Now streaming on Netflix, Hello Bachhon tells the true story of educator Alakh Pandey who sought to democratize access to education across India via his company “Physics Wallah.” The five-episode series fictionalizes his story slightly, and is directed by Pratish Mehta and was co-written by Abhishek Yadav, Ankit Yadav, Vernaali and Sandeep Singh.
Opening Shot: A man washes his bloody hands in a sink before cutting to an emergency medical situation where a young boy is in dire condition. The man washing his hands splashes water on his face to wake him up from this nightmare, but unfortunately a flatline indicator sound takes over as the scene dissolves.
The Gist: Alakh Pandey has one dream: He wants to make education accessible to all kids in India. A physics-whiz, Alakh (Vineet Kumar Singh) is passionate about teaching and creates a platform that broadcasts his physics lessons across the country for a low cost. But, as a reluctant entrepreneur, his company “Hello Bacchon” hits a roadblock when it comes to funding, as his investors want to increase the price—a tactic that is at odds with his vision.
Hello Bachhon provides a window into the students that Alakh is helping via the stories of two village boys, Bhola (Satendra Soni) and Lakshya (Naman Jain). Unable to even afford notebooks for school, Bhola and Lakshya are inspired by Alakh’s teaching and band together to work to afford his courses, which they hope will help lift them out of poverty.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? Hello Bachchon is reminiscent of the Hindi film Pad Man in its inspiring based-on-real-life story, as the film recounted the life of a rural social activist who aimed to widen access to menstrual pads for women in villages.
Our Take: On its surface, Pandey’s story is an inspiring one. The real version of his educational company skyrocketed to success after humble beginnings on YouTube, and his work really did aid students in passing physics exams across the country. But despite that overnight triumph, the story doesn’t necessarily lend itself to a compelling TV series.
The Netflix series props the titular educational company up as a savior for those in poverty. While access to education certainly provides a leg up, the show unfortunately lives in a fantasy world where children would rather project a physics lesson for their friends to watch rather than any other normal kid activity. There’s a worthwhile message in Hello Bachhon, but unfortunately it lacks complexity in its delivery.
Performance Worth Watching: Singh is grounded in his performance as Alakh, though sometimes his altruistic vision comes off as naive rather than strident.
Sex And Skin: Nothing dirty in this one.
Parting Shot: Bhola and Hariya exalt in gathering the funds to buy a course on the “Hello Bachchon” platform, but Alakh is facing operational problems. After a rousing speech in front of investors where he detailed his altruistic vision, he’s alerted that all of the teachers that just received raises have resigned.
Sleeper Star: Satendra Soni’s Bhola is both the comic relief and the emotional heart of the series, playing a schoolboy who recognizes his friend’s talent and drive and will stop at nothing to help him achieve his dreams.
Most Pilot-y Line: “Education is the great leveler,” Alakh tells a group of investors, pointing out how his company will disrupt the education industry and provide access to anyone who wants it.
Our Call: SKIP IT. Hello Bachhon is a generic rags-to-riches story, and its wholesome narrative falls a bit flat.
Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a film and TV writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Vulture, Teen Vogue, ELLE, and more. She is the co-host of the podcast PromRad with fellow Decider contributor Proma Khosla. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.