Super 30: Real heroes are story, the underdog children; Hrithik shines too despite his faulty Bihari accent

After passing many hurdles and controversies, including that of the #MeToo harassment charges against director Vikas Bahl, ‘Super 30’ finally descended on the silver screen with a sparkling story and an amazing screenplay.

The film will definitely give the urban audience an idea of how rural India struggles for a fundamental right such as that of education. In a system where a person opts to become a teacher only when she/he fails in everything else, Anand Kumar is a brilliant example of what wonders a teacher can do if he loves his subject and profession.

It’s a powerful story with effective dialogues. “Jitna apka jeb khali utna apka taleem bhari” - this one line sums up the entire education system of this country which ironically is being constantly tampered with by the ruling dispensation. The government is more interested in changing history than focusing on the millions of children who need to be educated if the country has to develop and prosper.

The teacher in the film prods his students to ask questions, develop the curiosity to question even everyday phenomena, whereas the present education system just promotes learning by rot, leaving no scope for originality, creativity or curiosity.

The film highlights the sharp edged rivalry between coaching institutes and the politics of it. Its heart rending to feel that our youth has to face so many hurdles and intricacies to even study what they want to.

There is a strong and deep rooted inferiority in the deprived class, the Hindi medium English medium divide is also dealt with skilfully and in an interesting way. There also runs a tender love story in undercurrents with recesses of laughter that keeps the audiences’ curiosity alive wherever the story of the teacher slackens.

Although the mention of caste and class discrimination prevalent in our society has deftly been avoided, the constant reference to tradition, puranas and Mahabharat conveys it more effectively. The flashes of street plays are used at places to convey a point. A song becoming a street-play like performance-‘Basanti don’t dance..’ is brilliant.

Hrithik Roshan in the role of Anand Kumar has worked very hard to tone down his towering screen presence to fit into the shoes of charismatic but very simple Anand Kumar. He has worked very hard on his accent too, to give it a Bhojpuri tinge but in that, he fails. Choosing Hrithik Roshan for the lead role instead of many other talented actors from Bihar is rather strange. However, despite his flaws (which are basically his strengths in usual Hindi films- his adonis looks, overwhelming screen presence, chiselled body and a typical urban Hindi accent) Hrithik Roshan's efforts to portray the genius teacher from a humble background impresses.

Pankaj Tripathi is a seasoned actor, undoubtedly impresses, Amit Sadh too in a cameo looks good. But the real heroes are the children whom Anand Kumar hand picks.

Music is the weakest part of the film. It seems that we no longer have composers but arrangers; ‘Dil ka geographia’ seems just a rearrangement of the Dhadak title song.

It is a different film, inspires you and throws at you the various challenges our education policy must deal with and the students unfortunately have to endure. Anand's story is about never giving up. And in the tough phase our education system is in, our youth at every level must not give up. Because its from the crisis that the solution rises, its from these ashes that our youth will rise; this hope is what prompted Anand Kumar to pursue his aim against all odds.

Go and watch it.