Class (Season 1)
Introduction
Onto the final release of the weekend and I finished watching the new Hindi series Class which is streaming on Netflix. It is an official adaptation of the Netflix Original Elite, a show that was immensely popular and successful. However, I have not watched the original and so I had zero reference on what Class had to offer.
With the rise and rise of various OTT platforms, and especially when you as a viewer is spoilt for choices, the adaptations or remakes may have limited takers. One of the reasons why many of the film adaptations from last year did not work is because the story was being repeated, rarely so with a different setting. But Drishyam 2 was a game changer and an eye opener in many ways as it did introduce a rider for adaptations. For the Hindi speaking audience, if the Hindi dub of the original film is unavailable, the adaptation would find takers. I would take the argument a step further ahead. When it comes to webshows, this funda would always work if either you premiere on a prestigious platform or if your show boasts of big stars.
Come to think of it, there would be a huge chunk of the audience who may not have had the patience of watching season after season of even the most popular shows. And for those, the Hindi Adaptations would be almost like a fresh story with a fresh concept. So that in mind, I did venture into the Netflix show Class which also saw the OTT giant traversing through familiar territory as opposed to Netflix Originals made for the Hindi belt. So then does Class manage to impress, lets find out.
Story & Screenplay
An official adaptation of the Spanish show Elite, Class follows the story of an ongoing murder investigation wherein the students of an International school are prime suspects. Who is the killer? The story here is based out of the world which is filled with glitz and glamour almost straight out of the Student Of The Year world. But to balance things out, the grimness and darkness engulf the drama to make it an absolute guilty pleasure. The screenplay standing at 8 episodes ranging from 40 odd to 50 odd minutes does make for a daunting watch to begin with. But the more you indulge in the drama, the more immersive it does get!
The drama opens bang on with a murder which meant that the writers were able to grab the attention of the audience straight up. And while this is a whodunnit, it isn’t presented as one. The drama relies on a bunch of interesting misfits to a world with a handful of conflicts which are unique to it. In other words, at its core, the drama is essentially based on interpersonal relationships that makes for an intriguing watch. The drama does oscillate between two timezones as through a series of flashbacks, the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle are slowly pieced together.
The proceedings might be far fetched but they are supremely engrossing and immersive. I did like how the lighting of the surroundings kept changing through the course of the series. It was never bright to begin with but the shades kept getting darker with every passing minute, representing the drama which also was getting murkier by the minute. This was always going to be a difficult adaptation to pull off(and I can say that despite having not watched the original). And the reason for it was representing the culture of the our generation while adding a layer of ‘class’ to it, almost as a top layer. And to the credit of the writers who I did feel were extremely self aware, the drama does balance both aspects brilliantly.
The drama is frivolous in many ways but also sharp in his social commentary. The very first instance of the three misfits finding their feet in school until meeting with a rude shock in the form of their upper class mates did set the ball rolling pretty well. I also did like how there were no half measures in the screenplay by diluting any of the intimate scenes that were an integral part of the screemplay and a bridge for many budding relationships. In between the chaos, the representation of the LGBTG community was handled well while also being fiery at several places. The subtle layer of competiteness and one upmanship was also nicely captured in a rather unassuming manner.
It was no longer only about who was the culprit but rather how and why was the murder committed that formed the screenplay which was filled with twists and turns. I happened to enjoy the proceedings more than I thought I would. The events leading up to the final act were well fleshed out and did not seem abrupt. Hell, the whole drama felt organic in a weird manner, tactfully going from one event to the other in a seamless manner. The final revelation was also a good one summing up the screenplay which was brilliant penned and dare may I add adapted as well!
Dialogues, Music & Direction
The dialogues are very Gen Z and the lingo was spot on and consistently true to its core concept. The music is excellent with various songs played out in the background, each representing a shade of chaos. The BGM is pulsating and elevates the drama well. The cinematography and lighting are excellent here, capturing some of the most gorgeous frames in the dimmest of lights. In other instances, the intimate scenes are shot aesthetically(and there are plenty of those throughout). The editing is very crisp here with almost no real jump cuts. Director Ashim Ahluwalia, the man behind the fabulous film Miss Lovely, is in top form here. He absolutely strikes it out of the park with this drama. All my skepticism in terms of the culture representation did vanish early on, wherein the director did coat a paint of his authority in every scene.
Performances
The performances by the ensemble cast is excellent. Ratnabali Bhattacharya as Vandana is first rate and I enjoyed her diction a lot. Suparna Moitra as Yamini, Kabir Sadanand as Tarun, Ritu Shivpuri as Garima and Chandan Mohinder Anand as Suraj have their moments to shine. Chayan Chopra as Dhruv and Chintan Rachh as Faruq are earnest and sincere and pull off their roles with an added layer of sensitivity. Moses Koul as Sharan is really good. Cwaayal Singh as Balli is terrific and has a good screen presence. Naina Bhan as Koel is brilliant and pulls off her character in an unabashed and unapologetic manner. Madhyama Segal as Saba is wonderfully restrained and extremely grounded in her approach. She brings out a unique dimension to her character by holding on to a lot of restrictions inside her(as demanded by her character).
Zeyn Shaw as Veer is outstanding and delivers a fiery performance. Ayesha Kanga as Yashika is wonderful in her role as well representing the frivolousness to her character perfectly. Piyush Khati as Dheeraj has an innocent vibe to his character and he pulls it off with a hint of charm. Gurfateh Pirzada as Neeraj is phenomenal with a wonderful personality onscreen. Anjali Sivaraman as Suhani had probably the most complex role with a range of emotions to play with. And she is absolutely brilliant here, nailing her performance and how! I really wish to watch her more often going forward.
Conclusion
Coming from someone who hasn’t watched Elite, the first season of Class is bold, edgy, dark and intriguing that promises an immersive ride filled with guilty pleasure. Available on Netflix and Highly Recommended.
