Karan Johar’s Student Of The Year franchise, which has twice launched a new generation of Bollywood stars through big-screen releases, is taking a very different route for its third chapter. Instead of heading to theatres, Student Of The Year 3 (SOTY 3) will arrive as a six-episode web series on Disney+Hotstar — marking the first time the franchise has gone fully digital.
The series will be directed by Reema Maya, a first-time showrunner best known for her acclaimed 2023 short film Nocturnal Burger. Johar has said he wanted the project to reflect Maya’s own creative voice rather than his signature directorial style, positioning SOTY 3 as a fresh, independent take on the franchise’s familiar high-school setting.
“Student Of The Year 3 is darker, edgier and far more intense than the previous two instalments. Tonally, it is being envisioned as a Class-meets-Euphoria kind of show — blending the privileged, high-pressure world of young students, complicated friendships and relationships seen in Netflix’s Indian series Class with the bold, provocative and emotionally turbulent treatment associated with the globally popular Euphoria. Viewers will be pleasantly surprised by the conflicts, relationships, and overall genre of the third part. Moreover, this kind of youth-driven, edgy content has an audience across markets, which could further widen its appeal and viewership,’’ according to a report by Bollywood Hungama.
Last year, it was reported that Student Of The Year 3 would feature Shanaya Kapoor in the lead, though no further details emerged. She is still expected to be a part of a show, potentially making her debut on streaming rather than the big screen. As per a new update, Alaya F has joined the cast of SOTY 3.
Plot details remain largely under wraps, and an official release date has not yet been announced. But the shift to streaming signals a broader trend in Indian entertainment, where established theatrical franchises are increasingly finding new life — and new audiences — on OTT platforms.
As more banners follow Dharma’s lead, SOTY 3 may end up remembered less for its plot and more for the moment a theatrical mainstay quietly went digital.
