NOTE: This is just a fun post. I really liked the film; so don’t criticise me for pointing these out. For mistakes in Hollywood films see Movie Mistakes. Post last revised at 7.25 PM, 17 Jan 2010.
These are some of the errors in the popular Bollywood film ‘3 Idiots’ that is breaking records presently. These are factual flaws and I have refrained from making opinion-based comments or finding story-based faults.I liked the film just the same and have watched it more than once. Some errors have been discovered by others and I have given credit wherever applicable.
1. The Balatkaar speech is not true to the script by Dubeyji
When the librarian Mr. Dubey narrates the speech to Chatur, he begins with this line: “Hamare director sahab ne yahaan kai chamatkar kiye hain!” In the actual speech this line is missing! And Rancho did not change the speech; he only changed some words and added a Sanskrit shlok!
2. “TEACHER’S DAY” is incorrect English
Father’s day or Mother’s day is fine but not ‘Teacher’s day’! It should be ‘TEACHERS’ DAY’ in the banner on 5 September (Chatur Silencer’s Balatkaar speech)! See a screenshot below:
3. The urn’s lid was dropped in the toilet pan by Farhan. And yet it is there in the next two scenes!
The lid of the urn containing the ashes was dropped in the pan by Madhavan. And still in the next two scenes we see that the lid is there! 
See a screenshot from the film below just as the duo leave after extracting information from the real Ranchhordas. It would be a sacrilege to use that lid from the toilet! This error discovered by Chandan.
4. Mona Singh’s character is called by two different names!
Mumbai Mirror reported this error.
Mona, who plays Kareena Kapoor’s elder sister in the movie, is first referred to as Poonam by her screen dad Boman Irani.
However, Poonam becomes Mona in the dramatic sequence that follows where Aamir Khan, Sharman Joshi and R. Madhavan deliver a baby with Kareena’s help through a web camera.
5. Farhan often pronounces the name as ‘Shyamaldas’ and not ‘Shamaldas’ !
Rancho’s name has Shamaldas and not Shayamaldas. But Farhan (Madhavan) pronounces it incorrectly almost throughout the film (though it is not very noticeable). Here is the name batch that Rancho (Aamir) is wearing as he is caught for ragging by seniors. The Gujarat address here is fine as Rancho wanted to hide his real address (says JNU student Nikhil Rajput).
6. The emptied bottle is no more empty in the next scene!
Sid discovered this error. See the two images below. The senior almost emptied the bottle in Aamir’s pants (water remaining may be 1/10th of the bottle) and in the next scene the bottle is half-filled!
See the two images below and it will be crystal clear to you! This point updated later.
And now see the bottle is half-filled (bottom left in the image below) in the immediately following scene!
7. The taxi’s registration number plate in convocation scene and ICE’s identity card
The taxi in which Aamir Khan (Rancho) leaves after convocation is not in keeping with the Delhi Traffic Police number plate guidelines and is liable for penalty! Just look at it below, it is just DL 2 in the first line!
The ICE identity card could be another instance of lack of attention to small details. See it below. Do top Engineering institutes have that kind of simple Id card with with just three columns?!
8. We do not find a girl in the orientation lecture scene by the ICE director! Update: this point not valid.
Recall the ‘Koel bird’ lecture by the director (see screenshot below). We only had an assembly of males in that scene unlike the rest of the college scenes where you can find females once in a while! This point added later. Sid (and others) have later remarked it is the boys’ hostel so this should not be considered a mistake. IMO, this point has logic but ignoring women in this important scene is quite ‘in your face!’ It is as if the whole lecture thing was only for males!
Some other titbits related to ‘3 Idiots’
1. is India really no. in Suicides? See the WHO data on Wikipedia.
2. The Chanchad Bhavan in Shimla is the popular Chahar palace, says Manpreet.
3. The trio could have just inserted their answer sheets in the heap. There was no need to shuffle it. See this video on YouTube, suggests Ameya.
4. Muslim man shooting women in Burqa in Shimla is a clichéd image and has travelled far and wide as viral mails, says Abhijit. See this pic, for example.
5. Follow this forum discussion on the flaws in the film.
6. The Balatkaar Speech fan page on Facebook has about 0.2 million fans!
7. Read more about the Indian American actor Omi Vaidya aka Silencer/Chatur on Wikipedia
8. Read more goofs on IMDB. The first goof (plot) there is not a goof btw.
9. Jaya Jha, IIT-IIM alumnus comments on the film in the light of her IIT experiences. Click here to read her review of 3 Idiots.
