Critical response Hichki received mixed reviews from critics who praised Mukerji's performance, but criticised the plot.
Sukanya Verma of
Rediff.com gave 2.5 out of 5 stars panning the melodramatic screenplay but appreciated Mukerji and described the film as an "out-and-out" show for her.
Mayank Shekhar, writing for
Mid-Day, was critical of the film, calling it the
desi version of the American
coming-of-age drama
Dead Poets Society (1989). Devesh Sharma of
Filmfare thought Mukerji looked as if she had not taken a sabbatical from full-time acting, lauding her dramatic confrontational scenes with Neeraj Kabi, and
Bhawana Somaaya expressed appreciation of her for playing against
type. Rachit Gupta of
The Times of India said that she hoped the film focused not only on Naina's classroom struggle but also on her personal life, especially her conflict with her father. She, however, commended the performances of Mukerji and the actors who played her students, particularly that from Harsh Mayar.
Rajeev Masand of
News18 found
Hichki to be inconsistent and unoriginal; however, he praised the film's moral message.
Saibal Chatterjee of
NDTV wrote "Rani Mukerji's energetic, engaging performance apart,
Hichki is a huff-and-puff show marked by too much mush and fuss. But it has just enough to keep tearjerker junkies interested." Rohit Vats of the
Hindustan Times rated the film two-and-a-half stars, complimenting Mukerji's straightforward, confident performance and those of Kabi and the student actors. However, Vats was disappointed that the film only revolves on the relationship between a teacher and students. Richard James Havis of
South China Morning Post found Mukerji's spirited performance enhancing an otherwise predictable story. Udita Jhunjhunwala of
Scroll.in appreciated Malhotra for putting the narrative focus on Naina only without disruptive
subplots, and Samrudhi Ghosh of
India Today observed that Malhotra "had a tough task at hand—to stay away from emotional manipulation, even in the dramatic moments. He succeeds, for the most part; although some portions of the film, such as the climax, feel a little contrived." Another review in News18, written by Kriti Tulsiani, commented that the film is a remake of
Peter Werner's 2008 film
Front of the Class, which was based on the same book as
Hichki, and criticised it for the inability to provide an original story and undramatic ending. Rohit Bhatnagar of the
Deccan Chronicle gave the film 3 out of 5 stars, writing that Mukerji drives the film with her effortless performance; although the latter aspect make the film mediocre, he added that
Hichki is as good as Malhotra's
We Are Family. Chaya Unnikrishnan of the
Daily News and Analysis termed
Hichki a
slice-of-life film with inspiring themes and was impressed by Mukerji's acting.
Namrata Joshi praised her tics used in the right measure and time, but noted the actors cast as her parents (Sachin and Supriya Pilgaonkar) did not get enough scope.
Raja Sen and Aditya Shrikrishna from
The New Indian Express said Mukerji was successful at making her tics look natural, and
Anna M. M. Vetticad described the actress as one of the "biggest strengths" of
Hichki. Billing it as a comeback vehicle for Mukerji,
The Indian Express Shalini Langer acclaimed Malhotra for not adding romantic songs or sequences. The Tamil magazine
Ananda Vikatan named it as the best example of what teachers should teach to their students, with
Anupama Chopra summarising, "[It] is a genuinely earnest film made with heart. But it doesn't take enough risks and consequently doesn't touch a raw nerve in the way that
Taare Zameen Par did. But it's always nice to see a talented actress with all guns blazing." Swetha Ramakrishnan of
Firstpost claimed
Hichki would be not complete if Kabi did not feature in it.
Box office The film was a commercial success in India and abroad, with the trade analyst Girish Johar telling
The Indian Express that its business largely relied on the audience's
word-of-mouth. However, he added that the issue of
Tourette syndrome that is addressed in it may limit the audience. Released in more than 900 theatres, the film had a below average opening in India, grossing . After earning in only five days, however, it was declared a commercial success.
Hichki collected over its theatrical run in India. == Awards and nominations ==