Teacher's Day: Bollywood's favourite gurus
TNN | Sep 5, 2012, 12.00AM IST
On Teachers' Day today, we bring to you the most loved teachers on the big screen
Shah Rukh Khan As Raj Aryan Malhotra (Mohabbatein) In this Aditya Chopra film, Shah Rukh plays a music teacher who believes in living life to the fullest and encourages students to follow their heart. He joins the gurukul that is managed by the disciplinarian Narayan Shankar (Amitabh Bachchan) for 20 years. Their ideologies differ. When it comes to matters of the heart for three of his students, the conflict increases with SRK going into a confrontation with Amitabh Bachchan.
Aamir Khan As Ram Shankar Nikumbh ( Taare Zameen Par)
Aamir Khan's directorial debut has the actor portraying a teacher with elan. His style of teaching is remarkably different from the hackneyed ways since his character believes in making learning fun for kids rather than an exercise of pressure. The way he grooms Ishaan (Darsheel Safari), after knowing about his problems of dyslexia, has been both exemplary and motivational for many who are not sensitized enough to deal with special children.
Amitabh Bachchan as Debraj Sahai (Black)
In this Sanjay Leela Bhansali film, Debraj Sahni (Amitabh Bachchan) plays an elderly alcoholic teacher. When he enters the life of Michelle (Rani Mukerji), he uses his own unconventional teaching methods to help her find light in her otherwise grey life. As Debraj and Michelle develop a sense of camaraderie, the former begins to develop signs of Alzheimer's disease and is unable to recognize his favourite student. In a poignant move, Michelle takes upon herself the task of teaching him and making him aware of his existence.
Sushmita Sen As Chandini Gupta (Main Hoon Na)
It took a Simi Garewal as Miss Rosy to portray Rishi Kapoor's infatuation for the teacher in Raj Kapoor's Mere Naam Joker. In pencil skirts paired with pretty tops, ballerina shoes and bow ties, Simi became the quintessential metaphor for every adolescent boy's dream woman. Decades later when Sushmita Sen enters the campus in Main Hoon Na, she transforms into the newage Miss Rosy. Clad in chiffon saris, this chemistry teacher also sends pulses racing for her students, including that of Major Ram Prasad Sharma (Shah Rukh).
Saif Ali Khan As Deepak Kumar (Aarakhshan) This Prakash Jha socio-political drama shows how a teacher can use education as a power tool to bring justice on campus. After declaration of reservation for OBC students by the Supreme Court, cast-based riots spread on campus resulting in termination of the principal. Saif Ali Khan, who plays a Dalit teacher, joins the principal in teaching the needy children in cowsheds.