noted that his wife continues to abstain from wearing diamonds, contributing to their frugal lifestyle. He said:
“At the time when my wife and I were preparing for the exams, we had decided that we’ll not wear diamonds and jewellery. She still doesn’t wear it so we don’t have that expense. We don’t even have a gift system, we don’t give each other gifts on anniversaries and birthdays. If we want to give gifts we write letters to each other. So we don’t need to go shopping.”
In his closing remarks at the summit, the officer expressed gratitude to Vidhu Vinod Chopra for bringing his story to a wider audience. “12th Fail” is adapted from a novel by Anurag Pathak. The film features Vikrant Massey as Manoj, a young man from Chambal aspiring to join the police force, and Medha Shankar portrays his wife, Shraddha Joshi, an IRS officer. Despite releasing alongside major films like “Animal” in October 2023, “12th Fail” garnered significant praise at the box office and later on OTT platforms following its release on Disney+ Hotstar.
