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 Title
Pathshala
Cast Shahid Kapur, Ayesha Takia, Nana Patekar, Sushant Singh, Ali Haji,
Shraddha Arya
Director Milind Ukey
Genre Drama
Year 2010
Teaching is a noble profession. But does it hold true today? Hasn't education
succumbed to modernization as everything else, which is ruled by
commercialization and consumerism in this age of rat race? We read in the
newspapers about students being bogged down under study pressures, parents
burdened with fees hikes, teachers punishing students inhumanly, some students
even dying in such cases or some committing suicides… what state of affairs have
we brought our education system to? Paathshala tries to answer many such
questions related to the sanctity of today's education system. It sheds light on
the shortcomings and wrong doings in today's schools where the high morals and
basic ethics associated with the teaching profession seem to have taken a back
seat. It's shameful that even schooling has fallen prey to the pressures of
competition and the vices of money making mantra. Paathshala attempts to
challenge such notions that threaten our children's future and thus our society.
The story begins with a new English Teacher Rahul Prakash Udyavar (Shahid Kapoor)
joining Swaraswati Vidya Mandir school, situated in the outskirts of Mumbai
Suburbs. Though he strikes instant rapport with students and teachers alike, he
realizes that there is something amiss in the school. Slowly his doubts prove
true as the School Manager Sharma (Saurbh Shukla) makes many monetary
obligations compulsory on the parents in the name of extracurricular activities.
He goes to the extent of punishing the students inhumanly when the new
unjustified demands of the school are not fulfilled by the parents. When Rahul
Udyawar unifies the teachers (Ayesha Takia, Sushant Singh, Kurush Deboo) against
the atrocities of school management, the Principal Aditya Sahay (Nana Patekar)
defends the management decision. This comes as a shocker to the teachers as Mr.
Sahay is known for his dedication as an educationist for last 32 years which has
built the school's high reputation. The situation becomes graver as school
management becomes overambitious with its growth and involves media planners in
the extracurricular activities. This demands the involvement of students in TV
reality shows and many other media PR activities used for building up the school
image in public which starts reflecting on the students' stress levels. The
pressure on young minds increases incredibly leading to unexpected and grim
consequences. Caught in the web of commercialization and internal rebellion, the
school's situation becomes so explosive that it finally becomes a national
issue. Paathshala challenges the increasing immoralities and unethical practices
in our education system. It analyses intricately the relationship between
students, teachers and the education system with sensitivity and sensibility… It
reflects the true spirit of an education system. PAATHSHALA An Urgent and
Desperate eye opening Mission for our Education System today.
   
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