Karan Johar’s “Student of the Year” franchise is set for a digital spin-off on Disney+ Hotstar, featuring Shanaya Kapoor.
Karan Johar’s popular “Student of the Year” franchise, which catapulted Alia Bhatt, Varun Dhawan, and Sidharth Malhotra to stardom, is taking a page from Disney’s playbook by expanding into a digital series. Much like Disney’s knack for nurturing young talent through their high school dramas and musicals, Johar is set to convert the SOTY franchise into a web series, set to stream on Disney+ Hotstar.
This new iteration will introduce Shanaya Kapoor, daughter of actors Sanjay Kapoor and Maheep Kapoor, who is also debuting on the big screen in Mohanlal’s action film “Vrushabha”. Groomed by Karan Johar for her Bollywood entry, Shanaya will headline the series alongside a fresh cast of young actors. The web series is expected to start production later this year.
Karan Johar shared insights about this project during the Cinevesture International Film Festival (CIFF), confirming that “Student of the Year 3” will be a web series. This adaptation marks Johar’s collaboration with emerging directors and writers, featuring Reema Maya at the helm. Maya, an international award-winning writer-director and co-founder of Catnip Productions, is known for her short films, including “Counterfeit Kunkoo,” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival 2018.
Johar emphasized his hands-off approach to this project, allowing Maya to bring her unique vision to the series. “Reema Maya will be directing the digital version of ‘Student of the Year.’ It will be her way and definitely not mine. If I enter Reema Maya’s world, then I will make it more of an illusion, which is what her name means. I just wanted it to be her voice. She made it her own series,” he stated.
This strategic move mirrors Disney’s successful format of transforming high school dramas into enduring brands, nurturing talent from a young age, and creating memorable content. As Johar continues to adapt his filmmaking approach to the digital age, the “Student of the Year” series on Disney+ Hotstar promises to be an exciting venture, blending youthful exuberance with contemporary storytelling.
