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Sunday, February 9, 2025
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BOLLYWOOD HICHKI
EDITOR'S PICK
'Hichki': An emotionally inspiring film (Review by Troy Ribeiro,
Rating: ***1/2)
Adapted from a 2008 released English film, "Front of the Class", which is based
on Brad Cohen's book "Front of the Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me the
Teacher I Never Had", director Sidharth P. Malhotra's "Hichki" is a feel good,
emotionally packed and inspirational film.
It is the touching story of Naina Mathur, a young girl who would not let
Tourette Syndrome keep her from doing what she loved most; teaching. Despite her
speech defect, she sets out to become a teacher.
Tourette syndrome is a neuropsychiatric disorder which sets off multiple motor
tics which include compulsive throat-clearing, knee knocking, violent muscle
twitches and piercing barks. These tics are beyond one's control. While the
exact cause that sets off these tics is not known, it is believed to involve a
combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Rani Mukerji as the plucky Naina Mathur is flawless. She portrays her character
with sincerity.
"I can't see you as a teacher," one blunt administrator tells her. To which, she
replies, "Before meeting me, did you know about Tourette Syndrome? Well, now
that you know, I have educated you."
This simply tells you how persevering she is.
The film reveals how as a student she was expelled from twelve schools before
finally being accepted whole heartedly at St. Notker's High School. The same
school later accepts her as a teacher, mid-term, not because of her brilliant
academic credentials but because of a crisis situation. She is hired to teach a
class of underprivileged, reluctant misfits. How she wins everyone's hearts,
forms the crux of the tale.
Looking back periodically to show Naina as a child, the film is most powerful in
some of those flashback sequences.
How as a child, she convinces herself that Tourette Syndrome is her lifelong
companion and that could teach her important lessons about human nature. That
bit of disassociation which is crucial helps her cope with otherwise difficult
situations. This comes through in her strained relationship with her father and
also when she tells her school teacher, Mr. Khan, "Treat me like other
students."
The film is packed with dramatic moments that are as truthful as they are
inspiring. Every scene resonates with sentiments. With apt metaphors and lingo,
the writing is simple and straightforward. And while the film intends on
communicating life-affirming values, there are moments in the first half that
seem forced.
The second half, despite the painstakingly moralistic notes, touches the right
chords. You get so immersed with the characters especially Naina. You feel sorry
for her when despite her sincere efforts, her class gets suspended, for no fault
of theirs.
What elevates the film is the brilliant performances by the supporting cast. You
can relate with every character as each one of them is well-etched. The ones
that stand out apart from the gang of students are Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar
as Naina's estranged parents, Ivan Rodrigues as the School Principal, Neeraj
Kabi as Naina's colleague at school who is keen to dismiss Naina's students from
the school and of course the character who plays Naina's brother.
The loving relationship between the siblings is well-defined.
With ace production values, the film is well-made. The only sore point is the
loud background score that kills the subtlety of the subject.
Overall, "Hichki" remains in your mental space long after you leave the theatre.
Hichki skirts greatness via Rani's performance (Review By Subhash K
Jha ; Rating: ****)
There is a disarming idealism at the heart of this inspirational tale told
without frills of fancy. The flights of daring that the protagonist Naina Mathur
undertakes never seems irrelevant. On many occasions I found the plot veering
towards a sweeping sentimentality that, given other circumstances, would be
considered manipulative.
Not here.
Hichki dives deep into the collective consciousness of a nation inured in
prejudices and comes up with some well-served lessons on humanism tolerance and
generosity. It may not be India's To Sir With Love. But by Jove, Rani Mukerjee
in what easily ranks as her career's best performances (yes, better than Black)
gives Mr Sidney Pottier a run for his heroic stature.
The plot derives its creative juices from a real-life British teacher who
suffered from the Tourette Syndrome, a neurological disorder that causes painful
verbal dysfunction in the sufferer. It's astonishing how Rani takes over the
sufferer's role without allowing the disease to impede her character's ingrained
sunniness of countenance.
