Ahead of Hrithik Roshan's Super 30, a look at films and web shows on coaching centers, from Why Cheat India to Kota Factory

On 12 July, Hrithik Roshan will return to celluloid in order to portray the role of a noble teacher in Vikas Bahl’s _Super 30_. Inspired from the life of mathematician and educationist Anand Kumar, Super 30 narrates the story of Kumar, who trained 30 underprivileged students to ace entrance exams of coveted Indian Institute Technology (IIT) institutes. The film also aims to throw light on the toxic culture of educational coaching centers, which often favours students from better financial backgrounds who are willing to pay whichever amount quoted. [caption id=“attachment_6777101” align=“alignnone” width=“1000”] A still from Super 30 | file Image[/caption] Ahead of its release, we take a look at different films and web shows that are built around on this very phenomenon. They boast of teachers who are looked up to, teachers who rebel their way to take on the education system. These educators help students to unlock their ultimate potential and assist them in learning beyond their limits. _**Why Cheat India**_ [caption id=“attachment_5561841” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”] Emraan Hashmi in a still from Cheat India. YouTube[/caption] The 2019 release addresses the themes of corruption and cheating in competitive entrance exams, which determine students’ access to seats in higher education institutions. The plot revolves around a conman named Rakesh Singh (Emraan Hashmi) who also calls himself Robin Hood. He redistributes the economic wealth from those who have excess to those who have little, in exchange for talent. So the talented poor gets to write a competitive exam for a not-so-talented rich in exchange for a hefty “fees.” It is a win-win situation for all, including the middlemen who facilitate the exchange. By making references of Kota in Rajasthan where the IIT training industries are thriving, the film made a social commentary on the nexus between coaching classes, teachers, middle men and down-to-desperate families. **_(Also Read - Why Cheat India movie review: Emraan Hashmi plays conman with flair but is bogged down by convoluted screenplay)_** Setters [caption id=“attachment_5329791” align=“alignnone” width=“1024”] Posters of Setters[/caption] Another 2019 release, Setters was a crime drama which attempts to expose the manic mayhem of our education system and the desperate measures that some adopt to clear competitive entrance tests for medical, engineering, and management courses. Shreyas Talpade plays a deceptive dealer who handles a nefarious business of leaking exam papers that straddles Varanasi, Mumbai, Delhi and a few other cities. A special investigative team, headed by police officer Aftab Shivdasani, is set to nab the exam-fixing cartel. However, armed with ever-growing raft of technological aids, the kingpins of the exam mafia are always a step ahead of the law. Also read - Setters movie review: An insipid Aftab Shivdasani meets an impressive Shreyas Talpade Aarakshan [caption id=“attachment_6969461” align=“alignnone” width=“820”] A poster of film Aarakshan| Twitter[/caption] Directed by Prakash Jha, _Aarakshan_ was a take on the controversial policy of caste based reservation system in the Indian government jobs and education institutions. With a stellar cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Saif Ali Khan, Manoj Bajpayee and Deepika Padukone, the film attempts to expose the discriminatory aspects of the system. Amitabh plays the role of a noble school principal, whose stories of compassion towards less fortunate draw students to his institute, much to the chargin of private schools and coaching centers who mint off money by purchasing seats in his institute.  Amitabh along with his disciples, fights to abide by the OBC reservation verdict of the Supreme Court. However, they have to overcome many obstacles while doing so. Kota Factory [caption id=“attachment_6968691” align=“alignnone” width=“806”] A poster of Kota Factory | Twitter[/caption] Backing on the The Viral Fever originals tropes, nostalgia and distinctive characters, Kota Factory in its monochrome colours setting, was a refreshing take on IIT preparation in this ultra-competitive world. The show follows the story of Vaibhav,  a 16-year-old student who moves to Kota from a small town in Madhya Pradesh. A topper in school, Vaibhav soon realises that everyone at Kota is academically as strong as he is. Set across five episodes, Kota Factory not just sheds light on the cut throat competition that aspirants have to grapple with but also the experience of finding a home away from home. Laakhon Mein Ek

Created by stand-up comedian Biswa Kalyan Rath , the first season of Laakhon Mein Ek explored the life of a young boy who, against his wishes, is sent to an IIT admission coaching center. The show delves deeper, focusing on some few serious topics: cracks within the Indian education system and our country’s obsession with engineering professions. (Also read - Laakhon Mein Ek: Biswa Kalyan Rath's web series has promising premise, faltering plot) Mind Your Language [caption id=“attachment_6968991” align=“alignnone” width=“887”] A still from the show Mind Your Language | Twitter[/caption] Mind Your Language was a British sitcom which aired in the ’70s and also served an inspiration for the Indian series Zabaan Sambal Ke. Jeremy Brown, a linguistic professor, runs an adult coaching center where he teaches immigrants English. The show highlighted the linguistic idiosyncrasies of various foreign dialects, and also became popular due to its charm and hilarity with a whole heap of lovable and baffling characters.