This Teachers’ Day (September 5, 2026), Babil Khan, Tamannaah Bhatia and Harshvardhan Rane took to social media to honour their mentors. Babil credited filmmaker Shoojit Sircar and acting coach Rachit Singh for shaping his acting journey, while Harshvardhan Rane called John Abraham, Ram Gopal Varma, and Saurabh Sachdeva his “Godfathers” in a heartfelt tribute. Tamannaah Bhatia also joined in, sharing her own gratitude for those who guided her career.
On a day meant to celebrate teachers, three of Bollywood’s finest reminded us that even stars had someone guiding them to shine.
Tamannaah Bhatia had once shared, “Neeraj Kabi ji was my very first acting teacher. Sharing the screen with him again brought back a flood of memories. I was just a 13-year-old girl who wanted to learn acting, and Neeraj sir taught us without ever charging a single rupee. We were all just kids back then, and he stood by us through it all. Today, all 13 of us from that group are part of the film industry. He shaped us when we were children, so getting to act alongside him now felt deeply emotional,” she said on stage.
An emotional Neeraj Kabi responded by recalling that Tamannaah, even as a serious-minded 13-year-old at his workshop, always approached her craft with intensity and treated every scene as if it mattered most. He said it was a moving experience for him to see that same dedicated young girl grow into the accomplished performer she is today.
Harshvardhan Rane shared a collage on social media featuring John Abraham, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma, and actor-acting coach Saurabh Sachdeva, calling them his “Godfathers.” He wrote, “To my teachers, my Godfathers,” crediting each of them for shaping different stages of his journey — from his early acting training to the opportunities that helped launch his career in the film industry. The post struck an emotional chord with fans, many of whom praised him for publicly acknowledging the people behind his success.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Babil Khan credited filmmaker Shoojit Sircar and acting coach Rachit Singh as the two mentors who shaped his journey. He believes the difference between a good and a bad teacher lies in whether a student truly lives their life or merely gets through it. Sircar spoke about helping Babil break free from the unfair burden of expectations that came with being Irrfan Khan’s son, adding that whatever changes Babil is making in his craft come purely from his own conviction. Babil, in turn, credited Rachit Singh for years of work on surrender and awareness, saying it was Singh’s persistence — even showing up to pull him out of bed when he wanted to quit — that taught him to face failure head-on rather than avoid it. Babil, who made his debut with Qala (2022), is now preparing for his first Malayalam film.
From Babil Khan’s quiet reflections on mentorship to Harshvardhan Rane’s heartfelt “Godfathers” tribute and Tamannaah Bhatia’s emotional reunion with her first acting teacher, this Teachers’ Day was a reminder that behind every star is someone who believed in them first. As these actors continue to shine on screen, their gratitude proves that success is rarely a solo journey — it’s built on the guidance, patience and faith of the teachers who shaped them along the way.
