Youth Incorporated Magazine

Feelings of burnout and demotivation are quite common in today’s rat race. Sometimes you are simply fed up with the endless exams, the neverending lectures, and the torrential downpour of homework! That is why, it is always a good idea to catch a break once in a while and unwind with a bucket of popcorn in your hand and your favourite movie on the screen. We’ve heard that a good comedy usually lightens the heart and freshens the mind but are they also beneficial for academic motivation?

Imagine watching a movie that not only entertains but also motivates you for your next study session. Wouldn’t that kill two birds with one stone? Well, you’re in luck! As we’ve curated a list of films that achieve its goal.

Top 5 Movies To Watch For Academic Motivation

Hichki

Revolving around a determined young teacher with Tourette syndrome, Hichki (2018) portrays the importance of hard work and perseverance. Naina Mathur, played by Rani Mukerji, is a young woman who aspires to be a teacher and manages to bag a job at St. Notker’s School after numerous rejections at other institutions. However, she soon realizes that she has been appointed as the teacher for 9F, a class full of troublemakers. Refusing to back down, she is determined to make the most of this opportunity. What follows is a fierce battle as Naina persists in her attempts to prove herself despite the criticism from her students and her fellow teachers in her efforts to make 9F the toppers of St. Notker’s School. 

You can watch Hichki on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Apple TV.

Super 30

Super 30 (2019) is the biography of mathematician and educator Anand Kumar and his educational program also known as “Super 30”. Set in the capital city of Patna, Anand Kumar (played by Hrithik Roshan) is a poor student whose family struggles to make ends meet. He is passionate about mathematics and through his efforts, receives an offer for admission from the University of Cambridge. However, he is unable to go due to his family’s financial issues and decides to remain in Patna. Years later, he realises his true calling as a tutor and begins to teach underprivileged students like him for free since they cannot bear to pay the expensive fees charged by other coaching institutes. The movie is a lesson on resilience and persistence as Anand and his batch of 30 students work hard for their dreams and their one goal: to get into IIT.

You can watch Super 30 on Hotstar.

3 Idiots

This list would be incomplete without 3 Idiots (2009). Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots is the story of three friends, Rancho (played by Aamir Khan), Farhan (played by R Madhavan) and Raju (played by Sharman Joshi) who become close friends during their years as students in the Imperial College of Engineering and drift away later in life. The movie is divided into 2 timelines, the present which follows Farhan and Raju accompanied by Chatur in their search for Rancho and the past which documents the years spent by the trio in college and their various shenanigans. 3 Idiots is considered one of the greatest Indian movies ever made and has received worldwide acclaim. It is certainly a stress reliever as well as an academic motivation movie that will keep you laughing to the end.

You can watch 3 Idiots on Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV, and Apple TV.

English Vinglish

Besides being Sridevi’s first film after her break from acting in the 2000s’, English Vinglish (2012) is the movie to watch when you are craving a lighthearted comedy along with a dash of women empowerment. The lead character, Shashi (played by Sridevi), is your average housewife with a striking talent for making laddoos. When her luck lands her in New York for her niece’s wedding, this shy homemaker thrives in the vibrant city life as she sets out to learn English through a four-week crash course. Joining her are her classmates, a motley crew of foreigners from around the world sharing the same goal as Shashi, learning English. As Shashi perseveres to learn the Queen’s language, she grapples with keeping it a secret from her family whom she means to surprise towards the end. One of the most brilliant examples of empowered female characters, Shashi has been portrayed excellently by Sridevi throughout her journey as a ridiculed wife and mother for her lack of knowledge of the English language to her achievement of successfully giving a speech at her niece’s wedding.

You can watch English Vinglish on JioCinema, ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, Google Play Movies & TV and Apple TV.

Chhichhore

And finally, at the end of the academic motivation list is Chhichhore (2019). While very similar to 3 Idiots in its setting and storyline, Chhichhore has made its mark as a member of the prestigious “200 crore club” through its refreshing plot, lovable characters and its central message- “The journey is more important than the destination.” The story revolves around the friendship of six friends, Anirudh “Annii” Pathak, Gurmeet “Sexa” Singh Dhillon, Himanshu “Acid” Deshmukh, Sundar “Mummy” Srivastava, Derek D’Souza and Sahil “Bevda” Awasthi and the recount of their attempts to reign as the winners of the General Champions (GC) in the National College of Technology to Raghav, Annii’s son, who is hospitalised due to severe injuries from his suicide attempt. Chhichhore spurs its viewers to go for their dreams and give their best because even if they don’t succeed, what they earned along the way is more important than what they didn’t win.

You can watch Chhichhore on Hotstar.