Dear All,
Thanks a lot for your immense support. I am humbled how you all have stood behind me, despite the so called powerful people on the other side. Yesterday, you saw their behavior. You can make your own conclusions. I would like people who have not read the book to not comment on the issue, and I have been requesting that from the start.
And while I feel no reason to respond to baseless statements, I would like to point out two things about me allegedly looking for publicity. One, I did contact them first through sms, even after the premiere. They did not respond. I sent two mails, along with a fan mail attached, on Dec 29, two full days before I did my blog entry (and I did the blog only after they started accusing me). My first mail was to the director, and he never responded. The second mail was to the director as well as cced to VVC’s brother, who also works in the production house and was supposed to ‘handle my case’. The director never responded. VVC’s brother did, and the reply was so vague, I have to paste it here to you to make your own conclusions. Secondly on publicity, I have written four books and over fifty columns. Authors can easily add a few controversial lines to their books and cause a stir to increase sales. You’d agree I’ve never had an issue like this with any of my books, or even a line of any of my columns, where I take extra effort to stick to the facts. In fact, people accusing me of that should introspect on if they haven’t read the book and are supporting the makers, how does it make them any different from a brand ambassador who is asked to peddle junk food.
I also want to address the so called contract and spell out the issue, which they are either unable to articulate or are hiding. Yes, there is a contract, which you ethically abused. But how can you give ANOTHER credit for story, not including me, without my consent, right upfront and hide mine totally? Isn’t that negating my already buried credit? Who will people see. Who will go and collect the story (not screenplay, which is separate) awards? The screenplay is not an issue here. The people who have done that have adapted my story – not written a new one. Maybe they can be co-credited for story, but how can they exclude me? Add to that them constantly calling their story original, discrediting me in the media for over an year – does that not show an actual pattern of shutting me out? That is the issue.
People have known the issue. They have been busted. They quivered, shook, cursed and fell yesterday. Making mistakes is human. Not accepting it is a sense of entitlement that only comes from an unchecked ego. However, people have given their verdict.
The mails are attached below. The fanmail comes first (copied and pasted from gmail).
God Bless,
Me
FIRST MAIL:
hide details 12/28/09 (4 days ago) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Hello Chetan Sir,
Today I saw 3 Idiot’s. Somewhere I read that it is only 10% of “five point someone” but I think it was 80% of that. It was amazing experience and I would like to give you all credit for that great entertainment along with Amir khan.
Thanks ,
Sachin
|
hide details 12/29/09 (4 days ago) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
i have 100+ mails like this.
cheers!
chetan
—- THE ABOVE NEVER WAS RESPONDED TO —
SECOND MAIL:|
hide details 12/26/09 (6 days ago) |
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dear Mr Chetan
Yesterday I saw a recent movie of Amirkhan, 3 idiots.
It is almost same as your 1st book 5.1 . Is it true.
But I have not seen your name or noticed .
Can you confirm this. ?
K G Sreeganeshan
hide details 12/29/09 (4 days ago) |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
my mailbox is filled..i have no idea who these people are.
god bless.
chetan|
show details |
|
12/29/09 (3 days ago) |
|
|
|
|
Noted. Thank you, Chetan.
Fans will be fans and all our mailboxes at this time are full of nothing but superlatives. Let us not only celebrate all aspects of creativity that went into the film but also learn from both our positives and negatives.
It was indeed good to meet you.
Best regards,
Vir K Chopra
(Ph.D. London School of Economics & Political Science)
Director
Vinod Chopra Films Pvt. Ltd.
—– AND THAT’S IT. ATTEMPTS TO REACH ON PHONE FAILED TOO. —–
Your Book is more entertaining than 3i which is nothing but the “Ctrl C” + Ctrl P version of “Mr. Perfectionist”, Aamir… I beleive Amir needs to acknowlegde that 3i is based on Chetan’s Five Point Someone.
i had seen that few days before and its true this movie is abt 70% inspired from ur book FPS.
As i had read all books frm FPR to two states u never try 2 get publicity either publicity is following u.
and i really got hurt frm yesterdays VVD’s comment and after tat Aamir Khans comment
Mr CB,
I’ve read all your books. I think you are trying to misguide people into believing that the 3I film makers have duped you. Please have a look at this link. I am pasting this on your blog so everybody is able to see.
http://www.bollywood.com/i-liked-final-script-three-idiots-chetan-bhagat
Regards,
Phani
you have signed the contract right ?…either you are too dumb or too mean.
When Hello movie(based on one night@call centre) didn’t do well at BO….i never heard or read about chetan bhagat neither seen u on tv;-)
The movie is excellent and book is good(or may be average). The movie is based on your ideas but script is differnt….but again is the concept in five.someone completely yours..i think NO(its story of every engineering student and parents).
