- Aamir Khan announced a 3 Idiots sequel set 10 years after the original film's end
- Thalapathy Vijay starred as Panchavan, the Tamil remake counterpart of Aamir Khan's Rancho
- Nanban adapted 3 Idiots to Tamil culture while maintaining the original's core themes
Like they say, some films are best left at its original glory, without remakes or sequels. Yet when Aamir Khan broke the news that Rajkumar Hirani was working on a 3 Idiots sequel - where the story picks up 10 years after its conclusion in the first part - excitement was palpable among the massive fanbase of the 2009 comedy-drama.
Interestingly, Thalapathy Vijay, who is currently in the news after being sworn in as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister, also has a 3 Idiots connection. This might be a good time to revisit the films, for more reasons than one.
Parallels Between 3 Idiots And Its Tamil Remake Nanban
Thalapathy Vijay plays the counterpart of Aamir Khan's Rancho in the Tamil remake of 3 Idiots, titled Nanban.Vijay is the philosophical, free-spirited Panchavan Parivendhan, who also goes by the moniker Pari or Paari in the latter.
Nanban Poster
Just like Ranchhoddas "Rancho" Shamaldas Chanchad / Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots, played by Aamir Khan who melted into his character and challenged societal pressures.
3 Idiots Poster
Ileana D'Cruz was the female lead in Nanban, as Kareena Kapoor Khan was in 3 Idiots. Boman Irani played the unforgettable Dr Viru Sahastrabuddhe, popularly known as Virus, in 3 Idiots. He was the competitive director of Imperial College of Engineering (ICE).
Sathyaraj played Virumandi Santhanam, also called Virus, the traditionalist principal and the main antagonist at Ideal Engineering College (IEC).
Rancho's most popular dialogue that underlined his faith in following passion was, "Success ke peeche mat bhaago. Kaabil bano, success jhak maarke peeche aayegi."
Vijay as Panchavan is the exceptional engineering student in Nanban who does not succumb to the rigid educational system. He has only his curiosity as his partner-in-crime, and chooses hands-on learning over textbook knowledge.
Just like Farhan Qureshi (R Madhavan) and Raju Rastogi (Sharman Joshi), Rancho's two close confidantes in the Hindi film, Vijay's Panchavan also has Jiiva (Sevalkodi Senthil) and Srikanth (Venkat Ramakrishnan) as his ride-or-die friends in the Tamil film.
Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi in 3 Idiots
They are his best friends who are inspired to look beyond the ordinary and pursue what their hearts long for.
Thalapathy Vijay, Sevalkodi Senthil and Venkat Ramakrishnan in Nanban
There's an impostor twist that is also effortlessly executed in the Tamil remake.
In 3 Idiots, Aamir Khan arrives at the engineering college under the identity of Rancho. He was actually an orphaned servant boy of the affluent Rachchhoddas Chanchad family, who agreed to fund his education because of his love for learning, only on the condition that he would get a degree under the name of their son. Thus Phunsukh "Chhote" Wangdu became Rancho and earned a degree. On his graduation day, he mysteriously disappears, prompting his friends to embark on a long search. He is later found by his friends and college sweetheart Pia (Kareena Kapoor Khan) - the college director's (Boman Irani) daughter - by which time he has become a world-renowned scientist, inventor and educator in Ladakh.
Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Sharman Joshi in 3 Idiots
Vijay's character follows a similar arc in Nanban: he studies under an adopted identity and years later is found running a secluded remote school and working as a renowned inventor in Dhanushkodi, at the southern tip of Tamil Nadu.
Thalapathy Vijay, Sevalkodi Senthil, Ileana D'Cruz and Venkat Ramakrishnan in Nanban
In fact, there are several frames in Nanban that are identical to 3 Idiots, creating strong recall value.
What Worked For Vijay's Tamil Remake Of 3 Idiots
What worked brilliantly was how Vijay effortlessly shed his 'mass hero' avatar to become a relatable young man. He delivers the comic moments with sincerity and subtlety, and his balancing act on screen was widely praised by critics.
The same camaraderie that testifies to true friendship between Rancho, Farhan and Raju is reflected deeply between Panchavan, Jiiva and Srikanth.
Also worthy of mention is how director S. Shankar remained true to the magic of 3 Idiots while localising Nanban for a South Indian audience.
From humour and slang to college situations, everything was adapted to the Tamil cultural context so audiences could resonate more easily.
While the core beliefs of both Rancho and Panchavan - their attitudes towards life, education and friendship - are the same, the personalities differ slightly.
Aamir Khan as Rancho in 3 Idiots
Rancho (Aamir Khan) leans more on the intellectual side, whereas Panchavan (Thalapathy Vijay) amplifies the mass appeal.
Vijay as Panchavan in Nanban
To date, 3 Idiots is considered one of the best made films in Indian cinema, while Nanban is one of the most thoughtful remakes, having recorded over Rs150 crore at the box office.
This film was simply destined to be a crowd-puller; language posed no barrier. And the rest is history.
ALSO READ | Aamir Khan Breaks Silence On 3 Idiots Sequel: 'It Follows The Same Characters, Picking Up 10 Years Later'