Summer Binge, Student of the Year: Alia Bhatt's debut has no notes, just vibes and that's the point

Whoosh.

Travel back to the time when Alia Bhatt, Sidharth Malhotra and Varun Dhawan made their debuts with the extremely campy Student of the Year. But as Bollywood grapples to the death with creative bankruptcy, campy had never looked so good. You’re saying that students in a posh Dehradun school are going to battle each other for the title of ‘Student of the Year’ that involves…*checks notes* treasure hunts, cycling and running races?

Yes. And a dancing test, too. But somehow, Karan Johar just sells it well. No, we’re not saying that it was a profound film that changed the trajectory of our lives, but it just reminds us of a time, when you could watch a non-cerebral film for simply…fun. And that’s what SOTY was. You nodded along to Bhatt’s Shanaya, Shanaya entrances, still bop to Radha on the Dance Floor, and puzzle on how exactly Disco Deewane  was a dance competition, and who was really judging this and how…but shhhh, once you start asking questions, there’s no going back.

SOTY  was so ridiculously funny and enjoyable. We miss that. And, SOTY 2 starring Tiger Shroff, Ananya Panday and Tara Sutaria emerged years later, but it had none of that outlandishness, sweet silliness that the first film had. So, today, do yourself a favour. Go watch Student of the Year, and relive the time when Bollywood was just enjoyable in all its silliness.