10. Want the full text of Balatkaar speech by Chatur in the film. Here it is copied from the internet:
Adarniya sabhapati mahodaya, atithi vishesh shikshan mantri shri R D tripati ji, maanyaniya shikshagan aur mere piyaaare sahpatiyo Aaj agar I.C.E aasmaan ki bulaaandiyo ko chhu raahaa hai to uska shreya sirrf ekinsaan ko jaataahai – Shri Veeru S…ahastrabuddhe Give him a big hand. He is a great guy really. Peechle buttis saal se inhone nirantar is college mein balatkar pe balatkar kiye. Umeed hai aagey bee karte rahege. Hamein to aashcharya hota hai ki ek insaan apne jeevan kaal mein itni balatkar kaisi kar sakta hai. Inhone kadi tapaasya se apne aapko is kaabil bunaya hai. Waqt ka sahi upyog ghante ka purna istemaal koi inse seeke. Seeke inse seeke. Aaj hum sab chaatra yaha hai, kal desh videsh mein fail jayenge. Waadaa hai aapse jis desh mein honge waha balatkar karenge, I.C.E ka naam roshan karenge. Dika denge sabko jo balatkar Karne ki kshamtaa yaha ke chaatro mein hai wo sansaar ke kisi chaatro mein nahiii. No other chaatra. No other chaatra. Adarniya mantraji! Namashkar aapne is sansthaan ko wo chees di jiski hamein sakht zaroorat thi. “Sstunn”! Stunn hota sabi ke paas hai. Sab chupa ke rakte hai, detaa koi nai. Aapne apna stun is balatkari purush ke haat mein diya hai, ab dekiye yeh kaisa iska upyog karta hai Utthamum dadhdadaath paadam – Madhyam paadam thuchuk chuk – Ghanisthah thud thudi paadam – Surr surri praan gatakam
7. Want full text of Chatur’s definition of a machine:
Machines are any combination of body so connected that their relative motions are constrained and by which means force and motion may be transmitted and modified as a screw or nut or lever arranged to turn around its fulcrum or pulley by its pivotic center especially the construction more or less complex consisting of a combination of moving parts or civil mechanical elements as wheels, levers, cams etc.
8. What is Hippocratic Oath by doctors? Read full entry on Wikipedia:
The Hippocratic Oath is an old oath historically taken by doctors swearing to ethically practice medicine. It is widely believed to have been written by Hippocrates, the father of western medicine, in Ionic Greek (late 5th century BC), or by one of his students, and is usually included in the Hippocratic Corpus.
Hey vikas, great research work. Hirani and Vinod Chopra will regret not showing you the film before the final print
As a teacher I liked that machine and book definition scene the most , I had uploaded it on you- tube but it is banned due to copy right violation.
On the whole it is a nice entertaining film and conveys lot of flaws and truths about our education system in very subtle way. People using proxy for degrees is a big fact that went almost neglected but i think, the director definitely wanted to convey this fact to audience.
Thanks for sharing all the info….
nice job vikas bhai
Hmm.. Quite noticeable and valid observations.. Although I am not sure about number 6 myself.. As far as I remember, the senior hadn’t emptied the bottle completely..
As far as I know, the photocopying machine doesn’t start working as soon as the power is turned on. But at the time when Ranco and Farhan steal the question paper, it had been shown otherwise!! Silly point though.. 
Waise, I had noticed a little something myself.
But yes, these are factual flaws.. And I like the film just the same, and have watched it more than once!!
Thank you all for the comments.
Sunil sir, very valid observations on the ‘proxy for degrees.’ It certainly did not get the attention it deserved from media.
Vikas, welcome here!
Ambika, yours is a nice catch! The photocopy machine indeed needs some time to warm up!
What I can tell you for sure that the bottle was almost emptied (about 1/10th of water was only remaining in the bottle).
Vikas,please don’t ’sir’ me . I will be more comfortable with Sunil.
Ok, point noted!
Everyone and Ambika,
New points have been added here (and new images on the bottle scene proof). Check it out again.
Right!! The bottle was almost emptied..
You only get to notice such things if you watch the movie more than once.. For the first time, you are too lost in the beauty of the film to observe any flaws..
Ambika,
I saw it in PVR Priya. And then a good copy came in the hostel (almost DVD print). In my first viewing I had found only few of the errors. And the bottle error is by Sid.
