Saagar Kote
Netflix’s ‘Hello Bachhon’ narrates the trials and tribulations of Alakh Pandey, a physics teacher who wishes to make education more inclusive in India. Through his online platform, “Physics Wallah,” he offers affordable training to countless students preparing for competitive exams that remain their only hope for a better future. However, the pursuit of his goals brings forth unexpected obstacles for him, his institution, and his students. Beyond Alakh’s journey, the series also highlights the struggles of ambitious young students throughout India. They face socioeconomic challenges as they strive to become doctors and engineers in a relentlessly competitive and unfair system.
Two such students are Hariya and Rishabh Negi, who come from different backgrounds and harbor dreams for the future. Through their stories, the show chronicles social realities and moral issues that affect many students. Hariya and Rishabh’s experiences in the show also have an impact on the development of Alakh’s character. SPOILERS AHEAD.
Hariya Battles Against Overwhelming Odds in Rural India to Pursue His Dreams
Hariya, a poor student in Bariyar, Bihar, is reprimanded by his government school teacher for incomplete homework and discouraged from pursuing a career as a doctor. Inspired by Alakh’s Physics Wallah (PW) videos and motivated by a friend named Bhola, Hariya pursues his goal by attending PW classes. Through Hariya’s character, the narrative explores the realities of rural India intricately. Like other boys in his village, Hariya harbors a dream that seems too unrealistic for the people around him. He wishes to gain a good rank in the medical examinations and become a doctor. However, his poverty and limitations stand as a major hurdle in this journey. Like Hariya, many other students across India face the consequences of financial hardship.
His character is grounded in reality, and the show doesn’t utilize his social or financial background to sensationalize his experience. Hariya’s father is hospitalized, which burdens Hariya and his mother, Lakshmi. Towards the end of the narrative, we see images of the real-life boy who partly inspired Hariya’s character. But the identity of the real-life individual remains unknown. Hariya symbolizes not only the unnamed boy but also the struggles of several such students across the country. He also reflects the attitude of resilience against seemingly insurmountable challenges. All in all, Hariya’s journey serves as a portrait of human endurance.
Rishabh Negi’s Experiences Highlight the Challenges Faced by the Indian Middle Class
Prayagraj cricketer Rishabh Negi fakes an injury during training to take a school exam. He gets selected for the under-17 regional cricket team despite his father wanting him to stop playing and focus on studies. Rishabh is a PW student, but defies his father’s orders to secretly continue cricket training after his selection. Rishabh’s dilemma acts as a major hurdle in his life. On one hand, he is bright enough to pursue competitive exams, but on the other hand, his real love is for cricket. His experiences in the story are strongly connected to the difficult reality faced by the Indian middle class. There are others in the real world who may face similar challenges like Rishabh, having to choose between passion and responsibility. Alakh learns that Rishabh’s father is struggling financially.
However, Rishabh remains unaware of his father’s reality and assumes that he is leading a comfortable life. Alakh helps Rishabh with money and reveals the truth about his father’s sacrifices. Rishabh ultimately gives up cricket to focus on his studies. Towards the concluding phase of the story, it is revealed that a real-life aspiring cricketer partly inspired the creation of Rishabh’s character. But the name and identity of the real person remain unknown. Along with the journey of the real-life aspiring cricketer, Rishabh’s character also reflects the struggles of several such students in India who are forced to sacrifice passion for money and survival.
Read More: Are Aditya More and Tripti Dahiya Real Physical Wallah Students?
