One of my all time favorites.

Crappy film

This is a coming of age storyline that you've seen in one form or another for decades. It takes a truly unique voice to make yet another one worth watching.

This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.

It is one of my favourite movies since 2010...has an awesome soundtrack with great background score...filled with emotions, & Will teach you a lot about life... will make you smile and cry... Above all you would just want to go back to school days in your head...and happily remember those days, when life wasn't so complicated,but filled with complete joy...

Teaching is supposed to be a noble profession and school is supposed to be a temple. It was so once upon a time. Has it remained so. This is what the movie tries to say.The movie is a satire and a blow to all those schools who want to make a business out of the school by modernizing them. This is a blow to all those parents those who want their child to be seen in television reality shows rather than top in studies.They have tried to show the pressure on the students, random fee hikes, punishing the students inhumanly. The movie tries to answer many such questions in this movie and they have successfully shown it. They have tried to show that education has taken a back seat while everything else is being highlighted.Shaheed Kapoor has Rahul Prakash Udyavar has done a wonderful role as the teacher and Ayesha Takia as the Nutrionalist is watchable. Overall, the movie is good.

"It horrifies me that ethics is only an optional extra at Harvard Business School". - John HarveyFinally, a refreshing film that deals with disgusting realities of some of these top-notch private schools in India: donation issues, discrimination against children based on their parents' financial status, the obnoxious atmosphere that reality TV shows create in a school's learning environment and unbridled interference by corporate trustees in school affairs. The message of Pattshaala is simple - left to its own devices and without proper checks and controls, the teaching profession, one of the few remaining noble professions in this country, can also become victim of the same corrupt mindset that presently plagues other institutions especially corporate ones - putting profits before people, considering the end more important than the means and the top-down strategy of creating an environment of fear by dangling the carrot of money and the threat of expulsions. The film is indeed a hard-hitting commentary on the impact that can take place over an entire organization (in this case, a school) when the leader (the Principal, played by Nana Patekar) decides to compromise core ethical values, and buckle under outside influence to create an unlivable atmosphere in the school, for both students as well as teachers. Against this backdrop, a lone protagonist (played by Shahid Kapur) resists, rising up to unify all teachers and students in questioning the decisions of the management and Principal, and giving a live demo to their pupils that passive resistance is the only way to achieve social justice. An oft-quoted liner from the film, "The age of revolutions is not been relegated to the past. It can occur anytime, anywhere today." Indeed, for too long we Indians have relied on Gandhi, Subhash Chandra Bose and other charismatic leaders of the independence era to find our ethical compass as a nation- fact remains, with each passing generation, we need a new set of leaders, young and dynamic, who are able to selflessly dedicate themselves to refashion the youth's moral fabric. And let me add, such people do exist. But, the media largely ignores their contributions, instead focusing on uninspiring and irrelevant stories that glorifies all sorts of scoundrels I see on TV today.In summary, Patahshaala is a must-watch film, and a real exercise in coming face to face with your moral backbone. The film poses an interesting set of questions - what should one do when faced with dilemmas that are faced by the school principal depicted in the film. Indeed, the author is of the opinion that ethics should be a compulsory subject in all primary schools of the country, and also institutions of higher learning, no matter what the stream is, technical or non- technical. Well, we do have something called "social studies" in schools but in my opinion, the subject can be broadly restructured to incorporate a strong ethical element, that too with practical lessons. Past studies has shown that if children are exposed to ethical decision- making through intensive class- room discussions, they're more likely to grow up into well-rounded citizens as adults, and question the wrongs and moral decay in society. Performances by all lead characters were good, and thoroughly convincing. A few characters, such as that of the repugnant school administrator were a bit over-the-top and exaggerated, but understandable from the point of view of the script - there's no point in showing such characters in grey. Their underlying motive is abhorrent, and should be exposed in the true light.

Paathshaala - This is one such movie which proves the fact that only a good intention does not serve the purpose for movie-making. You need a thorough plot, strong and appealing characters with lines that they really mean and of course a flow of the story that is digestible to the viewer. As far as the characters and acting is considered, Nana Patekar, Saurabh Shukla and Shahid Kapoor do justice to their roles. But even their prowess cannot help lift the weak plot to a level where the viewer can feel satisfied. Basically the movie deals with today's commercialisation of the entire education system and the extent to which the management can go to earn the attention and moolah.Shahid as the English teacher and part time music teacher convincingly handles the role, but he would have done far better if the story had allowed him the same. Even Nana's role is cut real short but he is good. Saurbh Shukla - Great as the mean puppet of the management, Sushant Singh as the sports teacher also gives in a decent performance. The rest of the characters are a complete waste including that of Ayesha Takia. The kids perform good upto their abilities, although what was with the love sparks between two students, the fight between the girl's brother and the boy??? And the attraction of the teen girl to her teacher(Shahid)??? What exactly the director had in mind.???The direction could have been far more better but again who to blame other than the script..!!!! After a initial push, where the movie goes, is not at all understood. They've tried to include all the flaws of the system without giving a thorough solution to any of them. Problems of the fee hike, managing the canteen and sports facilities in a profitable manner, bringing media persons on-board to highlight the talent of the school through Reality-Shows.....and what not!! And the hype of the students strike, someone please justify the same to me...!!!As far as the music is concerned only the song Aye Khuda strikes the right chord. Others act just as the fillers.The movie ends giving a very meek solution. Although one line by the principle which hit my mind and will appeal to many is 'Upgrading the facilities of the school may be necessary but not enough. Upgrading the thinking is more important'My rating 6/10..!!