Hindi Medium (2017)

Alright, buckle up for a rollicking ride through Hindi Medium (2017), a Bollywood gem that’s equal parts heartwarming, hilarious, and a sneaky jab at India’s education system. Directed by Saket Chaudhary and starring the ever-charming Irrfan Khan alongside Saba Qamar, this movie is like a spicy chaat—messy, flavorful, and leaves you wanting seconds. Let’s dive into this comedic curry with a side of social satire, and I’ll try not to spill the masala.

First off, the plot: Raj and Mita Batra (Irrfan and Saba) are a Delhi couple living the Chandni Chowk dream—think loud kurtas, louder neighbors, and a shop selling blingy clothes that could blind a peacock. Raj is a lovable, slightly clueless everyman who’s happy with his roots, while Mita is obsessed with climbing the social ladder faster than a monkey on a coconut tree.

Their mission? Get their adorable daughter, Pia, into one of Delhi’s snooty English-medium schools, where kids probably sip kale smoothies and conjugate verbs in Latin. But here’s the kicker: to win a seat, they’ve got to navigate a jungle of bureaucracy, fake poverty, and even pose as underprivileged folks to snag a “poor quota” spot. Shenanigans ensue, and oh boy, do they ever.

Let’s talk about Irrfan Khan, because this man could read a phone book and make you cry, laugh, and question your life choices. As Raj, he’s the heart of the film, bumbling through absurd situations with a twinkle in his eye and a grin that says, “I have no idea what I’m doing, but let’s roll with it.” Whether he’s mangling English phrases or trying to “act poor” like he’s auditioning for a melodrama, Irrfan’s comic timing is sharper than a barber’s razor.

Saba Qamar as Mita is his perfect foil—she’s fierce, ambitious, and occasionally insufferable, like that auntie who insists you eat one more paratha. Together, they’re a riot, balancing slapstick with moments of genuine tenderness that hit you right in the feels.

The humor? It’s like a desi stand-up special on steroids. The film pokes fun at everything—class divides, the obsession with “Englisss” as a status symbol, and the lengths parents go to for their kids’ education (think Hunger Games, but with school admission forms).

One minute, Raj is butchering a motivational speech like a drunk uncle at a wedding; the next, he’s dodging a shady consultant who’s basically a used-car salesman for school seats. The gags land because they’re rooted in truth—anyone who’s dealt with India’s education rat race will nod so hard their neck hurts. Yet, the movie never feels preachy; it’s too busy making you snort-laugh.

Visually, Hindi Medium keeps it real. Delhi’s chaotic streets, glitzy malls, and crumbling slums are characters in themselves, captured with enough grit to feel authentic but not so much you smell the street food through the screen. The soundtrack’s catchy without overstaying its welcome—unlike that one relative who camps out for a month. And the pacing? It zips along like an auto-rickshaw in a hurry, though it occasionally swerves into sentimental detours that might make you roll your eyes (but secretly tear up).

Now, it’s not perfect. Some plot twists feel like they were cooked up in a soap opera writer’s fever dream, and a few side characters are flatter than a day-old naan. The film’s message about equality and education can get a tad heavy-handed, like when your mom lectures you about “values” mid-binge-watch. But these are minor quibbles in a movie that’s otherwise as satisfying as a plate of butter chicken.

What makes Hindi Medium shine is its heart. Beneath the laughs, it’s a story about parents who’d do anything for their kid—even if it means faking a slum address or dancing to “Suit Suit” in a moment of pure, unhinged joy. It’s also a mirror to society’s quirks, served with a wink instead of a wagging finger. By the time the credits roll, you’re grinning, maybe sniffling, and definitely craving a samosa.

In short, Hindi Medium is a laugh-out-loud love letter to dreaming big, screwing up bigger, and figuring it all out in the end. It’s the kind of film you’d watch with your family, then argue over who Raj reminds you of most. Spoiler: it’s probably you. So, grab some popcorn, ignore the calorie count, and give this one a spin. You’ll thank me later—unless the subtitles are off, in which case, good luck.

Production

Made on a production budget of ₹14 crore, Hindi Medium was produced by Dinesh Vijan of Maddock Films in his third independent venture as a producer (since his creative split with actor and producer Saif Ali Khan) after the satire Finding Fanny (2014) and the crime thriller Badlapur : Don’t Miss the Beginning (2015), and Bhushan Kumar of T-Series.

The film was written and directed by Chaudhary in his third filmmaking endeavour after the romantic comedy films Pyaar Ke Side Effects (2006) and Shaadi Ke Side Effects (2014). During the production of the previous film, he and his co-writer Zeenat Lakhani came up with the idea to make a film about the education system in India.

They found the idea too extensive to include in Shaadi Ke Side Effects, so after its release, they decided to incorporate the idea into a separate film. Stating the reason to make Hindi Medium, Chaudhary said, “The subject is so relevant. We realised that today irrespective of the background of the parent, they still want to have the best education for the children.”

