Super 30 (2019)
Movie · 2019 · Drama · 2h 33m · HI
Curator score: 3.7/10 (13.4K ratings)
Based on life of Patna-based mathematician Anand Kumar who runs the famed Super 30 program for financially weak IIT aspirants in Patna.
Ratings:
- Curator score: 3.7/10
- Letterboxd: 3.43/5
- Rotten Tomatoes: 31%
- TMDB: 7.3/10
Director: Vikas Bahl
Production: Phantom Films, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, HRX Films
Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Mrunal Thakur, Veerendra Saxena, Nandish Singh, Pankaj Tripathi, Amit Sadh, Aditya Srivastava, Manav Gohil, Rahul Raj, Abhishek Khanna, Kiran Khoje, Karishma Sharma, Ali Haji, Deepali Gautam, Rajesh Sharma, Ritwik Sahore, Vijay Varma, Krithi Shetty, Mihir Ahuja, Monika Panwar
Curator Review
Verdict: An earnest underdog biopic with a genuinely inspiring premise and a strong central performance, but it leans hard on melodrama and familiar inspirational-movie beats. If you want a crowd-pleasing education drama, it works; if you need rigor, nuance, or factual fidelity, it may frustrate you.
Best for: viewers who like inspirational true-story dramas; fans of Indian biopics and social-issue storytelling; audiences looking for a motivational family watch; people interested in education, class mobility, and exam pressure
Skip if: you dislike heavy-handed melodrama; you want strict historical accuracy; you are tired of formulaic biopics; you prefer restrained, character-driven realism
Overview: Super 30 has a premise that almost sells itself: a gifted teacher, a brutal class system, and education as the only real ladder out. The film gets mileage from that emotional engine, and it has enough energy to stay watchable even when it reaches for obvious uplift. Hrithik Roshan gives the material star power, and the story’s basic appeal is hard to deny.
Worth noting: The problem is that the movie keeps dressing a powerful real-life story in overcooked biopic shorthand. Several reviews point to factual liberties, broad characterizations, and a tendency to turn every conflict into a speech or a swell of music. Instead of trusting the material, it often over-explains it.
Bottom line: As a result, Super 30 lands as a respectable but uneven crowd-pleaser: sincere, occasionally stirring, and frequently too polished into cliché. It’s worth watching if the subject interests you, but it’s not the definitive version of this story.
Top Letterboxd reviews:
- Michael James: Based on the true story of mathematician Anand Kumar from Bihar, it’s an emotional and inspiring underdog drama, that revolves around the prevailing educational coaching mafia. The movie gets well directed and has a decently engaging screenplay. Hrithik Roshan impresses with his stellar performance, while Pankaj Tripathi is as solid as always. It wraps up a satisfying watch with a heartwarming climax.
“Jab zindagi imtihaan leti hai na, tab sirf ek hi cheez bachati hai – gyaan.” (When life tests you, only one thing saves you… more
- Nilotpal Pathak: Probably not bad enough technically to warrant a 2/10 but epitomizes everything that is wrong with (most) biopics being made in India at the moment.
Absolutely no attempts to be accurate factually - in fact so many of these films unapologetically contort the facts in a drastic manner to fit a cliched narrative structure, I have lost count. And that is especially disappointing here because with the many narratives surrounding Kumar and the shroud of doubt around some of his… more
- Avijit Batra: साला IIT में केमिस्ट्री भी तो आता था..।
- venkatnerd: This legit turns into a horror genre if you decide to watch with your parents
- sindhu: no one:
not a single soul:
hrithik roshan’s right thumb: 🖖🏾
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- Like Stars on Earth (2007 · Drama · 2h 42m · PG · Curator 8.6/10 (335.8K ratings))
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- Paan Singh Tomar (2012 · Crime, Drama · 2h 15m · Curator 8.8/10 (40K ratings))
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- Bhaag Milkha Bhaag (2013 · History, Drama · 3h 6m · Curator 7.2/10 (94K ratings))
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- Stand and Deliver (1988 · Drama · 1h 43m · PG · Curator 6.0/10 (53.9K ratings))
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- Dead Poets Society (1989 · Drama · 2h 9m · PG · Curator 9.4/10 (3.8M ratings))
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- Freedom Writers (2007 · Crime, Drama · 2h 3m · PG-13 · Curator 5.8/10 (305.6K ratings))
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Topics: biopic, inspirational drama, education, class struggle, underdog, social realism, melodrama, Hindi cinema, teacher-student bond, 2010s
https://watchlist.tannermartz.com/apple/movie/super-30/534075
Overview Based on life of Patna-based mathematician Anand Kumar who runs the famed Super 30 program for financially weak IIT aspirants in Patna.
Ratings
Curator score: 3.7/10
Letterboxd: 3.43/5
Rotten Tomatoes: 31%
TMDB: 7.3/10
Production Phantom Films, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, HRX Films
Cast Hrithik Roshan, Mrunal Thakur, Veerendra Saxena, Nandish Singh, Pankaj Tripathi, Amit Sadh, Aditya Srivastava, Manav Gohil, Rahul Raj, Abhishek Khanna, Kiran Khoje, Karishma Sharma, Ali Haji, Deepali Gautam, Rajesh Sharma, Ritwik Sahore, Vijay Varma, Krithi Shetty, Mihir Ahuja, Monika Panwar
Curator Review
Verdict
An earnest underdog biopic with a genuinely inspiring premise and a strong central performance, but it leans hard on melodrama and familiar inspirational-movie beats. If you want a crowd-pleasing education drama, it works; if you need rigor, nuance, or factual fidelity, it may frustrate you.