When faced with a classroom filled with contumacious students from the slums
(played by young actors who frequently act with representational emphasis)
Rani's Naina never falters, and never mind her tongue. It's only when she is
with her estranged father (Sachin Pilgoankar) that she loses her cool. Rani's
Naina' two dining-table sequences with her screen-father are marvels of
screenwriting drama, packaged and performed in pitch-perfect harmony. When the
father's patronizing sympathy gets too much Rani marches off to the kitchen to
make rotis, venting her need to exhale in the kneading.
It is the slum students who needed to be a little less soap operatic. In a film
where the message is emblematized in gloriously lucid episodes the ragged bunch
of slumkids go too swiftly from rebellious to sweet-natured. Their changeover
seems almost pre-ordained.
Not that their abrupt character transformation takes away from the blithe
reformatory mood and reined-in vivacity that shoot across the narrative with
splendid sincerity. Not a moment in the storytelling is lost in humbug. Every
minute counts. And while some of the scenes showing Rani's flourishing bonding
with her students is keenly melodramatic the actress sails above the stagnant
pools of water that the plot often encounters.
Rani Mukerjee makes her Tourette-informed character unwavering in her upbeatness
and yet no giddyheaded breathless optimist. The pain comes gushing out in a
sequence where she pounds and pummels her uncontrollable mouth almost as though
she were sparring with her destiny.
The astounding Neeraj Kabi as the cynical teacher who thinks slum is synonymous
with scum keeps his character grey without getting into grime.
What I liked about Rani's Naina more than her textbook-perfect rapport with her
students is her bonding with her mother (Sipriya Pilgaonkar) and brother (Husain
Dalal). I wish there was more of them in the film. I wish there were more Naina
Mathurs in this world who can teach all of us a thing or two about being human
without making humanism a logo on a T-shirt.
Hichki is a work of wondrous lightheartedness. Its absence of cynicism and its
touching belief in the power of benevolence and generosity could get a wee
overpowering for many of us who face brutal betrayals every day. But isn't life
in cinema all about alchemizing the pain and hurt into art? Hichki does that
quite often and quite effectively.
Cinematographer Avinash Arun fills the frames with hope and sunshine without
killing the spirit of struggle that underlines every step of Naina's journey.
Rani Mukerji-starrer "Hichki" will release in Kazakhstan with a Russian voiceover on September 20.It will be screened across 15 screens in Kazakhstan, and according to the makers, it is the biggest release for a Hindi feature film in the nation since 2015.Rani won hearts as well as box office glory with her convincing and spirited performance as a teacher who deals with Tourette Syndrome in the movie earlier this year. Since then, the film has been winning laurels not just on home turf but also at various foreign film galas.Read More
Rani Mukerji's 'Hichki' to release in RussiaAfter receiving a standing ovation at the Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF), Rani Mukerji's 'Hichki' is all set to hit the big screens in Russia on the occasion of Teachers Day.The movie will be dubbed in Russian and will release in the country on September 6.Talking about the same, producer Maneesh Sharma said, "Hichki has touched the hearts of audiences across age-groups, across countries. The film moved audiences at the Shanghai Film Festival where it was screened recently. Now that the film is releasing in Russia, we expect audiences to feel the same emotions that people across the world are feeling after seeing the movie. Read More
Rani Mukerji returns to acting with HICHKI.
She took everyone by storm as the power packed policewoman in MARDAANI, and then
took time off for motherhood. Now, Rani Mukerji will return to do what she loves
doing the most. She will star in Yash Raj Films’ HICHKI, to be directed by
Siddharth P Malhotra and produced by Maneesh Sharma.
With HICHKI, she will be seen in a positive and inspiring story about a woman
who turns her biggest weakness into her biggest strength.
HICHKI will be Maneesh Sharma’s third film as a producer with Yash Raj Films
after DUM LAGA KE HAISHA and MERI PYAARI BINDU. Siddharth P Malhotra, who has
directed WE ARE FAMILY will be making his first film with Yash Raj Films.
Hichki Movie Promotions
Photos : Hichki's Screening
Rani kick-starts Hichki promotions from Ahmedabad!