Following the release of Shaadi Ke Side Effects, pre-production work began. Chaudhary began working on the story at that time, and he chose Delhi as the film’s key location The production crew consisted primarily of people Chaudhary had worked with on Pyaar Ke Side Effects and Shaadi Ke Side Effects, with the exception of production designer Mustafa Stationwala—they are editor A. Sreekar Prasad; dialogue writer Amitosh Nagpal; and cinematographer Laxman Utekar.

Amar Mohile was the composer of the score. On 29 May 2016, News18 reported the casting of Saba Qamar in the film, which marked her Bollywood debut. Khan had recommended the casting of Qamar to the makers of the film. He said, “When I saw her YouTube videos, I recommended her to the director and producer and they really liked her”.

“I play a person who didn’t get an opportunity to fulfill her dreams so she comes up with a scheme about giving the daughter a life that she didn’t have,” Qamar stated when discussing her role. Khan commented that he had accepted the role as it tackled the realistic subject of the challenges of obtaining a good education in India.

Qamar arrived in Mumbai from Pakistan in July 2016, and the film’s principal photography began in the same month. The film was shot in Chandni Chowk, Anand Lok, Karol Bagh, and Sangam Vihar. October 2016 marked the completion of the shooting. Georgia was also used to film a song sequence.

Qamar made the observation that she felt safe while filming in Delhi and that she enjoyed working with Khan. In the same interview with Pakistani newspaper Dawn, she commented that her experience wasn’t affected by the nationalist far-right political party Maharashtra Navnirman Sena’s hostility towards Pakistan at the time.

Release

The film was initially scheduled to release on 12 May 2017, but was pushed by a week back, thereby clashing with Half Girlfriend, scheduled for release on the same date. Hindi Medium was declared ‘tax-free’ in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Delhi.

In February 2018, following the success of Dangal (2016) and Secret Superstar (2017) in China, it was announced that Hindi Medium was to be released in China. Hindi Medium released in China on 4 April 2018 to coincide with the Qingming Festival. The film’s Chinese title is 起跑线 (Qi Pao Xian), which means The Starting Line.

Controversy

The Bengali film Ramdhanu (2014), which was directed by Nandita Roy and Shiboprosad Mukherjee, had filed a copyright lawsuit against Hindi Medium because the storyline was similar to theirs. “We have researched our script over a year and it is based on original material,” Chaudhary responded. I would request everyone involved to not rush to a judgement without ascertaining the facts. Additionally, watching the movie makes it simple to verify the facts. Later, Roy and Mukherjee dropped their case.

Critical Reception

The reviews of Hindi Medium were generally favorable, with special praise for Khan and Qamar’s performances. Rohit Bhatnagar of Deccan Chronicle called the film a “masterpiece” and praised Khan’s and Qamar’s acting. Rachit Gupta of Filmfare rated the film 4.5 out of 5 stars and said that it was a “refreshingly funny and brilliantly insightful film on parenting and education.”

Madhureeta Mukherjee of The Times of India highlighted the script, and the comedic elements of the film as its strengths. “Khan asks the viewers to take a stand against faulty Indian education system,” said Rohit Vats of the Hindustan Times, who gave the film 3.5 stars out of a possible 5.

Samrudhi Ghosh of India Today gave 3 out of 5 stars, praising Khan’s and Qamar’s performances, said “Hindi Medium may use over-dramatised events to make its message hit home, but in spite of its hiccups, the film is not bogged down because of the performances and the humour”.

“Decent story, humour, a few heart-tugging moments and effortless performances by Irrfan Khan, Saba Qamar, and Deepak Dobriyal make the movie watchable,” Smrity Sharma of India.com wrote. The Indian Express’ Shubhra Gupta gave Khan’s performance two out of five stars, but she thought the writing was “flat” and that some of the supporting characters were “more caricature than real.”

Hindi Medium received a generally positive reception from critics outside of India. A reviewer for Time Out gave it 4 out of 5 stars: “With all its merits, though, the film stumbles near the end with its overly sentimental conclusion.” The reviewer concluded that “the film is one of the best Bollywood films”.

James Marsh of South China Morning Post rated it 3.5 stars out of 5 stars, calling it “a classical comedy of manners full of humour and playful performances”. Sadaf Siddique of Dawn observed: “Chaudhary gets full marks for novelty, he fails to adequately flesh his ideas out”.

“Despite its shortcomings, the film is never unwatchable and benefits enormously from a winning performance by Irrfan Khan who makes his every moment on screen count,” said CNN-IBN’s Rajeev Masand, who gave the film 2.5 stars out of a possible 5.

From his hilarious wooing of a mother-daughter pair of potential customers at his shop in the film’s first half to his earnest amends on discovering his conscience late into the final act, he has you eating out of his palm. Hindi Medium may be worth watching just for Irrfan.”