Prestige has a price tag. Class puts that price under a microscope, then sets it on fire. When three scholarship students walk through the gates of Hampton International — Delhi’s most exclusive school — they don’t just bring backpacks. They bring debt, caste, secrets, and a version of India the hallways weren’t built to see. The collision is instant, intoxicating, and eventually fatal. This isn’t a teen drama about prom dates. It’s about who gets to belong, who gets blamed, and how quickly privilege turns into power plays.
Cast and Crew
The Indian adaptation of Spanish hit Élite introduced a wave of breakout talent, each actor embodying the class fault lines that drive the story:
Main Cast
- Piyush Khati as Dheeraj Kumar Valmiki— One of three scholarship students; hardworking, quiet, and drawn to Suhani
- Gurfateh Pirzada as Neeraj Kumar Valmiki— Dheeraj’s older brother, recently released from jail; rebellious and protective
- Cwaayal Singh as Balram “Balli”Patwal — Third scholarship student; jovial, carefree, instantly attracted to Koel
- Anjali Sivaraman as Suhani Ahuja— Veer’s sister; wealthy, rebellious, love interest of both Neeraj and Dheeraj
- Zeyn Shaw as Veer Ahuja— Suhani’s brother; entitled and volatile
- Madhyama Segal as Saba Manzoor— Scholarship student, daughter of Kashmiri immigrants; academic, principled, faces Islamophoba
- Chintan Rachchh as Faruq Manzoor— Saba’s brother
- Ayesha Kanga as Yashika Mehta— Hampton elite
- Chayan Chopra as Dhruv Sanghvi— Privileged student
- Naina Bhan as Koel Kalra— Popular, dating Sharan
- Moses Koul as Sharan Gujral— Koel’s longtime boyfriend
Supporting Cast
- Ratnabali Bhattacharjee as Vandana Sanghvi— School principal
- Chandan Anand as Suraj Ahuja— Veer and Suhani’s father
- Rohit Singh as Manni— Peer involved in group dynamics
- Ketan Singh as Deven Sanghvi— Tied to school governance
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 Mejía González, Kyle Macfadzean, Michael Filocamo, Tapan Tushar Basu
- Editors: Deepa Bhatia, Utsav Bhagat
- Produced by Bodhi Tree Multimedia, Future East Film
The show marked Netflix’first Indian adaptation of an international title, with Bodhitree Multimedia
banking on newcomers to carry the narrative.
OTT Platform
Class streams exclusively on Netflix.
It premiered on 3 February 2023 with Season 1, dropping all 8 episodes at
once. Each episode runs 44–59 minutes. The series is in Hindi and English and carries an A certificate.
Story and Premise
Class is the Indian remake of the hit Spanish-language series Élite. After their school burns down, three working-class students — Dheeraj, Saba, and Balli — receive scholarships to Hampton International Academy, one of Delhi’s most prestigious schools.
Hope collides with hostility on day one. The elite students — Veer, Suhani, Koel, Sharan, Yashika, Dhruv — treat the newcomers with contempt. What starts as bullying, ridicule, and cultural clash escalates into romance, drugs, betrayal, and murder.
A suspicious death on campus triggers a complex investigation that frames the season. Dheeraj navigates his attraction to Suhani while protecting his family: his alcoholic father and ex-con brother Neeraj, who’s settling prison debts. Saba, banned from wearing her hijab, confronts Islamophobia while growing close to Veer. Balli throws parties where spiked drinks and secrets blur lines between Koel and Sharan.
The show weaves private lives turned public, caste prejudice, sexuality, gender politics, and the wealth gap into a thriller format.
What Makes It Stand Out
Class works because it refuses to sanitize.
- Raw Social Commentary: It tackles caste, Islamophobia, queerness, and wealth disparitywithout soft edges.
- Newcomer Energy: The cast of debutants —Piyush Khati, Gurfateh Pirzada, Madhyama Segal — brings unpolished intensity that feels lived-in.
- Murder-Mystery Structure: Each episode peels back motive while exploring how privilege protects some and exposes others.
- Unflinching Tone: Drugs, sex, blackmail, and betrayal are filmed with glossy brutality, matching Élite’s DNA but rooted in Delhi’s social codes.
Reception and Audience Appeal
The series holds a 6.2/10 IMDb rating from 4.3K users and earned praise for storyline and cast. Viewers noted the drama, murder, and romance mix captured global attention. Producer Mautik Tolia highlighted the cast’s tireless work and debut impact.
It appeals to:
- Fans of crime dramas and teen thrillers
- Viewers interested in class, caste, and gender politics
- Audiences of Élitecurious about the Indian cultural translation
Final Thoughts
Class is less about who did it and more about why the system made it possible. With Ashim Ahluwalia’s direction and a fearless young cast, it turns a high-school corridor into a battlefield of India’s deepest divides. It’s messy, addictive, and uncomfortable by design — which is exactly what makes it impossible to pause.
