Teacher's Day 2024 Special: 6 Incredible Films And Series To Celebrate Your Mentors

Teacher’s Day is almost here! Movies and series like 12th Fail, Coach Carter, Asura and other classics make for the perfect Teacher’s Day binge. When it comes to teachers, no amount of words do justice to the impact they have in our journeys. But, where words fall short, art can always do the trick! This Teacher’s Day, the best way to commemorate our beloved teachers could be by dedicating a film or series to them. Here are 6 films and audio series that celebrate the hard work, grit and spirit of teachers across the world:

Good teachers come in all shapes, types and sizes! ‘Hichki’ introduces us to a positive and driven teacher who suffers from Tourette's Syndrome, portrayed brilliantly by Rani Mukerji. Not letting her special condition define her, this teacher decides to brave through the taunts and insults to change the lives of some underprivileged students. Not only does the film boast of a stellar performance from Rani Mukerji, it is also embellished by incredible acting by the supporting cast of kids. 

12th Fail is a biographical drama film directed, produced and written by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. It is based on the 2019 eponymous non-fiction book by Anurag Pathak about Manoj Kumar Sharma, who overcame extreme poverty to become an Indian Police Service officer. The film stars Vikrant Massey as Sharma, alongside Medha Shankr, Anant V Joshi, Anshumaan Pushkar and Priyanshu Chatterjee.

An all-time classic starring late Hollywood icon Sidney Poitier, ‘To Sir, with Love’ has all the makings of an unforgettable viewing experience. From the very first scene, once we meet Mr Thackeray (Poitier), we root for the man to transform the lives of some wayward and roguish students. The journey of one determined teacher who refused to give up on youngsters the world didn’t care about, this film is a must-watch to pay respects to all our special teachers. 

What makes ‘Saala Khadoos’ stand apart from regular teacher-student films, is the unique way it handles the dynamic between the head coach (R. Madhavan) and his pupil (Ritika Singh). With both characters having rowdy and arrogant personalities, the film hooks you with how they finally come to terms with each other. Another unique thing about ‘Saala Khadoos’ is that it uses a professional boxer in the role of a student, instead of a trained actor. This adds a real and raw energy to the boxing scenes in the film. 

Samuel L Jackson portrays a no-nonsense and motivational coach in a film based on a real story. What more can one ask for? ‘Coach Carter’ is a rare gem that emphasizes on the fact that it is a mix of studies and sports that truly builds a student’s personality. In the film, Coach Carter infamously benches his entire school basketball team after they fail to do well in class. 

Darsh, a 15-year-old boy, has always been disrespected by his family and brought down his family's name by failing martial arts exams for five consecutive years. But then, one night, something happens, due to which a terrible and huge change took place inside Darsh, fueled by the mentorship and guidance he receives in school from his principal Abhimanyu. Darsh slowly starts to understand his powers and his place and purpose in this world, but what happened that night changed the course of Darsh's life? To know more and explore the mentor and student equation between Daksh and his principal, listen to Asura on Pocket FM.