Every self-respecting educationist,
every conscience student and every teacher who has worked a life time dedicated
to the profession go see Chalk and Duster. This Jayant Gilatar tribute to the
hallowed profession which has seen its nadir in the country is unhesitatingly
recommended not so much for its execution as for its thematic content. Never
have platitudes sounded so honest- albeit inaccurate. There is a message making
the rounds in social media which refers to a teacher who pride filled claims: I
make kids sit through 40 minutes when parents can’t for five; I make them
wonder, question; apologise and mean it; I make them read and write; I make the
class room safe for all; I make the difference in the life of others by
educating their children. While pompous it may sound, in every body’s life
there is at least one teacher who leaves an impression and many who labour with
commitment. I have had the privilege of seeing many in my lifetime – more here
than in any other profession.
CHALK AND DUSTER is a dramatic tribute to the them. The nit pickers
would find it one sided as also simplistic. They could also fault the adulation
as one sided and the divide between the good and bad too black and white. All
this and more, notwithstanding the film has purpose, it has feel, it has
honesty and sincerity.
The Kanti Bai school has a nice group of teachers, which include the Principal
Indu Sastry (Zarina Wahab – arguably at her dignified best), Jyoti (Juhi
Chawla), Vidya Sawant (Shabana Azmi) and Manjit (Upasana Singh). To mess with
them is the ambitious Kamini Gupta (Divya Dutta). Now Kamini worms her way up
to the good books of the management headed by Amol Parekh (Arya Babbar). The hitherto
friendly atmosphere gets toxic, teachers are denied basic facilities, fees
enhanced, staff policed without cause and finally shown the door. When this
happens to Vidya the local competitor (Jackie Shroff) comes to know about it
and decides to expose it all through the local reporter Bhairavi (Richa
Chadda).
What makes the film gripping and viewable during its entire run of just about
two hours is its no frills narration. The editor (Santosh Mandal) ensures that
there is strict adherence to the relevant and that the grip is never lost to
theatrics or needless by lanes. Baba Azmi with his cinematography makes things
visibly simple. Ranjeev-Neetu the duo responsible for story screenplay and
dialogue eschew the pedantic and leave an impression of telling a story we all
connect with if only we had looked around in the formative years!
While many of the artists move like a cloud or a whiff of air, the main actors
leave a lasting impression. Juhi Chawla has shown the preparedness to take
actors of great repute her stride and share cinematic space with them without
making much ado: Amritha (Aaina), Madhuri (Gulab Gang), Kajol (Ishq) she now
dares to be alongside Shabana and returns with equal ease and respectability.
She is that endearing life filled to the staunch emotional fighting determined
Shabana, who needless to say gives the role just that much that it requires and
how well she reiterates her understanding of the craft requires to be seen to
be appreciated. Strangely even doing a shade better than the phenomenal Shabana
is Divya Dutta in the negative role. She is frightfully realistic in the
negative role.
To revert to the popular message the teacher says: I make a difference in
all your lives educating kids and preparing them to become CEOs and Doctors and
Engineers. We who are never tired of talking of the Vishwamitra – Rama
paradigm or the Drona – Arjuna model, let us for once put our money where our
mouth is and go buy a ticket for the film and pay our respects to teachers. Let
us humbly recognise the contribution of Chalk and Duster.
Rating: 4 stars
+ Team treatment cast crew.
– Over simplistic.
L. Ravichander.