Schools are never just about classrooms, textbooks and exams. They are also about the teachers with very different personalities, the staff members who have their own ways of doing things and the authority figures who somehow become a part of your everyday memories. Prime Video’s Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya brings all of that together through a dysfunctional government school in Delhi, where a laid-back headmaster and a group of very different teachers find themselves trying to improve the school’s performance. The seven-episode comedy-drama balances humour with a closer look at the everyday problems faced by teachers, students and government schools.
What makes the series particularly relatable is its collection of characters. They may find themselves in exaggerated and often chaotic situations, but their personalities feel familiar. There is the teacher who takes his subject extremely seriously, the new teacher who wants to change things for the better, the counsellor who can help everyone except himself, and the politician whose involvement only makes things more complicated. Here are six Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya characters who might remind you of someone from your own school days.
1. Gyaneshwar Tripathy — Kay Kay Menon: The Principal Who Looked Like He Had It Under Control
Every school had that principal who appeared to know what was going on, even when things were clearly falling apart. But Gyaneshwar Tripathy, played by Kay Kay Menon, is a slightly different version of that familiar figure. He is a laid-back, good-natured, and somewhat absent-minded headmaster who is far more interested in keeping things easy-going than constantly shouting at his students.
On the surface, Gyaneshwar carries himself like a man who has everything under control. In reality, he is simply comfortable navigating the chaos around him in his own way. His relaxed nature also comes from the fact that he genuinely cares about the children.
In many ways, Gyaneshwar is the friendly face behind the chaos and the kind of principal students may actually feel comfortable approaching.
2. Kanchan — Prasanna Bisht: The Teacher Who Was Asked To Teach More Than She Signed Up For
Kanchan, played by Prasanna Bisht, is a newly appointed and idealistic maths teacher who enters Adarsh Baal Vidyalaya with the hope of making a difference. But like most things at the school, the job is not quite what she expected it to be.
Kanchan also represents a younger generation of teachers who want to bring change without resorting to the harsh methods they may have grown up seeing in schools. Her challenge is not just teaching a subject but figuring out how to deal with students who are used to a very different kind of classroom. Her energy and idealism make her one of the characters who genuinely wants to improve things, even when the system around her makes it difficult.
3. Hansraj Meena — Abhimanyu Singh: The Teacher Who Took Hindi Very, Very Seriously
Every school had that one teacher who believed their subject deserved complete attention. For Hansraj Meena, played by Abhimanyu Singh, that subject is Hindi. He is a strict Hindi teacher who is particular about proper, bookish Hindi and believes strongly in traditional discipline. He is also a firm believer in corporal punishment as a way of shaping students. He is the sort of teacher you may have been slightly scared of as a student but would definitely remember years later.
4. Mukul Dengla — Naveen Kasturia: The Counsellor Who Could Help Everyone Except Himself
Mukul is a dedicated counsellor who genuinely tries to help the students around him. He understands their problems and is willing to stand up for them, including when it comes to issues such as corporal punishment.
5 . Urmila Devi — Archana Puran Singh: The One Who Had Her Own Way Of Doing Things
Urmila Devi, played by Archana Puran Singh, brings a completely different energy to the school. She is not simply another teacher trying to get through the day. She has a personal history and rivalry with Gyaneshwar, making her one of the people who can challenge the laid-back principal rather than simply follow his lead.
Urmila is sharp, vindictive and knows how to hold a grudge. Her rivalry with Gyaneshwar adds another layer of fun to the school environment, especially because his easy-going personality is almost the opposite of her more combative nature.
She is the kind of person who has her own rules, her own way of looking at things and, more importantly, no problem making her feelings known. If your school had a teacher who always seemed to have a personal equation with the principal, Urmila might feel familiar.
