Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya (Season 1)
Introduction
It is ironic on how the timing of the release of the new Hindi show Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya coincides with one of the biggest student movements in the country. And ironically, the one thing that connects the Gen Z Student outrage and the show remains the decaying education system that extends beyond the NEET paper leaks to the crumbling infrastructure at the grassroot level. And the latter is what forms an early premise on the show, even as we are witness to a character exclaiming on how a politician’s relative is using the school as a temporary lodge. This is true even when you are introduced to the headmaster Gyaneshwar Tripathi (Kay Kay Menon) who is seen playing cricket with his students, even while an ED representative visits his school. The premise is laced in a satire – something that wishes to highlight the serious issues of the education system in the most un-serious manner – much like the Gen Z protest that is equivalent to a million ‘street’ memes, while highlighting a major issue of accountability (or the lack of it) on the part of the authorities.
Story & Screenplay
Written by Akshay Asthana, Biswapati Sarkar, Nupur Pai, Tatsat Pandey, Meghna Srivastava, Sameer Saxena and Rahul Hemrajani, the first season of Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya pays attention to detail with respect to its setting, and the characters raked in it. So if the setting boasts of a school that is nearly dilapidated while lacking the basic facilities such as a water filter, and a setting where tea is made on the bunsen burner found in the chemistry lab, it is the characters that are quirky, and manage to hold your attention. The connecting thread remains the protagonist who discreetly holds an ambition of travelling to the UK as a part of the state sponsored scheme, should his school feature in the top 10 schools of the area, based on the results of the students.
One look at the students, and you know that they spell trouble – educationally speaking. Be it the bunch of alphas who are perceived as ‘junkies’, except that they are addicted to junk food. Or their part-time gig at a local tobacco factory. Or a future topper named K3-ji whose answer to a fourth standard ‘Photosynthesis’ question remains as random as 20 Degree Fahrenheit. The subtext remains the decaying state of education system in the school, that automatically extends to the plight of the students – one who wants to marry as early as her teens, another ‘topper’ whose name is misspelt so much so that another ‘average’ student gets the recognition, a student silently harbouring a dream of becoming a chef against his father’s wish (who is a street chef himself) – a nod to 3 Idiots (2009), the parents who don’t fully see the point of education, all in the midst of the school that is burdened with including a chapter of a local politician as a part of the syllabus – loosely based on real events in the supposed life of the supreme leader who must not be named.
The fabric of the drama is also defined by the mix of teachers who define the quirky and colourful world here. So you have Kanchan (Prasanna Bisht) – the idealist teacher who is overwhelmed by the lacklustre quality of the setting and the students. A strict macho teacher Hansraj Meena (Abhimanyu Singh) who leads a dual life of a teacher by the day and a henna designer by night, in a nod to Walter Mitty and in line with his quirky name. You also have another teacher Shiney (Ajitesh Gupta) who is dyslexic, a teacher of biology Sharma Mam (Annapurna Soni) who is shy to teach the subject of reproduction, a sane school counsellor Mukul (Naveen Kasturia) who isn’t on the same page with his rebellious teen daughter, a hopeless opportunist of a minister Goldy (Deven Bhojani) who wishes to use the school as his political tool of propaganda, and his aide Urmila (Archana Puran Singh) whose sole purpose is life is to suppress Gyaneshwar given how the latter rejected her for marriage, only to get married to her sister instead.
The proceedings resemble a sit-com while deftly offering a searing commentary on the financial struggles of a government school that would immensely depend on the funds from the government. Its subtext remains the lack of motivation on the part of the students and teachers alike – both who are at the mercy of the higher authorities. For instance, a subtext involving an invite extended to a millionaire ex-student, turns into a sequence of a scam in the form of a pyramid scheme. Or in another instance, the politics of the land is also extended to the plight of the media who is more interested in sensationalizing events at the school, and in turn showing it in bad light. All of these capsule events account for a profound bout of fun that had me smiling, but also empathizing with many such schools who don’t even have enough teachers for the students.
I couldn’t help but think on how this format of storytelling is extended to the likes of Maamla Legal Hai, or Gram Chikitsalay or even Panchayat – all of whom potentially share a common universe. And the thread linking each of them is an underlying commentary of a rotting system that extends as a part of the setting. One little shortcoming though from a storytelling POV comes in the form of sustainance of the subplots in terms of the impact – given how the problems are simplified, and with bouts of tingling feel-good capsules.
This wasn’t a big deal for me personally, except in the final act wherein the impact of the conclusion was missing. And much of it had to do with the abrupt nature of the writing that wished to setup the context for the next season, while simplifying the issues of the students towards the end. But barring that little hiccup, the screenplay is profoundly funny and makes a mark for itself, often accounting for several heartfelt moments that have a tingling feeling within you.
