It's hard for me to review this film, as I have not seen a huge number of Indian films--probably no more than a couple dozen. Most of the ones I've seen were wonderfully entertaining but I am far from an expert on Bollywood. Because of this, I have a hard time knowing how good this film is relative to other films from this country. So, consider this when you read this review. This may be among the very best India has to offer or it just seems that way to me.
Like so many Indian films, this is a very, very long film--with a run-time of almost three hours. When a movie is bad or just okay, this can seem like forever, but since "3 Idiots" is a very, very good film I loved its length. And, like most films of the genre, it has its share of the usual singing and dancing so foreign to films from other countries. One thing you should know, however, is that defining the type of film it is isn't really easy. Much of it is a comedy, but it also has many poignant moments (keep the Kleenex nearby), some existential moments where they explore the meaning of life and work and it's also a tender film about friendship. And, as my daughter pointed out when she saw the film, she loved that the men in the movie are not afraid to cry--something you rarely see in western films.
As for the plot, it's very long and involved and I could recount what occurs. But I don't want to spoil a single wonderful moment, so my advice is just sit back and watch--and if you give it a chance, I can almost guarantee you'll have a great time with this poignant and funny film. Wonderful and well worth your time--with a delightful script, wonderful characters and lots of moments that made me smile...and a few that brought me to tears. See this film.
