Seventeeners

Hari and Deepa enter a classroom on a Saturday evening after the classes are over. The two 17-years-olds appear to make a video as they indulge in intimacy off-screen. Monday morning, the two are summoned to the principal's office and are told that their video is now on the internet. Their parents are called and given the news of rustication, pending committee decision whether to expel or retain them. The two families are devastated by the news, as they try to pick up the pieces and move forward. At the committee meeting, chaired by the principal, they discuss the fate of Hari and Deepa. Owing to past incidents of misdemeanor, the committee, with the exception of physical trainer Abdul, vote to expel Deepa and retain Hari. But Abdul brings up the caste angle to it. While Hari is a Brahmin boy, Deepa is a Dalit and the issue takes a dramatic turn, leading to irreversible changes in the lives of the stake holders.

Directed by Prithvi Konanur, Seventeeners leans on a strong ensemble — Sherlyn Bhosale, Neeraj Mathew, Rekha Kudligi — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2021.