Class- Review

 

Class is a limited Netflix series directed by National Film Award winner Ashim Ahluwalia. The show is an Indian adaptation of the acclaimed Spanish drama Elite. While both series explore similar themes of privilege, power, and class disparity, Class reimagines these within the unique socio-cultural framework of India, making it highly relatable to Indian audiences.

The storyline revolves around a group of students attending Hampton International, an exclusive school in Delhi catering primarily to the city's elite. These students come from starkly contrasting socio-economic backgrounds, a factor that heavily influences their behavior, relationships, and how they perceive and treat one another. The show vividly portrays the deep divides and prejudices rooted in class differences.

Each character brings a distinct set of personal, familial, or societal struggles to the narrative. For instance, the wealthy students, most of whom hail from families with generational wealth and successful businesses, often exhibit an entitled attitude. Their privilege blinds them to the value of sincerity and hard work, traits they dismiss as irrelevant to their lives. This starkly contrasts with the underprivileged scholarship students, whose challenges include financial hardship, systemic discrimination, and the pressure to fit into an environment dominated by the elite.

One of the central characters, Suhani Ahuja, portrayed by Anjali Sivaraman, exemplifies the dark undercurrents of this world. Despite her affluent background, Suhani is a deeply flawed individual, often driven by impulsive decisions and personal insecurities. In one particularly unsettling scene, she attempts to seduce a teacher to manipulate her grades, reflecting the extent of moral corruption in her world.

The series takes a gripping turn when Suhani is found dead in the school parking lot, setting the stage for a thrilling murder mystery. Each member of the group becomes a suspect as the investigation unfolds, exposing hidden animosities, betrayals, and secrets. The dynamics between the students are as volatile as they are complex, with jealousy, hatred, and rivalry simmering beneath the surface.

The love angle between Saba and Veer Ahuja and Dhruv and Farooq were extremely heart-touching. Audience will definitely find themselves rooting hard for these two couples by the end of the series. Overall it is a must-watch series to better understand the class dynamic of the Indian society. All the actors have done a fabulous job on screen and the character arches have been developed beautifully for some of the characters.