Hindi Medium (2017) [Movie Review]


Dir: Saket Chaudhary
Starring: Irrfan Khan, Saba Qamar
Dur: 2 hrs 30 mins
Genre: Comedy-drama
Rating: 8/10

Education is a booming business in our country. It’s no secret but what is, is that even those who appear spotless and upright on the outside may not truly be so. Hindi Medium tells a beautiful story of a couple who go to great lengths (honestly, greater lengths than I could imagine) to get their child an admission in one of Delhi’s top schools. I had heard of things like this happening before but I had never experienced it. Hindi Medium however, spares no sweat in bringing you the truth, of course clad in typical Bollywood drama.

As Irrfan says in the film, French or Germans speaking broken English is no big deal for us, but an Indian struggling with the Queen's English? What a hopeless person! "Iss desh mein angrezi zabaan nahi hai, class hai," Saba Qamar tells Irrfan in the film. The central theme of the film is the crazy frenzy of modern parents to have their kids study in the best schools, that are supposed to groom the best people for a far-from-best world. The film touches a sensitive spot but does so in a ticklish manner. Nevertheless, at the end of all the laughs you are still faced with your prejudices and challenged to make a difference. The film seems to have two parts. The first is the mad struggle of the lead couple to get their child into a top school. The second is an ode to simple living and Government school education. While the first part thoroughly entertains the second digresses a little before regaining control and steering to an emotionally charged, though predictable outcome.

The drama is humorous for the most part and gets quite tense in the latter part, building up nicely to a blockbuster finale (although it doesn’t deliver so much of a blockbuster ending). What’s great about the film though, is its unconventional story and the number of themes/ issues it touches upon. It is by far one of the best Bollywood films of the year.    

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