School Of Lies follows the story of a disappearance of a 12 year old from a boarding school. What is the mystery behind it? The story is sensitive and delves into the psyche of our generation which is essentially scarred and f***** up. There was a time when terms like depression weren’t used at all as opposed to today when it is loosely used. The problem runs deep into the minds of our generations and that is so well represented through the story which is subtly shocking. The screenplay standing at 8 episodes of roughly 30 odd minutes each does make for a brisk watch but the drama ends up being quite dark that will leave you dazed.

The narrative style is what makes the drama very interesting here. The theme of setting this drama in the mountains in a boarding school automatically adds the much needed ambience to the drama. The setting is dark and broody and almost immediately communicates the mood of the drama. You are tactfully introduced to the characters before gradually shifting focus on the conflict, which was the disappearance of a 12 year old from the school. At this point, the events are scattered and the characters are still raw in terms of development. There are many sequences that will leave you scratching your head as to what exactly is going on. But patience is the key as all answers are answered as the drama progresses.

The proceedings are interesting wherein the viewers are lead in one direction before making a U-turn. For instance, the first five episodes comprise of a parallel track featuring the 12 year old roaming with an unknown kid  while the investigation is on as a part of the main plot. It is later on that you get to know that these tracks were spread across different timelines. There are many such instances too in which each subplot has an element of mystery tagged to it.

Yet, the drama doesn’t shy away from exploring the dark realities of our generation today where depression and loneliness are an integral parts of our lives. The writers are quick to highlight that it is often the past that has the ability to scar our present and that you may never fully recover from its trauma. As one character says, ‘The Best case is Compulsion. The Worst case is prison’, a line told to describe his school which is also a metaphor for his mind in many ways. The subtle concepts of child abuse is expertly tackled in the screenplay, as the shades of writing keep getting darker and murkier by the minute. It was no longer about the mystery as much as it was about studying the psyche of the characters who are nothing but broken souls.

The events leading up to the final act made for a shocking revelation that did have the potential to leave you numb. The atmospherics were intimidating and it did allow you ample of space to ponder on what had transpired much like one of the characters. It was one of the most dark ending that I have been privy to in recent times and shocking in equal measures. At this point, I would wish to express a note to the young parents – please take care of your children! Boarding schools are never a good option unless absolutely necessary. Keep an eye on your children, do not drag them into your mess, allow them time to blossom. Depression even amongst teenagers is an important topic of discussion, and it needs love and care to counter it while spending time with your children. Overall, the screenplay is excellent here and makes for a disturbing watch!