MASTER JI

Bronze Spike
TitleMASTER JI
BrandBYJU'S
Product / ServiceBYJU'S BRAND FILM
CategoryA02. Script
EntrantBYJU'S Bengaluru, INDIA
Idea Creation BYJU'S Bengaluru, INDIA
Production DORA DIGS Mumbai, INDIA
Post Production DORA DIGS Mumbai, INDIA

Credits

Name Company Position
Divya Gokulnath BYJU'S Strategy
Vineet Singh BYJU'S Strategy
Vishal Sagar BYJU'S Writer & Co-director

Write a short summary of what happens in the film.

This is a story of Tyagi Sir - a biology teacher just 2 years away from retirement. The film starts on 21st Mar 2020 - the day India announced 1 day of lockdown and then extended it for 5 months. In the film, Tyagi sir's world changes overnight, as schools go online. We see him struggling. His family tries to help and keep him happy. He is hoping for lockdown to end so that he can go back to school. The day lockdown is removed, he gets to know that online school will continue for 6 more months. This is the day when all his hopes are shattered and he types his resignation letter. He receives a call from one of his ex-students, who is now a doctor thanking him for his contribution in his life. Shaken, Tyagi sir, decides to master technology and new ways of teaching.

Provide the full film script in English.

Characters: Tyagi Sir (The lead) Kusum (Tyagi sir’s wife) Gudiya (Tyagi Sir’s daughter) Sonu (Tyagi Sir’s son) Film opens on Tyagi sir in his late 50s rushing towards his house. He is wearing a self-textured check shirt with trousers, black leather chappals and thick glasses. He is rushing through the by lanes of Banaras. As he reaches his house, he knocks at the door impatiently. He calls his wife’s name - Kusum! Kusum! relentlessly. His wife, agitated by continuous knocking opens the door. She says – Ud ke nahi aayenge. (Wait! Wait! I’m coming) As she opens the door, Tyagi sir almost barges in. Surprised on seeing him, she says - Arrey Master Ji! Aap itni jaldi? (Master Ji! How come you are back early today?) Tyagi sir hands his lunch box and asks - Bachche hai ghar pe? (Where are the kids?) Kusum: Bache!?! (Kids!?!) Tyagi Sir: Nahi hai toh phone kar ke bulao unhe. (Call them home, now) Kusum: Kyu? (Everything alright?) Tyagi Sir: Arrey bahaar ka mahaul theek nahi hai bilkul. (It’s no longer safe outside) Tyagi sir, his wife and kids (a college-going daughter and a son who is in class 11th) are having dinner. Gudiya- Aap chal rahe ho na kal? (Are you coming with us tomorrow?) Kusum: Haan (Of course) Tyagi Sir: Nahi. Kal koi ghar se bahaar nahi niklega. (No. Nobody is going anywhere.) Gudiya: Mummy bhi toh jaa rahi hai saath mein. (But we are going out with Mom) Tyagi Sir: Janta curfew laga hai. Pata nahi hai? (Lockdown starts from tomorrow. Don’t you know?) Cut to people clapping and ringing thalis. We see Tyagi family on the terrace as well. It is a new experience for everyone. Ironically, this sea of noise is the calm before the storm. Cut to Tyagi sir and his wife listening to news on radio – Aaj ke mukhya samachar. Lockdown se bacho ko nuksaan na ho isliye schools ab online ho jaayenge. (Today’s Headlines. To minimise lockdown’s adverse impact on education, schools will now be held online) Tyagi sir is puzzled. He calls up his school Principal. Hello, Prinicpal Madam! Namaste. Madam ye online classes kaise karenge? (Hello, Principal Mada! Good Afternoon. How will we go about online classes?) Haan. Nahi. Nahi. Bacho ka nuksaan nahi hona chahiye. (I agree. Students should not suffer.) He cuts the phone and looks at his wife deflated, uncertain and a little defeated. He questions: Online Class? Next, we see Tyagi sir along with his wife and daughter setting up a place in the house for online classes. It is sheer chaos as nobody has any clue on what to do and what not. Tyagi Sir: Gudiya! Duster and