…and i am not an Amir khan fan.
I neither red the book nor watched the movie.
I use to watch more English Movies. In most i found ‘BASED ON NOVEL BY XXXX’ ‘STORY INSPIRED FROM XXXX’…………
Indian Cinema has to learn lot from the WEST.
what the hell..? chetan bhagat wont do it for fame.. i think it was his initiation which is the cause for the movie..if he`d not have writen the book we wouldn`t have got this great movie.. never forget CB is the real writer.. any tom dik and harry can develop another story or write another script by making some predictable changes from original story.. its CB who`s the real person behind the BLOCKBUSTER of the year..:)
Dear Chetan,
I have read all your books and loved them all. Talking specifically about FPS and 3i, all I can say is “THIS CAN HAPPEN ONLY IN INDIA”.
This is one country where creative genius is denied its rightful dues because of mass illiteracy and lack of literary awareness. How else can one explain the millions made by one of my favourite singer Jagjit Singh(Not trying to grudge)while peanuts are doled out to the real brains, i.e., Shayars like Nida Fazli, Sudershan Fakir and so many others. Very few people appreciate them while enjoying their beautifully crafted Ghazals and Jagjit getting away with all the credit. This is just an example of front-enders running away with the creit due to the back-enders.
This is what the 3i team decided to do with FPS but they definitely underestimated the clout of FPS.(Shows their literary ignorance).
AK talks about highlight scenes instead of the soul of the plot. How can RKH measure 2-5% contribution of FPS? The contribution of the basic story idea to any film would, in my opinion, can not be less than 50%. Add another 15-20% for various scenes copied, with or without modification, and you reach 70% that you are so rightly talking.
BTW, just because VVC and RKH made Munnabhai series, they can own every IPR in the world and can are beyond any probe by the Media or public?
Rajeev Nanda
He is trying to take away the credit from the film’s writer Abhijat Joshi, which I am very upset about. It is an attempt on his part to try and take the credit away from the person who has actually worked on the script. It’s very unfortunate. There should not be any confusion to anyone that Abhijat is our film’s writer,” Khan told reporters here last night.
Didnt expected Aamir Khan to say that so sad
We are with you chetan
Chetan,
I am an ardent reader and have read all 4 books authored by you. On seeing the movie 3 idiots, I believe 80% of the movie is based on ur book. I mean there was hardly any scene which I could not relate to that was already there is the book. Dont let them get away with this and be rest assured that you have very strong support with you.
Dear Chetan,
I have read your book around 5 years back and liked it a lot.
I will not say that it is a great literature, but it has something which makes most of us put ourselves into the shoes of the three protagonists.
And I think you should not worry about the credits from Bollywood, who are the best knows plagiarists on this planet. Be it music, be it lyrics, be it script, (posters, title, getup of artists, or anything you can name), they steal everything.
These morons lack innovation.
HI Chetan
First of all “Happy new year to you and your family”.
I have gone through all 600 post on your blog regarding this controversy…I think may be you blindly signed the agreement or what….I know you should be given decent credit in the bigning of the film not in end of the film….But we know this is Bollywood not as mature as Hollywood. I am your gr8 fan as well as Amirs gr8 fan…So i just want to suggest you to be assure next time what you want exactly from producers…
Now no need to fight…nothing will happen because they have agreement signed by you………
The screen story that was in the making for three years derieves its inspiration from the book – period.
Dev Anand had adapted “The Guide” by RK Narayan to the screen and in the process – modified the story. Having done that – he did speak to RK Narayan, suggested the need for modifying the story and mind you – RK Narayan was unhappy but was still credited as the story writer in the opening credits. BTW – the Guide was released in two versions, the english version was adapted to the screen by Pearl S. Buck and even in there – RK’s name is credited as the story writer.
Another example is that of “Shatranj ke Khiladi” where Satyajit ray adapted Munshi Premchand’s novel. Did he discredit Premchand because he adapted the story to the screen?
Atleast Aamir is a half criminal / he credited TZP’s story (Creative director crap) to Amole Gupte but stole the director’s badge.
Coming to VC – he also adapted the story of Parineeta on the screen. Did he discredit Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay as the story writer? The Bongs would have maimed him.
Moreover, Hirani’s comments on 3% or 5% adapted content is really shameful. If you had not writen this book – they wouldn’t have made this movie. The story is yours. Let them change 90% or 98% while adapting it to the screen – doesn’t matter.
These guys have a history.
The contract is further proof that VC & Team have hung their ethics on their cocks and I can only sympathize with you – Chetan for being naive and innocent.
