Nil Battey Sannata, released internationally as The New Classmate, is a 2016 Indian comedy-drama film directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari in her feature debut. Produced by Aanand L. Rai, Ajay Rai, and Alan McAlex under the banners of Colour Yellow Productions and JAR Pictures, the film was co-written by Iyer, Neeraj Singh, Pranjal Choudhary, and Nitesh Tiwari. Swara Bhaskar starred as Chanda Sahay, a high-school drop-out household maid and single mother of a sullen young girl named Apeksha, played by Ria Shukla. The film's theme is a person's right to dream and change their lives, irrespective of social status.

 

Plot: Apeksha "Apu" Shivlal Sahay (Shukla) is an unmotivated student who has managed to reach her SSC year in school despite her lack of interest in studying further. She struggles in mathematics alongside her friends, Sweety (Neha Prajapati) and Pintu (Prashant Tiwari). Her single mother Chanda (Bhaskar), a high-school drop-out, works four different menial jobs, which include working as a maid for Dr. Diwan (Pathak).

 

Troubled by her daughter's indifferent attitude, Chanda narrates her dilemma to Dr. Diwan, who suggests that she hire a math tutor for Apu. Chanda is told that Apu must pass her pre-board math exams to receive a considerable discount for the tuition. Hearing this, Apu replies that she is destined to work as a maid, as Chanda cannot provide financially for any higher education. With the encouragement of Dr. Diwan, Chanda enrolls in Apu's school so that she can learn math and tutor Apu herself. This embarrasses Apu, and she continuously ridicules her mother. No one, except for the school's principal Mr. Srivastava (Tripathi), is aware of Chanda's relationship to Apu; she manages to befriend Apu's classmates, including Sweety and Pintu, and impresses her teachers with her steady progress. Chanda enlists the help of her shy classmate Amar (Vishal Nath) to understand math and makes use of mind maps on his advice.

 

Apu is angered by her mother's success in math, as she herself continues to fail to understand it. Chanda challenges Apu to achieve grades higher than hers in math; if she is successful, Chanda promises to drop out of school. With Amar's help and constant studying, Apu manages to complete the challenge. Her mother is overjoyed, but is heartbroken when Apu informs her that she performed well in school with the sole purpose of ensuring her mother's absence at school. In her anger, Chanda breaks her promise and returns to school, performing even better than before, much to Apu's chagrin. After allotting more time to school, Chanda loses one of her four jobs and begins to work at a restaurant because Amar recommends the job.

 

One night, she is dropped off at home by one of her male colleagues; Apu witnesses this and assumes that Chanda has been soliciting. She steals the money that Chanda has been collecting to pay for the math tuition and spends it all on food and new clothes. This devastates Chanda, who becomes depressed when Apu tells her that the money was not hard-earned. Chanda stops attending school and continues to work with the hope that Apu will join the Indian Administrative Service, after she is inspired by a kind District Magistrate and Collector (Sanjay Suri). In the meantime, Amar helps Apu realise her mistake by making her witness Chanda working at the restaurant. Apu rekindles her interest in school and begins to treat her mother with respect, having realised that she can perform well if she possesses the will. She brings her mother back to school and the duo finish their SSC year together.

 

With a scenic view of the Taj Mahal, Chanda motivates Apu to always follow her dreams, as they are dependent on efforts and not circumstances. A few years later, Apu attends her Union Public Service Commission Civil Service Examination interview, having passed her examinations successfully. After being asked what inspired her to apply for the IAS, she answers that she is inspired by her mother, who now tutors struggling math students for free.