Chalk n Duster

About the film

Chalk n Duster is a 2016 Indian drama film about the commercialization of the Indian private education system, starring Shabana Azmi, Juhi Chawla, Zarina Wahab, Girish Karnad, and Divya Dutta. The film talks about teachers' and students' communication, and highlights the problem of teachers and students in an educational system which is changing day by day.

The film was directed by Jayant Gilatar, written by Ranjeev Verma and, Neetu Verma and produced by Amin Surani.

Plot

Vidya (Shabana Azmi) is one of the senior staff members at a fair-to-middling educational institution, which has thus far functioned smoothly under the able hands of Principal Indu Shastry (Zarina Wahab). Everything changes with the appointment of the new principal. The teachers face unpleasant surprises when the popular and considerate Indu is replaced by the ambitious and cutthroat Kamini (Divya Dutta), who aspires to upscale this middle-class school. Teachers' chairs are removed from the classrooms, tea is no longer free, and class subjects are juggled between teachers, spoiling the dynamic of the whole school.

All of this is too much for the good-hearted Vidya, who suffers a heart attack after a sudden and unfair dismissal. In solidarity, her friend and colleague Jyoti (Juhi Chawla) decides to take on Kamini and the misdirected board of trustees, led by Anmol (Aarya Babbar). This entails using a TV channel as a platform to remind viewers that teachers need support, recognition, and more pay.

The drama ends with a recovered Vidya and Jyoti taking on a Who Wants to Be A Millionaire-style quiz to win 5 crore rupees. The trade-off is that if they lose, they will have to accept their termination and leave their professions. Vidya and Jyoti use their talents to win the quiz battle. Unwillingly, the trustee, Anmol, signs a bank cheque for 5 crore rupees and apologizes to Vidya and Jyoti publicly on the TV show. In the end, Vidya reveals that she will be handing over the money to former principal Indu to build a school where no teacher will be discriminated against and students will receive a good education for a lower cost.

Reception

According to Meena Iyer of Times of India Chalk N Duster has its heart in the right place. Made with an intention of showcasing the worms in the current education system, this film can be lauded to some degree - and gave it a 2.5/5 rating.

Key details