Reema Maya has addressed comparisons between Student of the Year: After Dark and 13 Reasons Why, saying she has not watched the international series.
Speaking to Mid-day, the director said she wanted more Indian young-adult stories to reach audiences so that local productions were not always assessed through overseas reference points. Her comments come ahead of After Dark’s November 13 premiere on JioHotstar.
A different direction for Student of the Year
After Dark takes the franchise into murder-mystery territory, with Shanaya Kapoor playing twin sisters Aayesha and Aditi.
According to the trailer coverage, Aditi enters St. Teresa Heritage School to investigate Aayesha’s death. Her search draws her into the Student of the Year competition, where friendships, rivalries and hidden motives complicate her investigation.
The premise retains the franchise’s competitive setting while changing the stakes surrounding it.
Maya’s focus is the pressure to succeed
In her Mid-day interview, Maya explained that she wanted to examine how constant demands to compete and succeed affect young people’s friendships and relationships.
She also recalled Karan Johar encouraging her to make the project her own, giving her room to approach the familiar franchise differently.
In a separate interview with The Hollywood Reporter India, Maya expanded on that theme. She discussed the competition young people face for marks, employment and online attention, describing emotional intensity as central to her approach.
That makes the competition more than a backdrop: it is part of the question the series seeks to explore about ambition and its personal consequences.
Shanaya Kapoor plays two contrasting characters
Kapoor’s double role places her at the centre of both the mystery and its emotional aftermath.
Maya told Mid-day that the actor had to portray two markedly different personalities and praised her commitment during filming.
Trailer coverage describes Aayesha as a prominent figure within the school, while Aditi arrives determined to uncover what happened to her sister. The contrast gives Kapoor two distinct positions within the same story: the person whose death raises questions and the sister pursuing answers.
What about cameos from earlier franchise stars?
Asked about bringing back familiar faces, Maya told Mid-day that her priority was creating opportunities for new talent. She also said the story left limited room for cameos.
Her comments explain the creative approach without establishing a confirmed list of returning actors.
Release date and streaming platform
Produced by Dharmatic Entertainment and directed by Reema Maya, Student of the Year: After Dark is scheduled to begin streaming on JioHotstar on November 13, 2026.
