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We normally do not associate #BollywoodCinema with pathbreaking insights or life messages. But there have been some gems now and then, that have shed light on unconventional topics, or have shown a well-known malaise in a different light. Four Hindi films taught me more about life, learning and living than any book could.  These are #Hichki, #DearZindagi, #TaareZameenPar and #Queen . Hichki – Right of Each Child to a Good Life #Hichki  the film about a teacher afflicted with Tourette Syndrome, goes to talk about the barriers and restrictions we ("so- called normal people") have in our minds that hold us back. Image: IMDb First, why do we, as teachers and as parents, lay so much stress on teaching the same old syllabus in the same old manner? Why go around the beaten path only, and drone on and on about formulae and theories in physics, maths, chemistry? Why not imagine creative situations where these theories can be demonstrated, exemplified, and therefore ingrained

Myra had just spent a bombshell on a wellness package for herself at a reputed spa. She had gone for the complete head to toe massage, rejuvenation and body polishing package. She felt like a million bucks looking into the mirror. A week later, Myra feels sluggish and morose. Her post-spa glow is gone, and so is the feeling of vitality she had felt after taking the wellness program. She doesn't feel like getting out of bed, and binges on colas and cheese balls, while binge watching Netflix. See the pattern? The wellness package did its job in recharging Myra and giving her a post-workout glow, but her lifestyle and eating habits let her down. Which means that unless our overall diet and lifestyle supports healthy ways of living, no wellness or fitness package will work in the long run.  Staying healthy and looking good need not cost the earth. Splurging on expensive cosmetics and applying chemically laden ointments are not the only ways to attain beauty. Some simple everyday habit