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are quirky, funny, and poignant, not only playing well with the wordplays, but also accounting for an underlying layer of emotions along the way. The BGM encapaulates the lightness and frothy nature of the proceedings, while adding notes of a satire that contribute to the fun quotient of the show. The cinematography comprises of frames that offer a pleasant yet poignant sense of duality – one with respect to the colour grading that evokes a sense of light-heartedness, coupled with mid-shots that reek of a satire while highlighting the emotional and financial plight of the characters with aplomb. The editing pattern is crisp and sharp, so much so that the drama doesn’t get heavy or melodramatic at any point – even with respect to issues that don’t overstay their welcome.
Director Himank Gaur ably constructs his world with sensitivity, while ensuring of not losing sight of the light-hearted satire that christens the narrative. He also infuses the drama with some quirky characters that wonderfully contribute to its fabric, while ensuring laughs and poignancy along the way. I liked how the humour paves way for a strong emotional core of the characters. And despite a minor stumble at the end, the direction still manages to impress while successfully conveying the satire engulfed in the drama.
Performances
The performances are wonderful by the members of the cast. Hussain Dalal as Karan Bindra, Biswapati Sarkar as Amit, Lhakpa Lepcha as Bishnu, and Sameer Saxena as DEO are hilarious to the core in a job well done. Hetal Gada and Aditi Batra as younger versions of Sushma and Urmila are sincere ehile managing to impress. Kabir Sajjad as Gopal, Aswanath Kumar as Kuttan (K3-ji), Aryan Prajapati as Purav and Hanisha Gehlot as Nishtha are wonderful to witness, and each of them have their moments to shine. Prachee Shah Pandya as Sushma is understated and does a swell job here.
Akshara Padwal as Palak comes across as a rebellious character, who essentially just wishes to strengthen her frosty bond with her father. And at the same time, she remains conflicted while wishing to shift elsewhere for her NEET preparations💀. She wonderfully encapsulates the undecided state of her psyche with a lot of flair, while putting forth a rather confident act. Naveen Kasturia as Mukul remains understated while encircling his character on bouts of sincerity and earnestness. There is a gentle trait inculcated in his persona that makes him affable to witness – almost providing a soothing air to the chaos around him. He is a treat to witness here.
Annapurna Soni as Sharma Mam is such a delight to witness here. Her shyness is palatable, but also something that defines her character – and she wonderfully commits to this very trait that had me smiling from ear to ear. Ajitesh Gupta as Shiney ably contributed to the humour in the drama – nailing his one-liners with a lot of precision, and invariably tickling your funny bone.
Speaking on which, Deven Bhojani as Goldy has a ticklish presence that reimagines the quirky persona of the most shrewd politicians doing the rounds. There is a child-like humour inculcated in his character that defines his psyche, even while allowing ego to drive his persona. This was a delightful little act that had me gleefully smiling. Archana Puran Singh as Urmila is wonderfully understated, often doubling up as a mouth piece for Goldy while also wishing to avenge the demons of her past in her present. And yet, the moral compass with regards to her character is subdued but in check – something that doesn’t fully make her repulsive while deftly treading the thin line of affability.
Abhimanyu Singh as Hansraj Meena can best be defined as a coconut – hard on the exterior but palpably emotional inside. In a scene, you see him quietly helping out his new fellow colleague in a classroom, while also silently harbouring the burdens of a father pitted against the education system for his daughter. There is a firm but deft synergy that drives his persona, and Abhimanyu does a wonderful job here.
Prasanna Bisht as Kanchan epitomizes the naivety of a person in an alien setting early on, while beautifully blending in later on. She has an understated presence while using her body language and expressions to such good effect, that you would find yourself emotionally connected to her character and her ideologies. She was a treat to witness here.
Kay Kay Menon as Gyaneshwar is brilliant to witness here, possessing the necessary quirks that sync in with the chaotic setup that he is a part of. And in that, there is also a sense of responsibility mixed with heartfelt emotions that drives his character. The funny bouts with regards to his character are definitely in play, but more importantly, it is the emotional core (minus the greed of ambition for most parts of the narrative) that defines his persona. And he wonderfully encapsulates the spirit of the drama through his towering act.
Conclusion
Despite a minor stumble at the final hurdle, the first season of Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya delivers an assured, quirky satire on the grassroots modern education system. It seamlessly balances sharp comedy with emotional poignancy, all anchored by solid performances. Releasing against the backdrop of nationwide student protests rooted in the very systemic flaws of education it targets, the show’s timing adds a layer of profound irony. This striking parallel elevates the series from simple entertainment into a highly relevant and timely companion piece to current events. Available on Amazon Prime Video.