The much-anticipated movie, All India Rank, directed by the acclaimed writer Varun Grover, has finally hit the theaters. The film takes viewers into the challenging world of a young boy named Vivek. Played by Bodhisattva Sharma, the character navigates the rigorous preparation for the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) entrance exam.
Director Varun Grover reveals the true story behind All India Rank
Varun Grover, renowned for his work in projects like Gangs of Wasseypur, Sacred Games, Masaan, Qala, and Monica O My Darling, marks his directorial debut with this semi-autobiographical drama. The protagonist, Vivek, is a character molded after Grover himself. However, All India Rank comes with a twist.
The storyline of All India Rank had been brewing in Varun Grover’s mind for a decade, with its roots tracing back to his days at the Indian Institute of Technology (BHU). He pursued civil engineering there. The film draws inspiration from his experiences during the years of rigorous ITT coaching, around 1998, a period mirrored in the movie.
“I went for the coaching in Lucknow. It was a tough competition and a stressful year. I cracked the exam, with a low rank sure. But I was not too happy about it,” recalls Grover. He reflected on the pressures and expectations associated with cracking one of the country’s toughest exams. This internal conflict became the driving force behind the film.
Additionally, All India Rank doesn’t conform to the typical coming-of-age storyline where a young dreamer battles against social norms. Instead. it dives into the identity and the choice to remain clueless, crushed by the system. Varun Grover explains, “In this case, it is his identity and the choice to stay clueless that is crushed by the system, that’s what I wanted to explore.”
Moreover, as Grover crafted All India Rank, he drew inspiration from real-life stories and individuals from his coaching and BHU days. The characters in the film are not fictional; they are morphed versions of people he encountered during those formative years.
All in all, All India Ranks challenges the perception of success and the predefined paths society often pushes individuals to.
