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Chalk n Duster
Chalk n Duster
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Jayant Gilatar
Written by	Ranjeev Verma ; Neetu Verma
Produced by	Amin Surani
Starring	Shabana Azmi; Juhi Chawla; Zarina Wahab; Divya Dutta; Upasana Singh;
Cinematography	Baba Azmi
Edited by	Santosh Mandal
Music by	Sandesh Shandilya
Production; company	Surani Pictures
Distributed by	SPE Films India
Release date	15 January 2016;
Running time	130 minutes
Country	India
Language	Hindi

Chalk n Duster is a 2016 Indian drama film about the commercialization of the Indian private education system, starring Shabana Azmi, Juhi Chawla, Zarina Wahab, Girish Karnad, and Divya Dutta.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4] The film talks about teachers' and students' communication, and highlights the problem of teachers and students in an educational system which is changing day by day.

The film was directed by Jayant Gilatar, written by Ranjeev Verma and, Neetu Verma and produced by Amin Surani.^[5]^[6]^[7]

Upon release, the film received mixed reviews from critics. The Hindustan Times said, "It’s a well told ethics versus greed story".^[1]^[8]^[9]^[10]

The film was made tax free in Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.^[11]

Plot

Vidya (Shabana Azmi) is one of the senior staff members at a fair-to-middling educational institution, which has thus far functioned smoothly under the able hands of Principal Indu Shastry (Zarina Wahab). Everything changes with the appointment of the new principal. The teachers face unpleasant surprises when the popular and considerate Indu is replaced by the ambitious and cutthroat Kamini (Divya Dutta), who aspires to upscale this middle-class school. Teachers' chairs are removed from the classrooms, tea is no longer free, and class subjects are juggled between teachers, spoiling the dynamic of the whole school.

All of this is too much for the good-hearted Vidya, who suffers a heart attack after a sudden and unfair dismissal. In solidarity, her friend and colleague Jyoti (Juhi Chawla) decides to take on Kamini and the misdirected board of trustees, led by Anmol (Aarya Babbar). This entails using a TV channel as a platform to remind viewers that teachers need support, recognition, and more pay.

The drama ends with a recovered Vidya and Jyoti taking on a Who Wants to Be A Millionaire-style quiz to win 5 crore rupees. The trade-off is that if they lose, they will have to accept their termination and leave their professions. Vidya and Jyoti use their talents to win the quiz battle. Unwillingly, the trustee, Anmol, signs a bank cheque for 5 crore rupees and apologizes to Vidya and Jyoti publicly on the TV show. In the end, Vidya reveals that she will be handing over the money to former principal Indu to build a school where no teacher will be discriminated against and students will receive a good education for a lower cost.

Cast

Shabana Azmi as Vidya Sawant
Juhi Chawla as Jyoti Thakur
Divya Dutta as Kamini Gupta, Principal of Kantaben High School
Upasna Singh as Manjeet
Girish Karnad as Manohar Sawant
Zarina Wahab as Indu Shastry
Sameer Soni as Sunil Thakur, Jyoti's Husband
Jackie Shroff as Naresh Patel, Principal of DGM School
Aarya Babbar as Anmol Parekh, Kantaben High School's Trustee
Richa Chaddha as Bhairavi Thakkar, News Reporter
Gavie Chahal as IAS officer
Deepali Pansare as Naresh Patel's daughter
Adi Irani
Rishi Kapoor as Host Of The Quiz Contest (Special Appearance)
Karan Singh Chhabra
Kabir Arora
Akshita Arora
Naveen Sharma
Salman Shaikh as Deepak Rajgaur
Ranjeev verma
Neetu verma
Yug
Jasbir Thandi

Soundtrack

No.	Title	Singer(s)
1.	"Aye Zindagi"	Sonu Nigam
2.	"Deep Shiksha"	Alka Yagnik
3.	"Jingle Bodmas"	Shabana Azmi

Reception

According to Meena Iyer of Times of India Chalk N Duster has its heart in the right place. Made with an intention of showcasing the worms in the current education system, this film can be lauded to some degree - and gave it a 2.5/5 rating.^[12]