All India Rank depicts the ongoing rat race for admission into IITs. Modelled on the MIT, these Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) teach science, technology, and engineering.
In recent years, we have read and heard about many IIT coaching centres mushrooming across India. These centres guide young students to get high all-India rank in the exams.
Trailer of the All India Rank (2024) Movie
Summary [Official] of the All India Rank (2024) Movie
Sriram Raghavan presents Masaan and Sacred Games writer Varun Grover’s directorial debut ALL INDIA RANK. Set in the late 1990s, A 17-year-old Vivek was sent away from home to a prep school to prepare for the highly competitive IIT (“the MIT of India”) entrance examination.
Rating of the All India Rank (2024) Movie
| FM Rating | 3.75/5 |
| FM Short Comments | It is a nostalgic trip into India of the mid-1990s era when for many middle-class families the IITs were one of the most sought-after engineering educational institutes. This slow-burning coming-of-age tale is bittersweet. We liked its sensitive tale and ensemble cast, especially the young actors. |
Spoiler Free Review of the Movie
The introduction
Interestingly, Varun Grover‘s debut, “All India Rank” film is semi-autobiographical. His poignant and thought-provoking tale captures the essence of a budding national illusion.
In addition, the movie title “All India Rank” means that the student with higher marks gets a lower rank. So, the student with the maximum marks gets a rank 1 (also called All India Rank 1) or the First rank. Now this rank of students decides which stream they get into, and in which of the IITs (Indian Institute of Technology) in India.
Bonus information about the IITs
According to AICTE, the IITs are a group of autonomous prestigious engineering and technology-oriented institutes of higher education in India. The IITs were created to train scientists and engineers and to develop a skilled workforce to support the economic and social development of India after independence in 1947.
For years, IIT has held the status of being the top institution in the country, from the brightest minds in science to scholars, IIT has been home to students from every nook and corner of India. From about 20-25 thousand applicants only 10,000 make it to the IITs every year. And few of them have gone on to become billionaires and excelled in their fields.
From Sundar Pichai to Narayana Murthy, the IIT graduates who are now billionaires | Financial Express
So, what is the basic storyline of the film?
In the late 1990s, a 17-year-old boy named Vivek Singh (Bodhisattva Sharma) from Lucknow navigates the clash between his parents’ expectations and his aspirations while preparing for India’s most challenging undergraduate exam at an IIT coaching centre in Kota. This movie explores the balance between attainable dreams and fierce competition.
The protagonist, Vivek, a teenager, is now at the stage where most middle-class families in India believe he needs to join coaching classes for the highly competitive entrance exams of the IITs. Recognizing the value of an IIT degree as a symbol of educational achievement, Vivek’s father decides to send his only son to a residential preparatory school in Kota, known as the prime destination for IIT coaching in India. Throughout the next two years, Vivek experiences the typical challenges of Indian adolescence, while it is his parents who undergo significant personal growth.
What did we like in this nostalgic film?
In India, we have known Varun Grover for his brilliant stand-up comedy acts and sharp writing (lyrics, screenplays, etc.) skills. No doubt, this movie script has Grover’s trademark humour and touching dialogues. We loved the meaningful lyrics and evocative music of this film too. So, we have shared our favourite song and the link to other songs below.
Like us, almost every kid who grew up during the 1990s era, they are certain to feel nostalgic while watching this honest movie about aspirational middle-class families of India. We liked the way, the small historical details, for instance, the movie magazines, the PCO (public call office) payphone facility, the scooters, the celebration of 50 years of India’s independence, etc. have been incorporated into it. We also liked the growth in the characters of the protagonist Vivek Singh (Bodhisattva Sharma) and his parents, especially the strict father. But, to be honest, we needed more emotional drama and connection in it.
The conclusion
The central theme of the film smartly explores the (Indian) societal affliction in which young students ( like Vivek) squander their most valuable years fulfilling their parents’ ambitions, while parents derive their sense of value from their children’s achievements. However, in the end, all is well, that ends well.
Our life is not about the destination, but it is about the journey undertaken by all of us. It is a sensitive film about a middle-class Indian family. We liked this insightful satire about the IIT students. Is chasing the IIT dream akin to chasing a chimera? Well, we do not know. But, this film asks you to follow your dreams.
Poster of the All India Rank (2024) Movie
Key Details about the All India Rank (2024) Movie
| Genre | Comedy, Drama |
| Original language | Hindi (India) |
| Duration | 1 hour 37 minutes |
| Released | 23 February, 2024 |
| Writer | Varun Grover |
| Director | Varun Grover |
| Cast | Sheeba Chaddha (Teacher), Bodhisattva Sharma (Vivek), Samta Sudiksha (Sarika), Vidit Singh (Ishaan), Neeraj Singh (Chandan), Ayush Pandey (Rinku Yadav), Shashi Bhushan, Geeta Aggarwal Sharma, etc. |
| Producer | Matchbox Shots |
“Thehar Zara” song – the video of our favourite song from this film
Also, do not miss out. And go ahead and check out the other Hindi songs in the Jukebox of the said movie on YouTube.
Featured Image and Poster of the All India Rank (2024) Film is credited to Varun Grover | Instagram and Canva.com