Happy Teachers' Day: The best educators we have loved on screen

It will only be fitting to say that Ram Shankar Nikumbh played by Aamir khan is one of the most inspiring teacher figures in Indian movies. Being a very conscious and sensitive art teacher named Nikumbh, he came to know that his student, Ishaan, has dyslexia. Rather than ignoring the problems that Ishaan faces, Nikumbh makes the effort to use the ‘tools of communication’ to get him past his difficulties. In the movie, it shows how essential it is to be compassionate and provide each learner with what they need so as to unravel his/her potential. Nikumbh is a teacher of dreams, a teacher who understands his student’s problems, who cares for his student and waits for them instead of scolding them, that every student would like to have, and his character has encouraged many teachers and parents.

The portrayal of the idealist teacher by Robin Williams in the movie Dead Poets Society will forever come in as one of the best. Keating is the English teacher who works in an all-boys preparatory school; he motivates his learners to be independent thinkers, as well as incentives and seize the day.

He loves poetry, thus, lays down principles that challenge traditionalism, prompting his scholars to chase after their dreams. Mr. Keating’s impact on his students: germ, creativity, nonconformity, freedom in words. Dead Poets Society is a truly valuable picture that tells the story of a great teacher’s ability to change the lives of his students.

The movie ‘Hichki’ saw the lovely Rani Mukerji playing the character of Naina Mathur and it was quite inspiring to watch her all throughout. This is true in the case of Naina who has to overcome a series of barriers to an independent teaching career with a condition of Tourette syndrome. Nevertheless, she secures a position at a successful school and is placed in a classroom with low achieving students who are labeled as problem kids. The staff sees new ways of interacting with students, and apart from Naina’s commitment to her work, she also demonstrates numerous effective teaching approaches that will make every child succeed. Hichki is a very inspiring movie and a good example of a strong mother’s character and, of course, a good teacher and the role she can play in the lives of her students.

Udaan’s character Bhairav Singh, portrayed by Ronit Roy is a stern, rigid and autocratic father who is a teacher to Rohan. Here, Bhairav is not a conventional teacher, but his way of doing things or setting criteria dominates Rohan’s existence dramatically. It deals with the dominance of parents over their children and the process of finding one's own personality. Although Bhairav is a far cry from the traditional teacher figure, his character is critical to Rohan’s path of discovery and independence which is a major theme of the movie. Indeed, Udaan is a deep, moving drama that tries to portray the relations between father and son as well as the issue of the strict teachers’ attitudes towards students.

Richard Dadier as performed by Glenn Ford in Blackboard Jungle is one of the teachers who would not surrender his students to their own destinies. Based on an inner-city school where most of the students are delinquent and originating from problematic homes, Dadier wants to help each of his students. Despite obstacles of aggressive attitude and rejection, he stays focused to get his goal and educates his students employing the principles of discipline and comprehension. Disturbing though Blackboard Jungle is, this is a movie that raises questions on society and educations’ ability and desire to educate in the face of adversity, put into focus through the character of Dadier.