Rough Book

Rough Book is a hard look at the education system in contemporary India. Though one of the finest systems in the world, the lacunae in the system have created issues. The story is told to us through the eyes of a teacher, Santoshi Kumari, who rallies through a divorce with a corrupt income tax officer to become a teacher of Physics in a school. Her pupils are in the D division - 'D' sarcastically referred to as Duffers by both the students and other teachers. How Santoshi rebels against the system to fight for her students, forms the bulk of the simply told, yet completely thought provoking film. The rebellion of the teacher and her students are internalised to make their point.

Directed by Ananth Narayan Mahadevan, Rough Book leans on a strong ensemble — Tannishtha Chatterjee, Kaizaad Kotwal, Amaan Khan — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2016.