Analyse opening sequences 3 Idiots

 Which conventions are evident in the opening sequence?

A few comedy genre conventions are followed in the plane sequence from the Bollywood movie "3 Idiots," in which one of the protagonists poses as having a heart attack to force the plane to land. The following are three of them:

It is clear that the protagonist was directly introduced in the opening sequence. Furthermore, the location was clearly set at an airport which was then followed by the aircraft scene. Additionally, comedic sounds were used to add to the narrative. These sounds are non-diegetic and the purpose is to add comedic value for the audience. Finally, this particular sequence also hints at the genre of the film by showing a serious tone which then switches to comedic. 

Use of Humor: The scene is intended to be humorous, with the character's fake heart attack and following actions playing for laughs. The character's exaggerated facial expressions, movements, and manner of getting out of the wheelchair all contribute to the scene's humor. The scene's use of humor lightens the mood and gives the viewers a burst of comic relief.

​Physical Comedy: The character's actions and movements serve as a major source of physical humor in this scene. The character's exaggerated movements, facial expressions, and the way he gets up from the wheelchair all depend on physical comedy to create a comedic effect.

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What impact do they have on the audience?

Conventions help define a film and categorize it into a certain genre. Furthermore, sounds such as non-diegetic help to create a sense of thrill and suspense in the audience. An appropriate location makes the movie more visually appealing to the audience such as the establishing shot opening with the airport and then transitioning to the aircraft. 

How is genre established in the opening sequence? Which micro elements support this?

In the opening sequence, the microelement of sound is used to establish the genre. First of all, dramatic music in the background is used to establish something serious is going on, after which the scene transitions to something comedic. Sound assists this transition clearly showing how a microelement is used. The facial expressions of the protagonists help develop the genre as a close-up shot is used to help express the ludicrous scene. 

How do we meet our protagonist in the opening scene? What are your initial feelings about them? How is that constructed and why? 

The protagonist is introduced in the opening scene by being seated in the aircraft. The initial feeling that this evoked was that the protagonist is a non-serious person clearly out for some fun. This is constructed through the protagonist receiving a phone call which he answers in a serious tone and shortly after, he proceeds to faint which was quite clearly faked.