12/01/2025
*Hindi Medium – A Simple Movie with a Strong Message*
I know I am late in commenting about this film, but this movie is truly a gem that deserves a shout-out. I am talking about Hindi Medium. It speaks volumes about the struggles of parents for their kids’ admission to the top-notch schools.
As a father, I can relate to its unfeigned story, as I am aware of the hustle and bustle involved in the admission. In smaller places, it is easier. But in metro cities like Delhi, living up to the norms is an uphill task.
The Admission Tussle
The film expresses the concern of parents Raj Batra (Irrfan Khan) and Meetha or Mithu (Saba Qamar) for the admission of their daughter Pia Batra. A well-to-do shopkeeper in Chandni Chowk, Raj shifts to a posh locality in Delhi just to get an affluent environment and the best school for their daughter.
Their decision however backfired as the society considered the lifestyle of their new neighbors a total mismatch with their way of living. On the school front, the couple applied to many schools and sought the help of consultants and even a writer to jot down the school forms in good English.
But the language barrier comes in the way of Raj, as his connection with English was forgetful. The schools even did not approve of his profession as a shopkeeper. The top schools rejected their application and they were forced to adopt an illegal mode.
Fateful Stint with Poverty
They applied for the same school from the quota of Below Poverty Line (BPL) children under the Right to Education (RTE). For the sake of their daughter’s admission, they even managed to have a rental house in a squatter settlement until the completion of admission formality.
This came as a turning point for the Batra family, as they have had a close shave with poverty. The struggles of waiting in queues to fill buckets of water, getting monthly rations, and working on daily wages in a factory, they faced it all.
In their stint with poverty, their neighbor Sham Kumar (Deepak Dobriyal) and his wife came as a silver lining. They helped Batras at every move of their swim against the tide. Interestingly, they too had applied for admission of their son in the same school under the poverty quota.
Eventually, Pia gets the admission but Sham’s son doesn’t. This shook the couple from within and they started regretting their action. To mitigate their guilt, they donated a handsome amount to a government school where Sham’s son got admission.
Regret and Redemption
As Sham came to know about the truth, he felt betrayed but still did not file any complaint against Pia’s parents despite wanting it. Moved by an act of forgiveness, Raj himself went to the school’s principal (Amrita Singh) to have the name of his daughter struck off the rolls.
But he was amazed to find the corrupted mindset of the principal and her feelings for the poor kids despite being from an impoverished background herself.
Finally, Raj and Mithu decide to take their child from the city’s top school and make her study in the same government school that they sponsored. My words might fall short of depicting the greatness of the movie, but watching is believing.
Stellar Performances
The performances of Irrfan Khan, Saba Qamar, Deepak Dobriyal, Amrita Singh (Cameo of School Principal), Anurag Arora (Hindi Teacher), and Tillotama Shome (Snobby education consultant) are worth admiring. Specifically, Irrfan Khan just proved why he remained one of the most loved actors in the film industry till his last breath.
Interestingly, Irrfan’s last movie was ‘Angrezi Medium, ' a sequel to Hindi Medium and an equally good flick.
A Must Watch
I wondered how I missed watching it throughout these years. If you are in the same boat, you can enjoy Hindi Medium on Amazon Prime and YouTube today.
Let me know your opinion on this super late take on the movie that came out straight from the heart. Ironically, the procedure for school admission has become an even tougher nut to crack today. Hope it improves someday.
Written by: Atif