Peace.
aamir khan…calling him a perfectionsist was the first mistake!!!he is taking too much out of it!!
hey!! man just let it go!!! and enjoy the movie…and the book!
i dnt understnad …why pepole have so much of ego and hypocrisy!!!! commn guys…just chill…who cares if it was 10% or 70 %….both the movie and the book are good!!!enjoy the new year chetan!!! wish u luck…and plzzz…u shld have stayed out of this….just dont care who is right or wrong..commn u r sensible enough for that…leave it for pepole..to have the last word
hye chetan sir!!
!!keep writing like dis!m wid u!!take care!! 
m a huge fan of urs who has read all the 4 books written by u uptil now!it pains me 2 see how u have been disgraced by the 3 idiots’ team!the name given 2 the movie apt i guess coz the makers also are the biggest iodiots on the earth!for me ur a bigger name then aamir khan!i wanted 2 see the movie purely bcoz it was based ob FPS n m crazy 4 ur buks!n if these IDIOTS dnt wanna give due credit 2 u i dnt wanna the movie made by sum cheap,mean,selfish n stupid ppl!n let me tell u sumthing more as far as we the yputh of this country is concerned,ur a bigger n REAL inspirartion 4 us than aamir khan!CHETAN BHAGAT doesnt need ne damn hero 2 take CHETAN BHAGAT’s name frm his mouth 4 CHETAN BHAGAT 2 becum famous!n if Mr.Aamir Khan thinks that u r doing all this 4 publicity i guess… he STINKS!!!
u rock 4 me now n 4 ever!!
btw,ur 2 states was awesum yaar!!cumpletely faadu buk!may just prove 2 b helpful 2 me in mah luvstory
-supriya singh
I am not have much understanding but, They are making joke of your talent.
Even a single idea can turnaround the things from failure to success and more so ever counting percentage things in creativity is not logical. I don’t understand why all these legends (Amir, Hirani n all) are not appreciating the value of inspiration. May be bollywood is quite used to do this even after copying the idea 100% and after that denies it outrightly and if things get exposed/caught red handed thereafter they won’t mind saying we just took the “inspiration”.
Last but not the least “I didn’t expect this from Aamir”
Hi Chetan,
I have read most of your books (5point, 3mistakes etc). Frankly, i wanted to read 5pt since the days i came to know aamir is making such a film. I have read the book (pretty decent) and seen the movie too (awesome!!).. I do agree movie is loosely based on ur book, but definetely very different. I completely agree with raju n vinod n aamir that movie is different and u should be completely ashamed of that.. man, seriously if u r doing this for publicity, then u r a big time loser. where the hell were you when movie was released or before that? i have even seen ur interview on bollywood hugama that u know script is different.. n still u making hue n cry (cry-baby) when u came to know movie is super duper hit.. plzz i sill like reading ur books, dont do this publicity, n ppl like me will no longerread ur books n ur fans will b also gone.. seriously if ur 5pt was made into movie, then wud have been 100% flop, look at one night at call centre.. dude, u can b a good writer bt in bollywodd u need somethin extra.. And, lastly, u have a made a fool of urselves n not the makers.. man u r challenging the likes of talented ppl like aamir, raju n vinod.. dude, plss gt a life.. One more thing, if u think ppl r supporting u in ur blog, of course dude, they will coz they r ur fans, y not?? i m sure this will b ur last bollywood entry,, i dont think in futre neone will evenlook at ur crap books.. loser…
Dear sir,i am really upset by Amir khan that he is suppourting rahu hirani nd VVC.i just want to say one thing -No matter what happens at last,they give u credit[I PRAY AND HOPE] or not but we all your fans,admirers and supporters will recognize the 3-IDIOTS with you and 5-PT SOME-1 only.and allwayz belive tht the book nd you r so much effective tht some bad souls tried and made money out of it…sir thay have forgotten one thing that A person lives forever in world’s heart and mind due to its GOOD OR BAD NAME not by the money he earned bcoz..we all hv to depart empty handed at the end of life.
Regards & Touch feet
Vivek soni
096466-14634
chandigarh
\\
I saw the movie and i have read the book too. The movie is a poor copy of the book FPS. The skeleton of the script has been borrowed from FPS adding some extra muscle asymmetrically. And wherever they have tried to do that they have went horribly wrong whether its a delivery scene or the rancho being shown in a superhuman avatar. They could have done much better if they have stuck with the same storyline as the book.
@CB FCB was my first book.. a book that inspires me to read more..As far as sharing credit for 3i with you is concern.. my take is that your book is far far better than the movie, more humorous and closer to reality.They (movie team) cannot get even distant close to you as far as the creativity is concern. They are making a mockery of themselves by giving irresponsible statement in the public and trying to twist well established facts..
Hats off to you for writing such a fabulous book.
PS: I was a die hard fan of Aamir Khan. Not anymore.