| Creator: | Gabby Hull |
| Director: | Season 1: Rohan Sippy Season 2: Kapil Sharma[1] |
| Country: | India |
| Language: | Hindi |
| Num Seasons: | 2 |
| Num Episodes: | 12 |
| List Episodes: | Mithya (web series)#Episodes list |
| Cinematography: | Sirsha Ray |
Mithya is an Indian Hindi-language, psychological thriller drama web series streaming on ZEE5.[2] It is directed by Rohan Sippy and produced by Applause Entertainment and Vipin Agnihotri Films.[3] The series was released on 18 February 2022[4] and stars Huma Qureshi, Avantika Dassani, Parambrata Chatterjee, Rajit Kapur and Samir Soni in pivotal roles.[5] The series is adapted from the British television show Cheat![6] Avantika Dassani made her acting debut with this series.[7] The drama was exclusively shot in St. Paul's School, Darjeeling.[8] Following the conclusion of the first season, a second season, titled Mithya: The Darker Chapter, was announced in October 2024 and premiered on 1 November 2024. Actor Naveen Kasturia joined the cast in a pivotal role.[9] [10]
Set against the picturesque backdrop of Darjeeling, this is a dark and twisted tale of truth and deception laced with numerous secrets and lies. It all starts when Juhi Adhikari, a righteous Hindi Literature professor, accuses her student, Rhea Rajguru of plagiarism in her Literature essay.
Rhea, who is the daughter of one of the top college benefactors doesn’t take this well and sets out on a journey of vengeance and violence, destroying everything in her path. What happens when an obsessed and impulsive Rhea turns Juhi’s world upside down is what follows the rest of the story.[11]
Rhea, played by Avantika Dassani, continues her quest for revenge. Discovering that Anand Tyagi is her father, she sets out to win his approval.
When Rhea finally meets Anand, she attempts to prove she's not as bad as he might think. She explains that she wasn’t actually kidnapping Yash, Juhi’s son, but was instead trying to rescue him from danger.
ZEE5 announced the launch of a trailer on 8 February 2022 and the series was released on 18 February 2022.[12] The second season was released on ZEE5 on 1 November 2024.
The series opened to mixed to positive reviews.Archika Khurana of The Times of India has given 3/5 stars stating that Huma Qureshi and Avantika Dassani's intense performances make this psychodrama an addictive thriller. All the actors made justice with their characters in terms of performance. The Darjeeling's picturesque grandeur, with overcast rains, weather, and the greenery of the Himalayan foothills, added beauty to the screenplay. The background score is effective.
Devarsi Ghosh of Hindustan Times stated that the web series should have been a tight little naughty 90-minute murder mystery. Instead of a stretched 180-minute which is the nearly same length as the British series Cheat. Series direction was in a state of nervous excitement, and anything with emotional gravity will drag Sippy down. It is watchable because of the actors' performances.[13]
Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express stated that Huma Qureshi and Avantika Dassani thriller locks in long-term guilt, and a burning desire for revenge makes it great companions for a story like this one. The tale of fatal attractions leaves us poised on an uneasy cliff-hanger and interested for another season.[14]
Yatamanyu Narain of News 18 rated it three out of five stars noting that "As a psychological thriller, the series excels in depicting the darker impulses of its characters, painting the bonds of family and ambition in shadowed hues."[15]
Kunal Kothari of iwmbuzz also gave three out of five and wrote that "It delivers on its promise of mystery and intrigue, offering a solid continuation of the original story with a fresh twist on familiar themes. While some of the plot’s shocking moments may not have the intended effect, and the pacing could use tightening, the suspenseful plot, the beauty and mystery of Darjeeling, and the powerful performances make it a worthwhile watch for fans of psychological thrillers."[16]
Rahul Desai of Hollywood Reporter India stated that "Mithya: The Darker Chapter is a grand celebration of mediocrity, a lost marble that masquerades as a fiery planet barrelling through the cinematic solar system in defiance of gravity and logic."[17]