Bollywood films that made us rethink academics

3 Idiots

Well, when it comes to the humorous content and conceptualization, '3 Idiots' is really a film to reckon with. With a cliché that “Follow your heart and not the success”, '3 idiots' was a blockbuster. Bollywood’s Mr. Perfectionist, Aamir Khan’s simple yet modest character (Rancho) was best suited to portray the message that “there is a life beyond bookish knowledge and marks” and only a simple piece of paper cannot determine your future if you have the will to do something out of the box and take up a profession of your choice. Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, the film is a masterpiece of art and has received numerous awards apart from fetching tremendous critical acclaim and accolades worldwide.

By Dhruv Badola

Taare Zameen Par

It takes great effort to visualize and weave a story which hasn’t been told before. The movie is based on a story of a child suffering from dyslexia. The film highlights the struggle of a young boy in both academics and emotional prose. The central idea of the film is that every child is special and the film somehow questions the conventional methods of teaching. The innocent acting of Darsheel Safary adds glitter to the film as well. Directed and produced by none other than Aamir Khan, the film is a revelation and definitely makes the people rethink academics.

By Dhruv Badola

Black

A movie which will definitely give you chills down your spine, Sanjay Leela Bhansali's 'Black' came in 2005 and with its dramatic plot, questioned the orthodox way of educating children. The movie highlights the story of a young girl Michelle (portrayed by Rani Mukerji) who is deaf, mute and blind. The movie beautifully defines a serene relationship between a teacher and a student and indicates the fact that there is no limit to one’s capabilities and with proper guidance, nothing is impossible. The movie also stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan, who flawlessly portrayed the character of Debraj Sahay (Michelle’s teacher). The film, directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali, has won many awards and great critical acclaim.

By Dhruv Badola

F.A.L.T.U

F.A.L.T.U (Fakirchand And Lakirchand Trust University), as the name suggests was a fake university created by a group of friends after they got bad marks in their examination so that they can all be a bunch of goodies in front of their parents. The movie again challenges the “score more” criteria along with the curriculum. Believe it or not, the movie made us rethink the regular curriculum of the university. The film was directed by first-time director Remo D’Souza.

By Dhruv Badola

Mohabbatein

Released in 2000, Aditya Chopra's 'Mohabbatein' was a blockbuster. The story revolves around the life of three students who accidently fall in love and are ultimately at the verge of expulsion. The character of Raj Aryan (portrayed by Shah Rukh Khan) was extravagant for he, who has been an ex student, has returned to the university as the teacher. The film has dramatic turns and is definitely iconic in its own right. The film also stars megastar Amitabh Bachchan as the dean of the university, Narayan Shankar.

By Dhruv Badola