Karan Johar is venturing into uncharted waters with the Student of the Year franchise which completes its 14 years on October 19. The new series, Student of the Year: After Dark is set in a dark space of mystery, violence and competition and stars Shanaya Kapoor who replaces the glamorous campus setting with a far darker world. The web series is scheduled to premiere on JioHotstar on November 13.
Karan Johar unveils first look
The filmmaker unveiled the first look into the new series with Shanaya Kapoor in blood-stained avatar indicating its dramatic turn in the franchise. Announcing the project on social media, he recalled its journey since its launch in 2012 and termed the new chapter as "gritty, gory, unabashed and absolute madness".
The web series directed by Reema Maya and produced by Dharmatic Entertainment, reimagines the familiar St.Theresa setting as a thriller competition. Kapoor who makes her digital debut with this project reportedly has double role.
Reema Maya promises an unexpected story
Reema Maya said the series will retain the name of the franchise but it has gone away from the elements which people used to see. She said the new format of web series provides opportunity to have more conversations around the young audience.
Calling it a reimagining of the original concept, Maya said Karan Johar had faith in her creative process. She complimented Shanaya's effort as she was a hardworking and prepared actress and that the young cast has brought in tons of talent.
Kapoor said that the role of her character was an effort to challenge the expectations around her on-screen persona. She said the character had a complex dimension and that it was a great treat for her to play such a multifaceted role.
A new chapter for the franchise
Alok Jain, Head of Hindi and English Entertainment Business, JioStar said that they wanted to do something unexpected with the popular franchise but still keep it attached to the young audience. Johar too said it was a big move away from the rules which the previous films had set and praised Maya's direction and Kapoor's reported double-role performance.
The first Student of the Year film which was released in 2012 starred Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan and Sidharth Malhotra. Its sequel was out in 2019 which saw the introduction of Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria.
The web series also features Divik Sharma and Manya Grover. With its darker premise, Student of the Year: After Dark aims to provide a fresh outing for the familiar franchise for a new audience.