Class actor Naina Bhan on ‘fear of offending conservative Indians’ with the show’s racy content: ‘You see what’s happening to other projects…’

Naina was asked if there were any fears going into the show, about possibly offending a certain section of the audience, ‘the conservative Indian’, with its provocative themes. In recent months, several major Bollywood projects have been targeted by groups who’ve taken offence to them. She admitted that everyone was fearful, and said that Elite was ripe for an Indian remake, ‘because there’s so much to talk about’. She continued, “When I saw Ashim Ahluwalia’s name attached to the show, there was a sense in my gut, I just knew that (the show) would do it.”

She added, “Of course, when you shoot the material, and when you see on social media what is happening to other projects, there is a sense of anxiety and nerves, and you hope that the message we’re trying to deliver so authentically and honestly is perceived correctly. Everybody came to this project with so much honesty, and really tried to put a mirror without making any judgement.” She said that because of the diverse set of characters, audiences could find their own entry points into the show. Moses said that the show never took a preachy tone, but instead presented the world through a ‘suspended reality’.

Also starring Anjali Sivaraman, Ayesha Kanga and Madhyama Segal, Class was released on Netflix on February 3, and was adapted by filmmaker Ashim Ahluwalia.