Karan Johar's Student of the Year Franchise Returns as a Dark Thriller Web Series

Karan Johar's popular college romance franchise "Student of the Year" is returning as a darker web series titled "Student of the Year: After Dark", starring Shanaya Kapoor.

Release and Production

JioHotstar released the first look of the series on Monday. Reema Maya is directing the project, while Dharmatic Entertainment is producing it. The series is set to start streaming on November 13. Maya described the show as a stripped-down thriller competition web series. Johar launched the original film in 2012 with Sidharth Malhotra, Alia Bhatt, and Varun Dhawan, and he now returns as a producer. He later released a second film in 2019 featuring Ananya Panday, Tiger Shroff, and Tara Sutaria.

Statements and Vision

Johar called the new project a phoenix rising and noted that it breaks the rules set by the original films. He praised Maya's direction and highlighted Shanaya Kapoor's powerful double-role performance. Alok Jain, Head of Hindi and English Entertainment Business at JioStar, stated that reimagining the franchise involves both creative risk and responsibility. Apoorva Mehta, CEO and Managing Director of Dharmatic Entertainment, described the project as a bold reboot.

Context

Streaming platforms in India frequently revive successful cinematic franchises as serialized web shows to capture younger audiences. Psychological thrillers and darker adaptations of nostalgic youth properties have become a common trend in digital entertainment. Dharmatic Entertainment serves as the digital and television content arm of Karan Johar's Dharma Productions.