ENTRY #3 Reflection: 3 Idiots

    The movie 3 Idiots, released back in 2009, was an international success. Even now, 3 Idiots is known by almost every Filipino, a testament to its popularity. The story is about three friends on a journey through college life, and how their struggles strengthened their friendship. 

    In this blog entry, I will discuss the characteristics of the protagonists in the movie. First, we will start with the central character, Rancho. He is a symbol of intelligence, one that isn't defined by grades, books, and academic performance. He is emotionally intelligent and is an outside-the-box thinker. Rancho also challenges the traditional methods of education, much to the disappointment and displeasure of his professors. He would question definitions about simple things, showing that he possesses a different perspective in the ways of education, and in general, life. He also displays a certain deviance from social expectations and norms, and highly encourages people to follow their hearts instead. 

    His role to his friends' lives is to be the catalyst towards change. Throughout the movie, he encourages his peers to follow a career path that will bring them more contentment in the future. 

    Next, Farhan. He is portrayed as a child whose parents' expectations and plans are enforced upon. His situation shows the dilemma of choosing between following your own dream or fulfilling your family's wishes. It can be very unhealthy, and can cause the destruction of one's relationships, dreams, and morale. His friends act as a rock for support as he conquers his hurdles and encourages his passion for photography.

    The third friend, Raju, represent a huge population of students worldwide: the financially struggling. He is crushed with immense pressure to get his family out of poverty. He intends to do so by graduating in his university and finding a stable job. When he was expulsed from the university as a punishment, he quickly lost hope and attempted to end his life, an indication of the overwhelming weight of responsibility that he holds as the future breadwinner for his family. Raju learns to trust himself more, and gains confidence that he will succeed in his goals.

    These three characters are unique in their own way and stands as a symbolism for the struggling youth that is going through a journey towards their future career. As a student myself, I find myself connecting more with Rancho. And it is not because I am very intelligent, but because I consider myself as someone that likes to doubt and challenge social norms and expectations. I am not easily affected social pressures because I was raised in a way that I was free to be whoever I wanted to be and do whatever I wanted to do. Another reason why I like him is because I want to have high emotional intelligence, that can easily connect with people in a deeper way.