CAST: Nimrat Kaur, Aamir Bashir, Varin Rupani, Aryan Singh Ahlawat, Hemant Kher, Vir Pachisia, Sivyansh Dwivedi, Jeetendra Joshi,

DIRECTOR: Avinash Arun Dhaware

“School of Lies” is a gripping web series available on Hotstar, providing an in-depth and intense experience that’s certainly worth watching. Set in the River Isaac School of Education or RISE – a secluded boarding school nestled in the hills, the series exposes the darkness lurking beneath the surface of this institution.

When 12-year-old Shakti Salgaonkar’s bed is found unoccupied and his seat at school empty, the tranquil facade of the school is shattered. As a viewer, you are immediately drawn into the unraveling mystery at RISE. It’s a classic whodunit set in a small town that invites scrutiny on a once trusted learning institution, now on the brink of revealing unsettling truths.

The news of Shakti’s (portrayed by Vir Pachisia) disappearance unfolds throughout the day, escalating from rumors to a dreadful realization. His mother is summoned from the city and the principal assumes responsibility for the investigation. As the story evolves, various characters each with their personal issues, come into play. Notably, housemaster Sam (played by Amir Bashir) and the new counselor Nandita (played by Nimrat Kaur), both bear the weight of personal burdens and have their own reasons to avoid police involvement.

Shakti’s seniors, Vikram (played by Varin Rupani) and Tapan (played by Aryan Singh Ahlawat) are engaged in forbidden activities and are pressured by a local who knows their secrets. This local is the school gardener, Bola (played by Nitin Goel), a drug dealer whose own son, Chanchal (played by Divyansh Dwivedi) was close to Shakti.

The plot takes a significant turn as Shakti’s disappearance serves as a pretext to explore deeper issues of deceit, loneliness, toxic authority, and mental health. The weather, with its mist and rain, aptly mirrors the evolving mood of the series, revealing and washing away sins.

The strength of the series lies in its intricate writing that brings to the forefront the complexity of human drama. “School of Lies” is not just a mystery set in a school filled with lies and moral dilemmas; it also explores the socio-psychological underpinnings of lying. It compels viewers to question the nature and purpose of lying, shedding light on the prevalence of lies in a hierarchical structure, much like an institution.

The series explores lying at different stages of life – from the innocuous lies of children, like Shakti’s own habit of storytelling and deception, to more serious deceptions of Vikram and his peers who use lies as a survival mechanism. And at the top, the adults, like Sam and Nandita, are shown to have been molded by lies that have scarred their past.

In answering the question “Why do we lie?”, “School of Lies” presents a complex psychological examination. It suggests that truth can be brutal and elusive, causing people to seek refuge in lies as a means of asserting control over their own destinies.

Skilled filmmaking successfully portrays these profound themes. Director Avinash Arun Dhaware (known for “Patal lok”) strikes a perfect balance between showing the beautiful hill scenery and maintaining the narrative’s dark mood. The performances are commendable, especially from the younger actors who convincingly portray the turbulence of their characters.

One of the standout performances is from Aryan Singh Ahlawat, who plays Tapan. He convincingly portrays a deep sense of affection for his best friend, Vikram, amid swirling rumors. Nimrat Kaur, Amir Bashir, and Jeetendra Joshi also deliver compelling performances, effectively conveying the heaviness of their characters’ experiences.

“School of Lies” triumphs with its smart storytelling, which is never overly explicit or excessively concealed. The narrative brilliantly captures the chaotic emotions of the characters and interweaves fact and fiction. The series concludes on a poignant note, leaving viewers with a powerful image that encapsulates the tragedy of truth and the ambiguity between hope and despair. It echoes the sentiment that surviving the school of lies – a metaphor for life – is indeed a remarkable feat.