Filmfare iconFilmfareSep 5, 2026 ~3 min source read

Filmfare Flashback: Four Stars Recall the Teachers Who Shaped Their Paths

A 2020 Filmfare series, Lessons Forever, collected personal memories from Dulquer Salmaan, Shruti Haasan, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Sonam Bajwa about teachers — formal and familial — whose guidance influenced their lives and careers.

Filmfare Flashback: Stars Remember The Teachers Who Changed Their Lives

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Dulquer Salmaan credits librarian Rani Abraham at Sushir School for nurturing his love of reading and curiosity beyond the syllabus.

Shruti Haasan names two distinct mentors — Pandit Malohar Kulkarni for Hindustani classical discipline and Mike Campbell at Musicians Institute for artistic refinement.

Amruta Khanvilkar and Sonam Bajwa both identify their mothers as formative teachers who modeled resilience, compassion, and practical life lessons.

The useful part

Stars Remember The Teachers Who Changed Their Lives | Filmfare.com Home News Bollywood Filmfare Flashback: Back in 2020, Filmfare launched the Lessons Forever series to celebrate Teacher's Day, a tribute to the mentors who shape lives beyond classrooms. Adding, "Me and Rani ma'am had such a strong bond and we were such good friends.

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  • Stars Remember The Teachers Who Changed Their Lives Written by Filmfare Updated on Sep 23, 2026, 12:51 IST Follow On Select as Preferred on In Filmfare's 2020 Lessons Forever series, Dulquer Salmaan, Shruti...
  • she would always encourage me to keep educating myself beyond the school syllabus." Shruti Haasan Shruti spoke about two mentors who defined her artistic journey.
  • She said, "The two people who changed my life completely would have to be my first music teacher in Hindustani Sangeet, Pandit Malohar Kulkarni ji...
  • He totally changed my life because he taught me the discipline of Indian classical music and that shaped my voice." Later, she found guidance in Mike Campbell at Musicians Institute.
  • She added, "He took what I had learned and polished it and made me find my artistic voice.

What to take from it

So, I'm forever indebted to these two wonderful souls." Amruta Khanvilkar Amruta described her mother as her greatest teacher. She said, "The best teachers are the ones who tell you where to look but don't tell you what to see. One of my best and brilliant teachers in life is my mother." She admires her mother's fearlessness and optimism, "No matter what the situation is, there is a constant smile that she has...

Example or evidence

  • View this post on Instagram A post shared by Filmfare (@filmfare) These heartfelt stories remind us that teachers are not confined to classrooms.
  • So mom, thank you so much for teaching me life." Sonam Bajwa For Sonam, her mother has been the greatest influence.
  • She said, "I've always been in awe of her, the way she loved, the way she spoke with so much compassion and kindness, so much patience." What inspired Sonam most was her mother's resilience.
  • She further stated, "She lost her father at a very young age, got married young, but she never gave up on her dreams.

Details worth keeping

Today, six years later, we look back on our four beloved stars, Dulquer Salmaan, Shruti Haasan, Amruta Khanvilkar, and Sonam Bajwa, who shared deeply personal memories of the teachers who guided them and the lessons that remain close to their hearts. Dulquer Salmaan Shruti Haasan Amruta Khanvilkar Sonam Bajwa Dulquer Salmaan "She is always encouraging and always sort of nudged me in the right direction." Dulquer recalled his days at Sushir School in Chennai, where one teacher stood out, librarian Mrs. She was always full of cheer and advice, and we would love to discuss books and life in general." He credits her for nurturing his lifelong love for reading, saying, "If anyone inculcated the habit of reading and just exploring all my interests...

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