Class, the Hindi remake of the Spanish series Elite, is a Netflix teenage crime drama, set in a rich Delhi school, Hampton International. The show revolves around the secrets and rumours involving a bunch of students in the school, leading to a murder.
The series opens with the investigation into the murder of a student, Suhani Ahuja. Class unfolds from the perspectives of different characters who have been called in for questioning.
We are then introduced to the tragedy that befell on Nurpur Khatola government school in the city. Three students from this school get enrolled in Hampton International through a scholarship. The three students are Dheeraj Valmiki (Piyush Khati), a hardworking student; Balram Patwal aka Balli (Cwaayal Singh) a fitness enthusiast who wants to make it big in the modeling industry; and Saba Manzoor ( Madhyama Segal), another hardworking student who wants to become a diplomat.
The trio are mistreated by the other students—sons and daughters of shady businessmen, contractors, and such high-profile people— in the school, for their looks, caste, and everything else. Dheeraj and Saba understand that all is not well with the students of their new school, while Balli tries to create an opportunity for himself from the situation. The plot slowly moves to teenage revenge, sexcapades, drugs, infatuations, and insecurities faced by the teenagers.
While the main plot revolves around a murder mystery, there are subplots involving teenage pregnancy, infatuations and affairs, and the past of some of the students. We are told that each of the main characters in the show has the motive to kill Suhani Ahuja. The show focuses on what they do to clear their names.
While the Spanish original was hailed to be a tout thriller, the Hindi adaptation comes across as exaggerated and unrealistic. There are attempts to bring in various socially relevant issues, including homosexuality, the plights of Kashmiri migrants, and casteism. However, the showrunners end up offering shallow commentaries on each of these issues while glossing over the problems faced by the victims of such issues.
The narrative also suffers from the many subplots that have been cramped in, leaving the audience a bit confused.
The cinematography and background score go well with the general vibe of the show. The costumes department too has done a commendable job. However, everything else in the show leaves you disappointed.
The Spanish original has six seasons. While Netflix hasn't announced the second season, there are enough hints in the final episode of Class to say that a second season is quite likely.
