Prestige is a cost. It puts the price under the microscope and ignites it. Three scholarship students pass through the doors of Hampton International Delhi’s most exclusive institution they don’t just carry backpacks. They bring caste, debt secrets, secrets and a version of India that the halls weren’t designed to witness. The collision happens instantly intense, intoxicating, and ultimately fatal. It’s not a teen-oriented drama concerning prom date. It’s about who is allowed to be part of the group, who is the blame, and how quickly privilege is turned into power plays.
Cast and Crew
The Indian adaptation of the Spanish popular Elite brought a new explosion of talent, with each actor embodied by the social divides which drive the plot:
Main Cast
- Piyush Khati Dheeraj Kumar Valmiki-A scholarship students who are diligent, quiet, and attracted by Suhani
- Gurfateh Pirzada Neeraj Kumar Valmiki – Dheeraj’s older brother who was recently released from prison; a rebellious and protective
- Cwaayal Singh Balram “Balli”Patwal — Third scholarship student; friendly and carefree, immediately attracted by Koel
- Anjali Sivaraman Suhani Ahuja Suhani Ahuja Veer’s sister; rich rebellious, love-interest from each Neeraj and Dheeraj
- Zeyn Shaw is Veer Ahuja Suhani’s brother He is entitled and impulsive.
- Madhyama Segal Saba Manzoor-A scholarship student the daughter of Kashmiri immigrants Academic, principled, has to face Islamophoba
- Chintan Rachchh as Faruq Manzoor— the brother of Saba.
- Ayesha Kanga as Yashika Mehta— Hampton elite
- Chayan Chopra as Dhruv Sanghvi— Privileged student
- Naina Bhan, as Koel Kalra Koel KalraA popular, attractive, and romantic Sharan
- Moses Koul as Sharan Gujral Koel’s longest-running lover.
Supporting Cast
- Ratnabali Bhattacharjee as Vandana SanghviPrincipal of the school
- Chandan Anand plays Suraj Ahuja-Suraj Ahuja – Veer and Suhani’s father.
- Rohit Singh is Manni-Peer in the dynamics of the group
- Ketan Singh is Deven Sanghvi-tied to school management
Crew
- Directed by Ashim Ahluwalia, Gul Dharmani, Kabir Mehta
- Screenplay by Kersi Khambatta
- Story by Ashim Ahluwalia, Bhaskar Hazarika, Indra Bisht, Kashyap Kapoor, Raghav Kakkar
- Executive Producer: Ashim Ahluwalia
- Producers: Mautik Tolia, Persis Siganporia, Sukesh Motwani, Niharika Singh
- Music by Nayantara Bhatkal, Aditya N., Tubby
- Cinematography: Alana Mejia Gonzalez, Kyle Macfadzean, Michael Filocamo, Tapan Tushar Basu
- Editors: Deepa Bhatia, Utsav Bhagat
- Produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia, Future East Film
The show was Netflix’s first Indian adaptation of a foreign title featuring Bodhitree Multimedia banking on newcomers to take on the role of narrators.
OTT Platform
Class is available exclusively only on Netflix. It debuted in the 3rd of February, 2023 with Season 1 which aired the entire the 8 seasons at
once. Each episode runs 44-59 minutes. The series is available in Hindi as well as English and comes with an an official certificate.
Story and Premise
Class is the Indian remake of the popular Spanish-language show “Elite.”. When their school is destroyed three students from the working class — the trio of Dheeraj Saba Bali and Balli get the opportunity to attend Hampton International Academy, one of Delhi’s top schools.
Hope is met with hostility on the first day. The top students — Veer, Suhani, Koel, Sharan, Yashika, Dhruv — are tolerant of newcomers. What began as bullying insults, and a clash of cultures turns into love, drugs, betrayal, and even murder.
A mysterious death on campus prompts an investigation that is complex and encapsulates the entire season. Dheeraj is able to manage his attraction to Suhani as he protects his family members: his alcohol-dependent father and former convict brother Neeraj who is settling his on debts from prison. Saba who is barred from wearing a hijab, faces Islamophobia, while becoming close to Veer. Balli hosts events where alcoholic drinks spiked with secrets blur the lines the lines between Koel as well as Sharan.
The show weaves personal lives that are made public, caste bias sexuality, gender politics, sexuality and the wealth gap into a suspenseful format.
What Makes It Stand Out
Class is effective because it refuses to clean.
- Real Social Commentary It addresses castinges, Islamophobia, queerness, and the wealth gap without any soft edges.
- The Newcomer Energy The group of debutants – Piyush Khan, Gurfateh Pirzada, Madhyama Segal — bring unpolished energy that is real and authentic.
- The Murder Mysteries Structure Each episode peels back motives while looking at how privilege shields certain individuals while leaving others vulnerable.
- unflinching tone Sexual assault, drugs blackmail, betrayal, and sex are all filmed with a glossy savagery that is in line with the elite‘s DNA, yet rooted in the social code of Delhi.
Reception and Audience Appeal
The show has an 6.2/10 IMDb rating from 4.3K users. It also received praise for the story and cast. The drama as well as the murder and romance blend that caught the attention of everyone around the world. Producer Mautik Tolia praised the team’s dedication and the impact of their debut.
It is appealing to:
- People who love crime dramas and teens thrillers
- Viewers who are interested in caste, class and gender issues.
- Viewers from Elitecurious on their experience with Indian cultural translation
Final Thoughts
Class is more about the people who created it, but more about how the system allowed it to be possible. Through Ashim Ahluwalia’s direction as well as an unstoppable young cast, it transforms a high-school corridor into a battlefield that reveals the deepest divisions in India. It’s messy, addicting, and uncomfortable for the reason that it is precisely the reason it’s so difficult to take a breath.
