Looking Back at 5 Best Teacher Characters from Movies

Teacher’s day is around the corner! Today in Bumps n Baby we honor all the lovely teachers we were/ are blessed with – 5 best teacher characters from movies that inspired us!!

Do you have a favorite teacher from your school or college days? For me it was my General Foundation Course sir from my 12^th. His method of teaching was completely different from other teachers. What makes him unique is that he encourages co-curricular activities at the same time is pretty strict when it comes to academics. I was constantly motivated by him to practice public speech, debate and reading. He always used to point out the importance of balancing academics and co-curricular activities in a student’s life.

What makes a teacher unique?  There are many teacher characters from movies etched in our heart. Who can forget the stringent Viru Sahasrabuddhi aka VIRUS from 3 idiots or Shah Rukh Khan from Chak De?

Let’s take a look at the most influential teacher characters from my favorite movies one by one.

5 Best Teacher Characters from Movies that Influenced Us:

1. Nikumbh Sir of Taare Zameen Par

I remember my hubby’s colleague who broke down after watching Taare Zameen Par. She uttered and cried ’Even my daughter was dyslexic. Little did I know about it when she was young. Oh my! How I used to beat my child to make her correct the spelling or to do math. I wish a teacher just like Nikumbh was there to tell me what my daughter was going through. I feel awful about myself now’.

This was the impact the film Taare Zameen Par had and how it ridiculed the pressure of success culture prevailing in our society.

Who can forget the Ram Shankar Nikumbh from it?

Nikumbh Sir, the new arts teacher who breaks all the norms, advocates children to think outside the box, to dare, to dream!! I had tears of joy when this teacher character transforms the dyslexic Ishaan Awasthi to a kid who can read, spell and do everything just like any other kid his age.

“It takes just one person to change and make a difference in someone’s life”, Nikumbh sir conveys this strong message as a teacher.

2. Master Shifu from KungFu panda

A student of late master Oogway, initially Master Shifu doesn’t believe in lazy panda Po to be capable of doing anything.

But with time he starts believing in his student, mentors, inculcates confidence and at last makes him the ultimate dragon warrior. This is Master Shifu for all of us. Whoa what a teacher isn’t?

Master Shifu points out “If you are truly at peace, you can do anything’’

3. Professor Albus Dumbledore from Harry Potter

A teacher can be more than that; he can be a family to a student.  Dumbledore from the Harry Potter Series gives us this strong message by example.

Albus Dumbledore, the headmaster of the wizarding school Hogwartz is Harry’s favourite teacher and mentor in the film.

Dumbledore  says “It matters not what someone is born, but what they grow to be”

4. Mr. Han from Karate Kid

My hubby introduced me to this movie and I can’t thank him enough.

Mr. Han played by Jackie Chan in the movie Karate Kid, makes a living as a maintenance man. Though he teaches kungfu to Dre, he goes through a turbulent whirl of emotions of his past.

A perfect teacher who balances his both worlds, I love what Mr. Han says “Kung Fu lives in everything we do, Xiao Dre! It lives in how we treat people! Everything…is Kung Fu”

5. Debraj Sahai From Black

In this unusual Bollywood flick Black, Debraj Sahai an eccentric man becomes a teacher to the deaf and blind Michelle Mcnally.

Amitabh Bachchan who portrays the teacher Debraj uses harsh methods to make his student Michelle played by Rani Mukherjee learn in life and earn a BA degree after striving for 15 odd years .

Debraj tells her ‘ No your world is NOT Black’ , giving us the message of striving again and again in life to achieve something.

As I mentioned before there could be a Nikumbh sir, Mr. Han, a Master Shifu or a Debraj Sahai in your life. Share with me who your favourite teacher was / is and why.

A big THANK YOU to all my teachers who have made me capable to understand what I am.

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Happy Teacher’s Day!!