You can't be blamed for expecting too much from a film that suggests 'get educated' in its title, but Paathshaala is as insipid as a history teacher's attempt to make you understand the finer points of basketball.

The film depicts commercial mentality that has plagued our education

Saraswati Vidya Mandir has been one of the better schools for decades now and recent upstarts are forcing Principal Aditya Sahay (Nana Patekar) to change the school's approach. Pushed into a corner by the board of trustees, Sahay suggests an increase in the teacher-student ratio to make more money. When his teachers refuse he forces a new set of rules that will change the very way the school functions.

It's during this transition that the school hires a new English teacher, Rahul Prakash Udyavar (Shahid Kapur), who also doubles up as the Music teacher. The young Rahul soon becomes the apple of everyone's eyes including Anjali (Ayesha Takia), the school's nutritionist. With a new agenda Sharma (Saurabh Shukla), the school's manager, makes it very clear without any exceptions that only those who pay will stay. He doesn't think twice before making a student stand in the sweltering heat for not paying his fee or charging them for just about every facility in the school. Unable to tolerate this torture, the teachers complain to Sahay about Sharma's new agendas, but are shocked to know that Sahay himself is the one behind all this.

The teachers are forced by Sahay to prep children to participate in extra curricular activities like talent shows on television in order to get press for the school which would translate into more money. When things refuse to change Rahul becomes an unlikely leader and finally unearths the real reason for Sahay's uncharacteristic behavior.

Directed by Milind Ukey and written by chorographer Ahmed Khan, Paathshaala was perhaps thought of as an urgent call to show the commercial mentality that has plagued our education system. But it ends up being a hash wherein everything is as far removed from reality as it's cinematically possible.

The plot wafer thin and the execution pathetic thanks to a bunch of cardboard cutouts for characters- a mustachioed games teacher, a mad scientist looking Physics teacher, a bouffant with flower tight churidar sporting Hindi teacher, a scaredy-cat Bengali teacher who when stands up is saluted by all for she has finally become true to her name, Bose! The scenes where talent show scouts (mis) handle children and the teachers play spectators is so over the top that you end up shaking your head in disbelief.

Nana Patekar is too robotic to talk about, Shahid Kapur enjoys all the attention in slow motion shots, singing songs and playing a music teacher who doesn't strum his guitar. Ayehsa Takia is just Ayesha Takia- all smiles when called and teary eyed when ordered.

The film ends with Shahid Kapur's photo and lines that suggest 'every generation needs a hero to answer their questions'...well for those who survive Paathshaala would surely love to know who asked these questions in the first place!

Cast: Shahid Kapur, Ayesha Takia, Sushant Singh, Saurabh Shukla and Nana Patekar

Written by: Ahmed Khan

Directred by: Milind Ukey