Hichki
Movie Review (Hindi)
Rani Mukherji has truly excelled in this movie. Maybe for
me the story resonates closer to my heart. While working as a fellow with Teach
for India I learned to empathise with my students and their stories. I see
situations in the movie and they hit close to home.
The entire storyline about kids attending an elite school from
the nearby slum because of RTE is not new. They are looked down upon by the
other students; teachers give up on them from day 1. But the fact that these
students should get a teacher who has a handicap herself (afflicted with
Tourette’s syndrome) and the way ahead makes for an interesting plot. The
students have enacted their roles pretty well as has the teacher (Neeraj Kabi)
who sees no good in them.
It is interesting to note how unusual tics are overlooked
when you get to know the person. Rani as Naina Mathur is brilliant with her
neurological problem and her highs and lows with her class and in her family.
The movie got me teary eyed and I cannot take that lightly.
P.S. You do not always need an unusual story. Convincing
acting and a smooth edit could get the laurels.
1 comment:
Hichki: my review
#hichki
There is no better media than cinema to get across a social message. We learnt about dyslexia in Tare Zameen Par, learnt the power of a teacher in Black, Sir, Hip Hip Hurray and countless other movies. So when you get an amalgamation of a good teacher's power over students and also know about Tourette Syndrome and the awareness for its social acceptance, you get a movie like Hichki.
This is an out and out Rani Mukherjee come back movie after a hiatus and showcased her acting prowess perfectly. A bunch of students backed her up with very natural acting. Even the supporting cast was pretty good.
Rani, with her awkward hichki, changed the lives of a bunch of under privileged students whom everyone branded as failures and outcasts. She showed what a good teacher with never give up attitude, right teaching methodology, a little compassion and empathy can do to a bunch of losers.
There are touching moments in the movie which are very relatable to me as I was a teacher once and had come across such situations many times.
Of course, the movie stood on borrowed plots and the end was predictable. There had been umpteen movies on the same notes. What's original is my new found knowledge about the disease Tourette syndrome.
Everyone thinks that a teacher's forte in the classroom is her speaking skills. Wrong! That is just a part of the profession. Knowledge and patience are also integral parts of teaching and a teacher can do it if the students also overcome their mindset about a disability and welcome the teacher and focus on her teaching.
It is not a great movie but I absolutely loved it. Aditya Chopra has teamed up with his wife to give me a relatable one and make me feel nostalgic about my teaching days.
And today, am missing my students very much!!!
Post a Comment