SHAHID KAPOOR WHO plays a school teacher in Milind Ukey’s Paathshaala, says he was inspired to do the film because of the message associated with it.
“I haven’t done this film for commercial reasons. I don’t think Ahmad (Khan) made this for commercial reasons. We just believe in what the film is saying, we wanted to reach out to people,” Shahid said.
“People don’t pick up a subject about children or the education system and try and make a film about it. You try and make a documentary and it becomes boring,” he said.
“It’s all the more difficult to find a subject and make it entertaining with a little bit of emotion, a little bit of comedy and drama. All of us did this film because we wanted to participate in this process of trying to create awareness about something very relevant today,” Shahid added.
Paathshaala 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 backseat. Throwing light on the message, he said: “There are small situations in the film which signify various problems that children are going through - how schools compete with a high-end school in the locality and what happens to parents when there is a certain hike in fees. The kind of pressure children have to face when they attend school and have to cope with the studies, extra curricular activities and and the demands of their parents.”
Shahid also pointed out that his film was in no way comparable to Aamir Khan’s Taare Zameen Par,
“Taare Zameen Par gave a platform for this type of film. Before that no one ever thought that this type of film could be made and released at the commercial level. But wheras Taare Zameen Par talks about a dyslexic child, this film is about the general education system,” Shahid said.
SLAMMING RUMOURES THAT Shahid Kapoor plays an extended cameo in the film, debutant director Milind Ukey says: “Shahid is not making a guest appearance in the film. I don’t know from where this rumour has surfaced. The film is narrated from his point of view and he is an integral part of the project.”
He is a wonderful person to work with. He is an intelligent and creative actor, who gets completely involved in the character he is playing, contributing that something extra to the character,” he added.
The story begins with a new English teacher Rahul Prakash Udyavar (Shahid) joining Swaraswati Vidya Mandir school, situated in the Mumbai suburbs. Though he strikes an instant rapport with students and teachers alike, he realises that there is something amiss in the school. Slowly his doubts prove true as the school manager Sharma (Saurabh Shukla) makes many monetary obligations compulsory on the parents in the name of extra-curricular activities. He goes to the extent of punishing the students when the new unjustified demands of the school are not fulfilled by the parents. When Rahul unifies the teachers (Ayesha Takia and others) against the atrocities of the school management, the principal Aditya Sahay (Nana Patekar) defends the management’s decision. This comes as a shock to the teachers as Sahay is known for his dedication as an educationist for the last 32 years during which he has built the school’s high reputation. The situation turns grave as the school management becomes overambitious with its growth plans and involves media planners in extra-curricular activities. This demands the involvement of students in TV reality shows and many other media PR activities used for building up the image of the school.
The growing pressure on the young minds leads to grim consequences. Caught in the web of commercialisation and internal rebellion, the situation becomes so explosive that it finally becomes a national issue.
I’m not qualified to bring about a change. But yes, there’s a problem and we must find ways to ease these pressures. It can be done by placing a suggestion box outside a classroom where the kids can put in their grievances. Their problems can be brought to light like this as kids are inhibited when it comes to talking freely with people in authority.
It’s neither of the two. I’m not doing a cameo nor am I the hero of the film. It’s a two hour film and I have a role that’s almost an hour long.
The film is being marketed solely on your name. Is that the reason why reports say Sunny Singh’s role was cut?
I’m pretty fine if they want to market the film in my name. I want to do that if it helps the film, brings more people to watch it. It helps the overall cause we are trying to show. As for Sunny Singh, I honestly don’t know anything of that sort. I hope that they have made the film they wanted to.
I’ve known Ayesha since she was a veteran doing numerous advertisements. She is very talented but has chosen to focus on her personal life and maybe that’s why she has cut down on projects. That’s her personal choice and I think she is very happy with wherever she is in life.
No, I haven’t because we have never really spoken about the release of the film. There was a point where he wanted me to a do video for a music release which I have shot for. And I think he wants to release this film soon for which I wish him all the best.
This is what happens in an actor’s life, all the negative badgering is just another day in an actor’s life. We get used to it in time.
I’m rooting for Mumbai Indians because that’s my hometown and Delhi Daredevils because that’s where I was born.
I haven’t really thought about it. When I do fall in love and want to spend my life with somebody it doesn’t matter where she is from or who she is.