Favorite Teacher Characters From Films

Best Teacher Characters From Films: Whether it was romance or friendship, revenge or forgiveness, our biggest life lessons have come from our favorite movies. From Shah Rukh Khan’s “Pyaar dosti hai!” in Kuch Kuch Hota Hai to Salman Khan’s “Friendship has one rule madam … no sorry, no thank you!” in Maine Pyaar Kiya, we’ve learned so much from the characters in so many ways from movies. 

But besides the philosophical lessons we got from movies, there have been some memorable teacher characters in both Bollywood and Hollywood movies that have made us wish for a teacher like that. 

So, here we have 7  best teacher characters from Bollywood and Hollywood who left us wanting for more with the depth of their characters. Their ways of affecting the lives of their students in profound ways have left permanent impressions on us. 🙂

• Ram Shankar Nikumbh (Taare Zameen Par)

While the name might not be as remembered as the character himself, Aamir Khan’s portrayal of an art teacher in this movie made people of all age cry profusely. He understood the troubles faced by Ishaan (Darsheel Safary) because he was dyslexic. He used unconventional ways to teach Ishaan at his own pace while also seeing the potential in him. We would have loved a teacher like that in this over-competitive world who saw us for us and did not burden us with fitting in. 

• Ms. Chaandni, Mai Hoo Na

Let’s just admit, Shah Rukh Khan was not the only one drooling at the sight of this amazing teacher. Violins playing in the background and Major Ram randomly starting to sing song for his teacher, we all felt his predicament. But Sushmita Sen’s character was not just a pretty face. She maintained her dignity by not pursuing her feelings for a student. Further, she helped Amrita Rao’s character Sanjana overcome her identity issues. All these reasons made her a favorite among the teacher characters in Bollywood.

• Mr. Anderson, The Perks of Being a Wallflower

This movie resonated with every kid who had trouble making friends and was labelled “Weirdo” back in high school. Paul Rudd’s character was the teacher we all deserved to help us see our worth and give us lessons beyond the books in our curriculum. Their shared love for books and Mr. Anderson’s attempt in broadening Charlie’s worldview without making him feel burdened or feeling bad about being different ( Charlie had a difficult childhood) makes them a perfect pair of an amazing teacher-student relationship.

• Anand Kumar, Super 30

Anand Kumar has been an inspiration to teachers across the world in real life already. And Hrithik Roshan’s portrayal of this real life hero won hearts all over. His journey from being a mathematical genius who couldn’t afford to go for research abroad to being a teacher in the money-making business of coaching and finally finding his calling in teaching talented kids who came from impoverished backgrounds in cracking India’s toughest entrance exam, IIT-JEE, is an inspiration in itself. Super 30’s dialogue “Pratibha diye hain, parr saadhan nahi.” aptly describes the children’s troubles. But how they fight all odds when taught by a genius like Anand Kumar is an amazing story to watch, as brought to life by this amazing movie!

• Naina Mathur, Hichki

While we all love perfect teacher characters who have no flaws of their own and they help shape their students into better people, Naina Mathur was an exception. She had flaws of her own but she refused to slow down or apologise because of them. Rani Mukherjee’s character suffered from Tourette syndrome (this condition causes her to make uncontrollable sounds likened to hiccups) which made it difficult for her to land a job as a teacher. But when she finally gets the job in an elite school with its naughtiest lot of students, Naina takes it upon herself to make the children realize their true potential and find their place in the world. 

• Viru Sahastrabuddhe, 3 Idiots

Christened Virus by his students, Boman Irani’s character is as deeply flawed as it is talented. Whether it is his ability to be ambidextrous and write with both hands simultaneously or his unmatchable disciplined daily routine, the character made us hate him and love him at the same time. Burdened by his own thinking and stereotypes and how his interaction with Aamir’s character Rancho changes his way of seeing things toward the end of the movie, 3 Idiots ended up being life-changing for a lot of people by inspiring them to follow their passions. 

1. Professor Dumbledore, Harry Potter series

This character needs no explanation for making to this list. We all grew up waiting for our letter from Hogwarts, wishing the magic was real. Harry had the best set of teachers ever. Whether it was Professor Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall or Professor Snape, Hogwarts’ teachers made us all want to be a part of JK Rowling’s world of wizards and witches.

But Professor Dumbledore stood out as the guiding light in Harry’s life, giving him profound advice but never hampering his journey and growth as the best wizard of all time. His character is totally unforgettable.