chalk. (Gudiya! Duster and chalk) Gudiya places a laptop while trying to calm down her father: Papa! Ruk jao pehle (Papa! Wait a second) Tyagi Sir: Ye kyu chahiye humein? (Why do we need the laptop?) Gudiya: Isi pe toh hogi na online classes (For online classes obviously) Gudiya: Meri baat Dhyaan se suno. (Just listen to me carefully). Gudiya: Ye camera hai. (This is camera) Tyagi sir bends forward to see the camera. Gudiya: Itne karee mat jao. (Don’t go too near) Is sey aawaj kam ho jaayegi aur is se badh jaayegi. (Use this button to increase or decrease the volume) Samjhe? (Understood?) Tyagi Sir: Itni tez batayegi toh main kaise seekhunga? (How can I learn if you teach it at such a fast pace?) Cut to next morning. Tyagi sir is all dressed up and sitting in front of the laptop. His daughter and wife are by his side. He sees his class. It is both a happy and nervous moment for him. Tyagi Sir (Nervous): Good morning class. Kahaan hai sab log? (I can not see everyone) Tyagi Sir (Flipping through a book in his hand): Toh ye jo hamaare paudhe (Today, we will study about plants) Tyagi Sir (Too close to the laptop. He panics and looks at his daughter for help): Sar kat raha hai? Gudiya, sar kat raha hai. (My head is cropped. Gudiya!) Tyagi Sir (Goes even closer to the laptop): Dikh nahi raha hu? Ye dekho (Can you see me now? Now?) Tyagi Sir: Aisa karte hai aaj Itna hi karte hai. (That’s it for today) Tyagi Sir(Looks at his daughter for help. She is right there with him) Ye class band kaise karna hai? (How do I end the class?) Tyagi Sir (She signals him to close the laptop. He takes it for clapping): Taali baja ke (By clapping) Gudiya helps Tyagi sir in closing the laptop and ending the class. They are all relieved. Tyagi Sir is visibly exhausted. Cut to evening. We see him on his terrace. He dials his Principal. He has a watering can in his hand. He says – Good evening Madam. Madam main ye keh raha tha ki mere bahut saare leaves pade hai aur mere retirement ka samay nazdeek aa rha hai toh main soch raha hu ki wo PL istemaal kar lu. (Good evening Madam! Madam, my retirement is drawing closer. I was thinking of using my leaves before they lapse.) His expressions change as Madam refuses him his leaves. He ends the call with - Ji! Ji! Jaisa app uchit samjhe. (I trust your wisdom, Madam) We see Tyagi Sir spending time alone. We cut to his class where he is teaching in full flow. He is putting in his best efforts and as he finishes a topic, one of his students inform him that - Sir, awaaj nahi aa rahi. (Sir, you are not audible) Tyagi Sir speaks eveb louder almost shouting. His daughter runs to the rescue and unmutes him She tell him that he has been on mute all this while. Tyagi Sir is left feeling dumb, helpless and dependent. We see quick shots of classes in which he faces camera issues. We see him striking off dates on the calendar waiting for the lockdown to end. He is seen spending more and more time alone. One day, he faces an error and he can not join the class. He rushes out to his daughter for help but she herself is attending her class and making a presentation. She signals him to wait. He leaves dejected. His decent in loneliness continues. His wait for normalcy seems never ending. In one of his classes, he invites a student to write on the blackboard. He is stunned and feels small in front of the class for whom he is failing daily. We cut to him talking to a friend. He says - Pandey Ji! Haan bhai, aap toh time se retire ho gaye. Chaliye acha hai. (Pandey Ji! You retired at the right time. Happy for you.) As he comes downstairs, he is welcomed by his favourite rice pudding and other treats. Before he could make sense of it, his wife informs him - Lockdown Khatam, Master ji. Ab toh muskura dijiye. (Master ji, lockdown is over. Show us