Best for
viewers who like inspirational true-story dramas
fans of Indian biopics and social-issue storytelling
audiences looking for a motivational family watch
people interested in education, class mobility, and exam pressure
Skip if
you dislike heavy-handed melodrama
you want strict historical accuracy
you are tired of formulaic biopics
you prefer restrained, character-driven realism
Overview
Super 30 has a premise that almost sells itself: a gifted teacher, a brutal class system, and education as the only real ladder out. The film gets mileage from that emotional engine, and it has enough energy to stay watchable even when it reaches for obvious uplift. Hrithik Roshan gives the material star power, and the story’s basic appeal is hard to deny.
Worth noting
The problem is that the movie keeps dressing a powerful real-life story in overcooked biopic shorthand. Several reviews point to factual liberties, broad characterizations, and a tendency to turn every conflict into a speech or a swell of music. Instead of trusting the material, it often over-explains it.
Bottom line
As a result, Super 30 lands as a respectable but uneven crowd-pleaser: sincere, occasionally stirring, and frequently too polished into cliché. It’s worth watching if the subject interests you, but it’s not the definitive version of this story.
Top Letterboxd reviews
Michael James (3★) · 146 likes
Based on the true story of mathematician Anand Kumar from Bihar, it’s an emotional and inspiring underdog drama, that revolves around the prevailing educational coaching mafia. The movie gets well directed and has a decently engaging screenplay. Hrithik Roshan impresses with his stellar performance, while Pankaj Tripathi is as solid as always. It wraps up a satisfying watch with a heartwarming climax.
“Jab zindagi imtihaan leti hai na, tab sirf ek hi cheez bachati hai – gyaan.” (When life tests you, only one thing saves you… more
Nilotpal Pathak (1★) · 74 likes
Probably not bad enough technically to warrant a 2/10 but epitomizes everything that is wrong with (most) biopics being made in India at the moment.
Absolutely no attempts to be accurate factually - in fact so many of these films unapologetically contort the facts in a drastic manner to fit a cliched narrative structure, I have lost count. And that is especially disappointing here because with the many narratives surrounding Kumar and the shroud of doubt around some of his… more
Avijit Batra (2★) · 65 likes
साला IIT में केमिस्ट्री भी तो आता था..।
venkatnerd (4★) · 40 likes
This legit turns into a horror genre if you decide to watch with your parents
sindhu (2★) · 20 likes
no one:
not a single soul:
hrithik roshan’s right thumb: 🖖🏾
Recommended similar titles
2007 · Drama · 2h 42m · PG · Curator 8.6/10 (335.8K ratings)
A more tender and emotionally precise Indian drama about education, pressure, and the life-changing impact of a compassionate teacher.
2023 · Drama · 2h 26m · Curator 9.2/10 (233.1K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Hulu, Netflix Standard with Ads
Shares the same exam-driven social mobility theme, but with a more grounded, less inflated approach to struggle and perseverance.
2012 · Crime, Drama · 2h 15m · Curator 8.8/10 (40K ratings)
A landmark Indian biopic that balances myth and reality more effectively, with a sharper sense of social context.
2013 · History, Drama · 3h 6m · Curator 7.2/10 (94K ratings)
Another big-scale inspirational biopic that delivers athletic uplift and emotional momentum, though with similar commercial sweep.
2008 · Drama, Thriller · 1h 43m · Curator 6.1/10 (97.8K ratings)
For viewers drawn to socially conscious Hindi cinema that builds tension around public systems and moral urgency.
2016 · Drama, Family, Comedy · 2h 41m · PG · Curator 8.3/10 (328.2K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
A mainstream true-story sports drama that, like this film, turns discipline and social barriers into a motivational narrative.
2007 · Drama · 2h 28m · Curator 6.9/10 (118K ratings) · Where to watch: Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
A strong ensemble sports drama about leadership, prejudice, and collective redemption, with better dramatic control.
2006 · Drama · 1h 57m · PG-13 · Curator 7.3/10 (1.6M ratings)
A polished, crowd-pleasing ascent story about endurance, sacrifice, and the emotional cost of ambition.
1988 · Drama · 1h 43m · PG · Curator 6.0/10 (53.9K ratings)
A classic teacher-led inspiration story that feels more disciplined and less sentimental than many modern biopics.
1989 · Drama · 2h 9m · PG · Curator 9.4/10 (3.8M ratings)
For the inspirational-teacher angle, with a more literary, reflective take on education and self-belief.
2007 · Crime, Drama · 2h 3m · PG-13 · Curator 5.8/10 (305.6K ratings)
Another classroom-centered uplift drama about transforming lives through teaching, though with a similarly earnest tone.
1999 · Drama, History · 1h 47m · PG · Curator 6.9/10 (250.7K ratings)
An accessible working-class ambition story about education, family pressure, and reaching beyond one’s circumstances.
Topics
biopic, inspirational drama, education, class struggle, underdog, social realism, melodrama, Hindi cinema, teacher-student bond, 2010s
Open Super 30 (2019) on Curator TV