Hichki- A Hiccup in Life?

Image Courtesy - IMDb

Rani Mukherjee had been one of my favourite actors during the time I had favourites in the industry. I had been eagerly waiting to watch her comeback film, Hichki and let me break the suspense, I wasn’t disappointed.

I promptly opened Wikipedia to get the names of the characters (I always forget the names of characters) and read that the “film is inspired from an American film, Front of the Class based on a book of the same name” which isn’t surprising considering Tourette Syndrome isn’t well-known in India. The first time I heard about this syndrome was while watching Boston legal with the introduction of the character, Jerry Espenson who suffers from Asperger’s and Tourette’s Syndrome.

In Naina’s (character portrayed by Rani) words, it is a neurological condition that occurs due to dysfunction in certain areas of the brain that causes involuntary tics, repeating words or shouting.

Films like these, that seek to bring social awareness about physical or mental conditions (Taare Zameen Par) or that portray current social problems (Padman) are also a welcome change irrespective of whether they do well at the Box Office or not.

Hichki is the story of Naina Mathur (Rani Mukherjee), a vivacious and free-spirited woman who has Tourette’s Syndrome. This Syndrome causes her to involuntarily burst into tics and repeat/shout out words. The film shows confusion, antipathy and sometimes mockery reflected on the faces of those who come in contact with her.  As a result of which, despite being a double B.Ed and MSc. Graduate, she has remained unemployed for almost 5 years until she finally gets a call mid-term to teach at her alma mater, much to the consternation of Wadia Sir (Neeraj Kabi), the science teacher of Standard IX ‘A’.

She has been assigned to teach Standard IX ‘F’ that has only 14 students who are purportedly from the bottom of the barrel, having found a place in this prestigious institution due to the Government imposed Right to Education Act. Shunned by the ‘gora-chitta’ Prefect badge toting IX ‘A’ students and the bourgeoisie Wadia sir, this group of glue-sniffing, beedi-smoking, gambling delinquents have taken it upon themselves to have their new teacher quit within a week of her joining.

Naina’s determination to stick to her job and to educate these underprivileged children and her unconventional methods of teaching thaws the animosity that the children have towards her. Naina is challenged by the Principal and Wadia sir to ensure a hundred percent result in the final exams if she wants to retain her job. Naina identifies the ability each student has and encourages them to battle their limitations.

But things are not all smooth sailing for Naina and her students. A fit of anger that results in one of her students destroying a science model made by the ‘A’ section students has the ‘F’ section students suspended from school. All is not well in Naina’s personal life either where her estranged father returns only to lower her self-esteem.

Will Naina’s students pass the exams with flying colours and earn the Prefect Badge or will they be thrown out of school for cheating in exams? Will Naina earn her father’s respect? Will she continue teaching at the school?

The answers are predictable and so is the movie but I enjoyed it nonetheless. Rani Mukerjee is her usual brilliant self and so are the rest of the cast. A special mention to the students who have so brilliantly portrayed the role of, “adolescents angry at the whole world for their dire circumstances”. There are quite a few tear-jerking moments thrown in, you will need that handkerchief.  Like any typical Yash Raj Film, the background score is dramatic and loud and builds up the “suspense” even though you know exactly what’s going to happen next. I love movies with a feel-good factor and this is definitely one of those. At the end of the movie, as the credits rolled in, P and I looked at each other, smiled and nodded our heads in approval.