Film Review: Hindi Medium

Director: Saket Chaudhary

Cast: Irrfan Khan, Saba Qamar, Deepak Dobriyal, Swati Das

Release Date: May 19, 2017 (INDIA)

Running Time: 2 hrs 13 mins

CBFC Rating: U

STORY:

A wealthy couple (played by Irffan Khan and Saba Qamar) from Chandni Chowk aspire to give their daughter the best English medium school education, unlike their own Hindi Medium schooling. This leads to a series of incidents, funny and social, as the couple struggle to be a part of and accepted by the Delhi elite. The film is a light hearted take on the nursery admission system in the national capital.

The couple, owner of a big ‘branded’ store in Chandni Chowk, realize that they need to move out of the locality into Delhi’s posh Vasant Vihar if they want the best English medium school for their child as all Top Schools are in that area and they don’t take children from other areas that are more than 3 km in distance.

However moving home doesn’t get them the acceptance in elite class, who may be equally wealthy if not more but speak English fluently even as the Chandni Chowk born and educated couple struggle to even understand the basic language. They realize that social groups are formed among the rich as per the school of their children and if they did not get theirs into one, their daughter will apparently be outcast, made fun off and lose the best opportunities in life.

After a series of funny, weird and emotional events, their daughter does get into the Best English Medium School in Delhi but it makes them socially conscious of how their money power to arm twist the admission process depriving a worthy poor man’s child of his right to education. But even after the realization, the social system in the hands of few challenges them to make amends in society.

SCRIPT:

The first half half is full of comic satirical moments on the rich and elite class of Delhi and how the Chandni Chowk based Business tycoon husband and his wife try to fit in. School education, a serious matter, is shown in very light hearted funny takes and the audience can relate to them easily, either in person or in family or at least from news on admission process. However, the second half changes track from less of comedy to more of social message, making it a bit stretched yet watchable.

Certain characters are introduced for playing a good part but almost vanish as the story progresses towards the end. The script is more of like different plots thought separately and then brought together to make a full fledged movie, though one with a very good idea. You may tend to wonder how a Business tycoon, born, brought up and running his fashion store in Chandni Chowk, is not at all street smart as is expected from people from the area. How is a couple with very humble childhood in same Chandni Chowk acting so weird to small homes and locals and the lifestyle of a certain Bharat Nagar where they move for one month to act Poor. Characters like a Hindi Teacher and School  Principal are one moment shown strong but the very next moment shown passé.

PERFORMANCES:

There may be many loopholes in the script but it’s the performances that are extremely effective. Not just the leads, but even the supporting cast who face sketchy characterization end from the script was extremely good. Irffan Khan is extremely good, the hero of the movie. His natural ability to carry a straight face even as he makes fun of his character is hilarious and gives the best moments of the film, even in the serious bits - a very Woody Allen-esque type of performance. Saba is a fresh as lily, both in light moments and as the elite-class-obsessed wife. Makes you wonder her backstory, as to what made her hate her Chandni Chowk upbringing.

Among the supporting cast, Deepak Dobriyal is brilliant but sadly poorly utilized. He owns the screen whenever he comes, from making you laugh at his Dengue mosquito antiques to tugging the emotional strings in the scene after the lead couple’s daughter hugs him in school.

Cast members like the Swati Das (playing Deepak Dobriyal’s wife), Pia (the adorable daughter of the lead couple) and Rohan (playing son to Deepak and Swati’s character) have small part but still leave good mark.

Shockingly, actors like Amrita Singh, Sanjay Suri and Neha Dhupia enter the story like they might be imperative to the film but end up with extremely vapid parts.

PRODUCTION:

Director Saket Chaudhary, who share writing and screenplay credits with Zeenat Lakhani, is back in his good zone that he was in with PYAR KE SIDE EFFECTS which is a good thing. He really needs a stronger writing team. Dialogues are funny and quirky and among the strongest point even in the stretched ending. Editing couldn’t have been more effective, considering the script loopholes. Music is situational to the story but extremely hummable, especially the Ek Jindari song picturised on a talented group of children. Background score is effective. The cinematography does now really gives different take on Delhi but is fresh and wonderfully supports the narrative.

FINAL WORD:

Satires tend to be easy to start with but difficult to close and HINDI MEDIUM suffers with same. Nevertheless, it is good one time watch, especially for some light fun on Delhi society and Education system. Watch it especially for the tremendous acting ability of Irffan Khan and the fun he brings with his fresh pairing with Saba Qamar, a really good actress by herself.