your beautiful smile now). His son adds - Ab fir school jao, punishment khao. (Back to school means back to punihsments) The celebrations are interrupted by a phone call from Principal Madam. Excited, Tyagi Sir takes the call waiting to hear the good news of returning back to school. While he attends the call, mother and daughter discuss the food. Tyagi sir returns visibly upset. He tells his family - Abhi 6 mahine aur chalegi online class. (Schools will be online for 6 more months.) Tyagi sir leaves without even touching his favourite rice pudding. We cut to his bedroom, late night. There is no trace of sleep in his eyes. He get sup from the bed and walks to his study cum store room. We see the walls filled with many accolades he has won over the years. He sits on a table and starts typing something on his typewriter. We can see the inner conflict on his face. He takes out the letter. It reads - Resignation Letter. With much deliberation, he signs the letter. Dejected and defeated, he goes to the terrace. His loneliness is interrupted by a phone call. He takes the call. Caller- Pranam! Tyagi Sir (Good evening, Tyagi Sir) Sir, Vijay bol raha hu, Vijay Mishra. Pechaane? (Vijay here. Vijay Mishra. Remember me?) Tyagi sir – Vijay Mishra? (Vijay Mishra?) Caller – Sir, 2005 ka batch. Wo Anando, Brijesh waala batch. (Sir, 2005 batch. Anando & Brijesh’s batch) Tyagi sir – Acha, Vijayyy. (Vijay! Yes, I remember now) Caller – Dr. Vijay Mishra Sir. (Dr. Vijay Mishra, Sir) Sir aapki wajah se. (Only because of you) Jab sab kahe humse nahi hoga, Maa – Baauji, Principal madam, dost, tab sirf aapne bharosa kiya sir. Aapne himmat Badhai. (When no one believed in me - My parents, Principal Madam, and friends. You stood by my side.You encouraged me at every step) Maine Biology liya aapki wajah se. (I opted for Biology only because of you.) Main Doctor bana sirf aapki wajah se. (I became a Doctor only because of you) Sir aaj frontline pe desh ke liye iss mahamari se lad raha hu kyunki kabhi aap lade they mere liye. (I am saving thousands from the pandemic becaue of you. I am fighting for my country only because of you) Thank you, sir. Thank you so much. *Silence* Caller: Sir? Tyagi sir? (Sir? Tyagi Sir?) Tyagi sir: Acha hai beta Khoob tarakki karo. (I am so proud of you) Caller: Mere jaise bacho ka nuksaan na ho (For the sake of students like me) Tyagi Sir: Haan (Yes) Caller: iske liye ek baat bolu (Sir, can I say something?) Tyagi Sir: Bolo (Yes) Caller: Aap retirement ke baad bhi padhana mat choriyega. (Don’t quit teaching even after you retire) Sir: Nahi chorenge beta (I won’t) Caller: Patient call hai chalta hu. Pranam Sir. (Need to attend a patient call. Good night) Tyagi sir disconnects the call and walks downstairs and back to his study. He trashes his resignation letter. He moves the typewriter to a side and makes way for the laptop. He opens a search engine and types – How to teach better online? Next day we see him getting ready and taking the class with joy, confidence, and full control. He has found his sense of purpose again. His wife and his family notice this newfound confidence. His wife brings him his favourite rice pudding that he did not touch last night. At this instant, we cut to the black screen and we see images of real teachers who reinvented themselves so that their students can continue to learn. END VO: Jab school online ho gaye, toh hamaare teachers fir se students ban gaye, hamaare liye. Kuch naya seekha, kuch dobara seekha sirf isliye ki hum seekhte rahe. Thank you, teachers Byju’s aur India ki taraf se. (When schools went online, our teachers became students once again. They learnt, unlearnt and relearnt so that we can continue to learn. Thank you teachers, from India and Byju’s) Super: Happy Teachers’ Day

Links

Video URL