Zee5’s Mithya, directed by Rohan Sippy, is a suspense-filled drama that had the potential to be a tight, engaging thriller, but ultimately falls short due to its drawn-out runtime and missed opportunities. The series, an adaptation of the 2019 British miniseries Cheat, follows a tense rivalry between Juhi (Huma Qureshi), a Hindi professor, and her student, Rhea (Avantika Dassani), with a murky murder mystery at its core. While the plot offers some intriguing moments, the stretched-out episodes dilute the suspense, leaving the viewer with a sense of dissatisfaction.
The premise of Mithya revolves around Juhi, a well-educated professor from a prestigious family, trying to prove her worth independently from her eminent father, Anand (Rajit Kapur). On the other side is Rhea, a privileged student with her own set of complexities, who is determined to make Juhi’s life difficult. Their rivalry, while ripe for drama, feels overly prolonged, with several twists and turns that are, at times, more frustrating than thrilling.
At its heart, Mithya has an interesting concept: the clash between two women from different backgrounds, each with her own insecurities and motivations. Huma Qureshi, who plays Juhi, brings a sense of gravitas to her character, portraying the teacher’s sharp intellect and simmering anger effectively. Qureshi’s Hindi diction and ability to bring depth to her character elevate the show, but even her performance cannot fully save the series from its flaws.
Avantika Dassani, playing the manipulative and conniving Rhea, gives a commendable performance. Her portrayal of a student who will stop at nothing to undermine her teacher feels genuinely menacing at times. The tension between her and Qureshi’s Juhi is one of the show’s highlights, yet it often drags on longer than necessary, leaving us anticipating a conclusion that takes too long to materialize.
While Mithya succeeds in building a sense of mystery, especially in its first few episodes, the writers’ attempt to pad the story with unnecessary twists and elongated confrontations weakens its impact. Instead of maintaining a lean narrative, the show attempts to stretch its six episodes to fill out the runtime, which ultimately detracts from the pacing. By the time the final revelations come to light, viewers may already feel fatigued by the repetitive back-and-forth between the characters.
One of the main issues with the series is its pacing. The lush hill station setting, which should serve as an atmospheric backdrop, becomes almost a character in itself. Yet, despite its picturesque visuals, the show’s scenery fails to mask the lack of tight, engaging storytelling. It’s clear that Mithya could have benefited from being a more concise, ninety-minute thriller rather than a sprawling six-episode saga.
The show does feature some compelling performances from supporting cast members. Rajit Kapur’s portrayal of Juhi’s enigmatic father is solid, and Samir Soni’s role as Rhea’s powerful father adds to the intrigue. However, none of these secondary characters are given enough depth to elevate the plot beyond its central conflict.
In comparison to other mystery thrillers like Aranyak, which successfully combined political intrigue, murder, and folklore into a tight narrative, Mithya feels somewhat lackluster. Aranyak knew how to balance its multiple storylines, offering a larger scope while maintaining engagement. Mithya, on the other hand, feels constrained and loses its punch with each unnecessary twist.
Ultimately, Mithya is a series that promises much but delivers less. It could have been a lean, taut thriller, but the overcomplicated plot and drawn-out episodes undermine its potential. For fans of suspenseful dramas, it might still be worth a watch, but it’s hard not to think that the story would have been better served in a more concise format.