Bottomline is – it is a very good film – an entertaining film with a message that is loud and clear! The message has almost been drilled in your ear!
but your post is certainly well researched!
Divya,
It is a very good film. No one can deny that. Yes the message has been drilled in my head! Thanks for the comment.
I am sorry – the message was drilled in the head and not just the ear! Apologies!!
Divya,
It’s all right! Even if we take the aural route, it has to reach the head!
gud work vikas..but i think u must also put some points showing the positive things in the movie…i don’t understand why we people find it more interesting in finding out errors and technicalities in anything we see…why don’t we focus more on the positive side of the things .its amazing that people are watching the movies with so much fine details…nice observation but don’t find it worthy…i think we shud enjoy the stuff…not just luk at the bug in it….anyway this is not an offense to your work..but only my views…i m always been an admirer of ur work..i think u know it..keep rocking…
Nikhil,
Just because I have published a list of errors does not mean I do not admire it! This is just a fun post. It does not mean that I have not seen the positive things in the film or that we do not see the positive things in life/films! I am just looking at the bugs without any motive. I believe everything should be open to criticism. The internet is full of movie mistakes/goofs on various sites including IMDB. This is just for fun!
Thanks for the comment.
Hmm..i don’t meant that u r not luking at the positive things in the film..i m saying that we don’t focus and put that things (in any blog like this)…we always find enjoyment in finding errors and discussing that….anyway..i know u don’t have any wrong motive…that’s just my view..again…no offense..
Nikhil, thanks for the explanation.
The internet is full of good reviews and praise for this film. The Chatur speech has about 2 lakh fans on Facebook (see link above in post). Everyone is loving it and praising it. For a change, this is a different post.
Lagta hein Vikas ji ke paas kafi time he movies par research karne ke liye.
Kafi gaur karke inhone movie par research kiya hein, kaas itna time wo bach a paate to koi productive kaam kar lete.
JNU is going to organize its 4th version of annual technical festival, named TECHNOPHILIA-2010. for more information visit- http://www.jnutechnophilia.org
Bharat,
Kripya mere samay ki parwah na kare aur apna khayal karein. Aur vaise bhi isme kuch points hain jo dusron ne dhundhe hain; comment karne se pehle thoda padh liya hota to acchha rehta. 2-3 points to ek hi viewing me clear the phir maine ek se jyada baar film dekhi to aur bhi points mile.
Kabhi kabhi research karna padta hai aur gahrai me jaana padta hai. Bhavisya me mere research pe dhyan na de; mera to kaam hi yahi hai.
Hi Vikas – even though I haven’t seen this film (and probably won’t get a chance to), I really enjoyed reading your fun analysis of all the errors. Are Bollywood films generally known for these kinds of mistakes?
Deborah,
Don’t jump to conclusions! I think one can find errors in just any film. The popular movie site IMDB has a movie googs section for every film!
Check out the website ‘Movie Mistakes’ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moviemistakes.com
“Moviemistakes.com is an Internet website created by Jon Sandys in 1996 and is principally dedicated to the recording of mistakes found in movies and television” http://www.moviemistakes.com/
BTW some people have criticised me for finding faults and asked me to use my time elsewhere (without realizing that it is a fun post)! One of the messages in the movie btw was was to ignore faults and shortcomings in a person!
Yes – now I come to think of it, I’ve read a few articles/websites in the past dedicated to analysing the mistakes in all sorts of films. Who’d be a continuity editor?
That’s funny – about one of the messages being to ignore shortcomings and faults! Oh well – you made me smile anyway!
Continuity editor, LOL!
Hey Vikash,
A did a good research. I never noticed them. I’ve watched this film only three times. So the next time, I will watch it, I’ll let you know if I can noticed the errors. But it happens, the message about the pressure on students is super. It’s so the reallife.
Kavita,
I have also seen the film thrice. Yes these things happen. Go to http://moviemistakes.com and you will find so many errors for any English film you search! Yes the film has a great message.
Awesome Vikas! Your blog has come a long way. Congrats! cheers, PS.
Hey Pallavi, thanks. Glad to find you here and thanks for adding me on Facebook.
the opening lecture is at the guy’s hostel…. that’s why millimetre calls the guys out….. hence no women!!!
no fault there
Rap, you are right. I have added an addendum to that effect just below the subheading. Thanks.
woo, Vikash you shuld be a film critic humm, nice job man
sorry, Vikas
Rohit, I wonder what you are saying sorry about! Relax! Aaall izzz well!
