
You have to give it to the writing team for fleshing out characters. It gets most things right, even when it falters, it does so with pride and confidence. Hindi Medium is a funny and relevant film. All three also hit the right balance between comedy, drama and genuine insight. While comparisons can be deceptive, all these films talk about the deeply flawed and grossly commercial educational system of India. This quirky comedy is reminiscent of last year’s Nil Battey Sannata and even has a theme similar to Rajkumar Hirani’s 3 Idiots. It’s as if the filmmaker and his co-writer Zeenat Lakhani have done extensive research with real parents running around prestigious schools. Which is why, a modern parent will derive the maximum thrills and entertainment from Saket Chaudhary’s new film Hindi Medium. These reflections make Hindi Medium an engaging watch and one of the best Bollywood films we’ve seen so far in 2018.Quick take: Refreshingly funny and brilliantly insightful film on parenting and educationĪsk a modern parent and they’ll tell you, the scenario of seeking admission to a reputable school is scarier than the best horror movies. Still, we can’t help but to engage in the main characters’ epiphany: that a child must be allowed to stumble and fall, and that a person’s intelligence should not be judged by their wealth, not the language they speak.

In some way, the final resolution serves to clear the parents’ conscience although the status quo remains unchanged. With all its merits, though, the film stumbles near the end with its overly sentimental conclusion. Meanwhile, Qamar, who makes her Bollywood debut in the film, is highly convincing in her transformation from a ‘monster parent’ to one who allows her child to explore the world on her own will. Khan, previously seen in Life of Pi and Slumdog Millionaire, is fantastic as Raj, whose indifference and imperceptibly dead-pan expressions are bolstered by satire and mockery. Aside form presenting the sordid reality of the less privileged, the film shows the warmth and heart of the lower class as driving forces behind the two Raj and Mita’s eventual epiphany. Most notably, the contrast between the rich and the poor is distinct and strewn with hilarity.
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Their ambition for their child is such that it even drives them to rig the admissions process – a move that causes a series of repercussions.Īside from looking at the pressures of today’s education system, the movie also addresses a broader picture of Indian society. Raj and Mita move into a posh region near the school, queue up overnight for registration, partake in admission counselling – all in an effort to get Pia into the school of their dreams. What ensues in the film is, in many aspects, reminiscent of Hong Kong’s culture of helicopter parenting. To secure what they think will be a golden future for their daughter, Pia (Dishita Sehgal), the affluent couple do everything in their power to get her admitted into one of the most reputed elementary schools in India – one that adopts English as its medium of instruction. The movie centres around married couple Raj (Irrfan Khan) and Mita (Saba Qamar), who own a flourishing fashion store in Old Delhi. That’s exactly what Bollywood picture Hindi Medium achieves, touching upon issues of social class, education and language in a way that will keep audiences thinking even long after they’ve left the cinema.

It’s a real feat when a film can address serious topics in society and balance it with a sense of well-timed levity.
