12th Fail Gave Us A 'Champion' Mentor. Here Are All The Other Types We Need In Life

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Recently, I re-watched Subhash Ghai’s iconic, musical romantic drama, Taal. Whatever you think about the film, you can’t deny it’s beautiful soundtrack. However, what struck me anew was how Vikrant Kapoor (a wacky, entertaining Anil Kapoor) talked about his mentor - the man who gave him the 7 guiding principles of running a business in the modern world.

Image credits: YouTube

His principles may leave a lot to be desired but what no one can deny is the power of having a good mentor in life. A mentor, aka an individual who is willing to lend his/her experience and wisdom to help you chart a better path in life and excel professionally. Who wouldn’t need one, right? 

And Indian movies and web series have enough brilliant examples of not just this type of mentor, but all the other kinds we need in our lives. Take a look:  

Kabir Khan in Chak De! India: The Taskmaster

This is the mentor who sees your potential long before the world realizes it. These mentors are not just experienced. Rather they’re the master of their craft, working with deserving mentees. While every mentor pushes you to be better than before, this is the type of mentor who uses tough love, rigor, and constant hard work as the tools for success. 

But, it’s not all sticks and stones - remember that rousing “70-minute” speech? Just like that speech, this tough coach knows what the situation demands, and will provide you the right tool to succeed. 

Other popular examples of this mentor type in movies are Mahavir Singh Phogat (Aamir Khan) in Dangal, Debraj Sahai (Amitabh Bachchan) in Black, and of course, Franki Dunn (Clint Eastwood) in Million Dollar Baby. 

Ram Shankar Nikumbh in Taare Zameen Par: The Friend 

Now this is a mentor we all wish we had in our life. Someone who’s not just a guide, but also a friend - lending a patient ear to your concerns, personal or professional. For these mentors, kindness is their superpower. They are willing to bend the rules if it means their mentees learn the lesson and become the best version of themselves. 

Simply put, this mentor may not always be a great manager, but will undoubtedly be a brilliant leader - inspiring trust and loyalty through his actions. 

Movies and shows have often built this character, because of the positive emotions they evoke in the audience. Take, for example, Sumit Sir (Naveen Kasturia) in the recently popular web series Sapne vs Everyone or the iconic Mr. Miyagi from the Karate Kid series. And if you’re a fan of the classics, you’ll remember Maria (Julie Andrews) from The Sound of Music, or Ravi (Jeetendra) from its Hindi counterpart, Parichay. 

Gauri Bhaiya in 12th Fail: The Champion (of Your Cause)

One of the most loved films of 2023, 12th Fail, gave us an inspiring protagonist. But it also gave us the latest version of the ‘champion mentor’, Gauri Bhaiya. This is the mentor who is rooting for you from the sidelines because they have more faith in your ability than even you do. 

Even if a challenging situation leaves you stumbling, they will pull you up - believing in you even when you lose hope. As the saying goes, the darkest night makes the brightest stars - and these mentors are the brightest stars in a mentee’s life, shining bright and dispelling the darkness of self-doubt and failures. 

And just because he did not make it to the silver screen, we can’t forget another incredible mentor-cum-champion, Sunny Bhaiya from TVF’s Aspirants. 

Rancho in 3 Idiots: The Co-Pilot

When Randy Newman sang, You've Got a Friend in Me (for Toy Story), he was talking about this mentor! This is the friend who acts like a mentor - the person who explains important concepts to you, one day before the exam. Or the friend who lends you their books because you forgot yours at home. 

They may be working for the same end goal as you but, they’re not fighting you for the prize. Whether you end up at the same destination, or your paths diverge in the middle, they will always stand by you, supporting your journey. 

To put it simply, we often think a mentor can only be a more experienced person, who can decode the meaning of life and make our path easier. No. A mentor can also be the one who walks along the path with you so that the journey to the top is a little less lonely.  

Iqbal in Iqbal: Reverse Mentor

For many people, mentorship as a one-way journey, where the mentor (usually, a more experienced individual) teaches the way of life to a mentee (usually a less experienced individual). But, that’s not always the case!

Mentors stand to learn a lot from their mentees too, just like it happened in the sports drama Iqbal, when Iqbal (a spectacular Shreyas Talpade) ended up teaching Mohit (Naseeruddin Shah in fine form, like always). Mohit is an alcoholic in the film, but Iqbal is the one who manages to rouse him out of his stupor, reminding him of the joy of the game (cricket) and the value of teaching and mentorship. 

There’s always room to learn and grow; mentorship should never be viewed as a one-way street. It’s this very mutual exchange of knowledge that separates it from teaching and coaching. 

Throughout our lives, we may find one or more such mentors who guide us, either with a kind word or a tough exercise. As luck would have it, you can also find the right mentor for you through Unstop. 

Over a decade ago, when Airtel announced “har ek friend zaruri hota hai” (every friend is important/necessary), I embraced the philosophy like every other teenager who rebelled against family and picked friends. It’s only as an adult that I realize that while friends brought me joy, it was the mentors I met along the way who became the guiding light(s) of life. Because har ek mentor bhi zaruri hota hai. 

Suggested Reads: 

• The Eight Types Of Mentoring & Their Uses
• Here's Why Start-Up Founders Need a Mentor
• If Bruce Lee Would Answer 'Why MBA'
• What Indian Movies & Shows Got Right About Engineering & ALL That They Got Wrong
• From Rancho To Chatur, 40 Hilarious Tweets That Every Engineer Will Relate To