Looks like someone has spent real good time in finding the actual idiots from 3 idiots
Good one.. enjoyed reading the post!
Thanks Mohan. I hope you read that not all of these were found by me.
Hey Vikas…an interseting observation. it’s fun looking up for movie goofs…the thriller and horror ones are the most entertaining! i liked the koel bir lecture observation…though invalid as per your update. Don’t let the feminists discover
sure the movie is well scripted and directed…the message is right in the face. A stock of food for thought, if ppl care to stop and think. thanks for the post…it’s fun reading you.
Welcome here Tina!
very interesting post!! Another problem is that even if machines can be considered as a part of Mech syllabus, inverters etc is definitely not!! Mech students dont do projects on inverters etc! thats Electrical forte.
Wow, Reema thanks for the addition! I am highlighting your comment.
sorry,I beg to differ, isn’t inverter a machine? “Electrical machines” is a subject in itself.These days with choice of electives becoming so flexible we have so many people from mechanical and automobile branches dong projects on Robotics.It is about amalgamation of disciplines which is very welcome moreover isn’t the film advocating about gaining knowledge and not getting a degree in a given Branch?
Reema is a lecturer in an engineering college in Chhatisgarh. It will be interesting to read her reply to your observation.
must say, an extraordinary attempt
no doubts i still am crazy about d movie but then, i am surely going to watch it again to see all these parts again… 
nice to see tat even good and respected things are criticized…
keep up the good work,
take care!
Tulika,
Sure, watch it again but you will have to be really cautious while watching it. All the best.
we can find mistakes in all films but the main mistaki is of raju ( harman joshi) his family was very poor …….in that movie …..ice college is one of greatest college in the india they cant admit his son in that college as all know monthly expence will be near about 10000 to 15000….
Bunty,
I have only enumerated only factual errors here. Besides, are there not very poor BPL students in IITs?!
Nice article, but I don’t agree with a few “goofs”.
>> The trio could have just inserted their answer sheets in the heap. There was no need to shuffle it.
If they didn’t shuffle their papers, the professor would simply pick out those three papers (and possibly refuse to accept them). It was necessary to shuffle them so that he wouldn’t know which were their papers. Rancho did ask the professor whether he knew their numbers.
>> Farhan often pronounces the name as ‘Shyamaldas’ and not ‘Shamaldas’ !
Why is that an error? Maybe he has a habit (or shall we say “accent”) of pronouncing certain letters.
>> The Balatkaar speech is not true to the script by Dubeyji
Maybe Dubeyji removed it later. People who have written a speech would know that you go through several drafts before finalising it.
Not trying to discourage you, but some things got my attention so I had to comment. Cheers.
Arvind,
Thanks for the comment.
See the video on paper shuffling and you will know that it would have been difficult for the professor.
Yes you are right on the second one. But I minutely heard the first two pronunciations by him in the opening scenes and he has made errors in pronouncing there. Maybe he should have been careful with it at least in the first few pronunciations.
Yes Dubeyji may have removed it later. However the film shows it like Dubeyji did not make any changes after that scene. It was like the speech is ready.
Anyways I know most of the points are debatable here.
Great work vikas, its so amusing to see people are so intolerant and sensitive about something they like (3 idiots) that they are unable to be objective about certain flaws in the movie. I observed the following errors
1. The two signatures at the end of the movie of Mr wangdu on the letter.
When silencer compared the two signatures they were on the SAME LETTER
One letter was supposed to be an earlier contract signature and other other letter was the one silencer had drafted for establishing that he had beaten aamir khan in the race for success. Therefore they should have been on different letters
2. How did the convocation picture had javed jaffrey sitting instead of aamir khan ? Photoshopping ?
You know after the interval it would have been interesting to carry that point forward and come up with someone new as in
A] There never was a character like aamir khan and that the other 2 idiots were just imagining him etc
b] Aamir khan got killed by javed jaffrey and he stole his degree
etc
Hi Vikas
I came across your blog by chance and it seems very amusing as my girlfriend has a habit of spotting errors in films.
What seems sad is that altough you went to the bother of saying at the very begining of this thread that you were not critising the film, others still complain to the contrary.
Anyway, good luck finding more.
Hey Kev,
Thanks and all the best to you and your girlfriend. It must be a great pleasure finding errors together.
I have corrected your website link.
Many thanks Vikas