Bollywood, Tollywood & Gollywood Over Books: The Saga of Indian HEIs!!

The 5am Club - Time Pass over Tea and Biscuits :)

In the hallowed halls of Harvard and Stanford, students can often be found deep in thought, wrestling with complex theories, groundbreaking research, and the occasional bout of existential dread. Meanwhile, on some Indian university and college campuses, a different kind of intellectual struggle is taking place: should one skip the 9 AM lecture on quantum physics to catch the latest Bollywood star-studded movie release in the campus auditorium?

Indeed, while Harvard and Stanford students are buried in their textbooks, preparing to cure diseases, solve global crises, or invent the next big tech innovation, their Indian counterparts are battling for the best seats in the house to watch a film that will likely not revolutionize anything except their weekend plans.

Imagine this: at Harvard, a guest lecture by a Nobel Laureate is packed with eager minds, notebooks at the ready. The professor speaks, the students nod, and the world’s mysteries slowly unravel before their eyes. Meanwhile, at some Indian universities, the announcement of a Bollywood movie premiere brings students scrambling out of their dorms faster than you can say "midterm grades." The auditorium is filled to the brim—not with academic journals, but with selfies, autographs, and the overwhelming scent of expensive cologne.

It’s not that Indian students lack academic ambition, mind you. But when faced with the choice between a 50-year-old, dusty textbook and the chance to see their favorite star in the flesh, even the most diligent scholar might waver. After all, isn’t there some value in understanding the cultural impact of cinema? Well, perhaps. But let’s not kid ourselves; the screams for the latest heartthrob can probably be heard over the groans of neglected research papers.

At Stanford, you’re more likely to stumble upon a discussion group passionately debating the ethics of AI than a flash mob of students reenacting the latest dance craze from a blockbuster film. And at Harvard, students pore over primary sources like they're ancient treasures, not distracted by movie posters plastered across every available surface. At some Indian campuses, though, the latter might involve peeling away layers of such posters to find a dusty research poster underneath—if it hasn't already been permanently lost to the archives of irrelevance.

Back at the Indian campuses, there’s a clear pecking order: movie stars on top, followed by cricket players, with professors, researchers, and academic achievements lagging somewhere near the bottom. Harvard has the Yard; Stanford has the Oval; and these Indian universities? They have the auditorium, where the most important scholarly work seems to be the choreography of the latest dance number.

But let’s not be too harsh. These movie release functions serve a purpose, after all. They provide students with the much-needed lesson of real-world distractions, the art of skipping class, and the academic value of star power. Perhaps it’s a different kind of education—one that emphasizes charisma over curriculum and glamour over grades.

As the lights dim and the screen lights up with the latest blockbuster, the debate on education versus entertainment is far from over. At Harvard and Stanford, they might be solving the mysteries of the universe, but on some Indian campuses, they’re mastering the complexities of celebrity worship, which, let's be honest, might just be the more marketable skill in today’s world.

While Harvard and Stanford may continue to churn out Nobel Laureates and tech moguls, these Indian universities are hard at work ensuring that their students never miss a film premiere—an endeavor equally deserving of some applause, if not an Oscar.

"??? Now tell me, how many movie release functions and promotions have lit up your campuses? Absolutely, Indian HEI campuses are where the action is happening! ?? And let's not forget, UGCs and AICTEs are the proud regulators of Indian Higher Education. Great job, Regulators! ????"