Sony LIV’s upcoming series 13: Some Lessons Aren’t Taught in the Classroom, releasing on October 1, brings together actors Gagan Dev Riar and Paresh Pahuja in a heartfelt story about mentorship, gratitude and second chances. In an exclusive Zoom call with the Free Press Journal, the duo opened up about what drew them to the project, the challenges of portraying characters across timelines, and why they believe this slice-of-life drama will resonate with audiences looking for hope amid the noise of thrillers and mysteries.

For both Gagan and Paresh, the script itself was the first hook. Gagan recalls his first reaction as finding it “very fresh” and a retelling of a familiar world in a new way. Paresh echoes the sentiment, saying, “My first reaction was wow, it’s a good script. Everything around me thenwas only about thrillers and murder mysteries. I wanted to see something hopeful, and this felt like the kind of show I wanted to watch myself.”

The story follows Ritesh, who leaves behind a fast-paced venture capital world to stand by his mentor, MT Sir. Paresh, who plays Ritesh, connected deeply with this dual journey. “Ritesh has two timelines, and I’ve been in both. One is the version that tries to do everything on its own, isolating himself. The other is somebody in a position to offer value to someone else. I want to build that sense of community myself, to give back to younger artists.”

For Gagan, who plays the mentor figure, the inspiration came directly from meeting Mohit Tyagi, the real-life reference for his character. “What was visible to me when I met him was the honesty about his ideology. Why does he want to do what he’s doing. I borrowed that heavily from him while portraying the role,” Gagan said.

The mentor-mentee rehearsals and organic growth on set shaped the mentor-mentee dynamic between the two actors. Workshops with the director and writer helped them define body language and chemistry, especially since the show switches between timelines spanning nearly 15 years. “We had to rehearse how body language changes as you grow older,” Gagan shared. Paresh added that their creative team was instrumental in fine-tuning these nuances. “We had an amazing creator-writer, Sameer, producer-showrunner Abhishek, who is from IIT, and Nishal, who was particular about every detail. It was like he was engineering the actors.”

When asked about challenging scenes, Paresh pointed to the one featured in the trailer. “The first scene itself has a huge outburst, and that was a tough one. That’s how the show begins, and then you explore why.” For Gagan, the difficulty lay in maintaining the subtle physical differences between the two timelines. “To show a change from 35 to 45 years, where you’re settled in your skin, was technically challenging.”

Both actors agree that personal experiences fuel their performances. “Acting is nothing but relating,” Gagan said. “It has to come from some experience, either yours or someone close.” Paresh added, “The more personal it is, the more universal it becomes. If I don’t feel it myself, I know the audience won’t either.”

For Gagan, stepping into this role after Scam 2003 and A Suitable Boy was also a way to break away from typecasting. “Unfortunately, people thought that since I played Telgi, I’m fit for negative characters. This role came as a breath of fresh air, and I hope people see there are other kinds of performances I can do.” Paresh, meanwhile, sees the show as a beacon of hope. 

“There’s already enough negativity around us, from newspapers to Instagram. This series will make someone feel a little good about this world. It’s about possibilities.”

The actors also reflected on the larger landscape of Indian entertainment. Both believe the space is now more open to nuanced stories about education, ambition and human connection. “This is the best time to tell these stories,” Paresh said. “Tried and tested things don’t always work. Sometimes the most unpredictable stories succeed.”

On lessons outside the classroom, both agreed that real life offers the most important ones. “A classroom is just preparation,” Paresh said. “The real lesson begins when you step out.” If not actors, Paresh imagines himself in some creative field or as a startup entrepreneur, while Gagan joked he could be a chorus singer in films.

On mentors in real life, Paresh admitted he has always looked up to Gagan. “When I first saw him on stage in Piya Behrupiya, I was blown away. Working with him now feels like I manifested it.” For Gagan, filmmaker Hansal Mehta and director Mira Nair have been his guiding lights, teaching him how to carry on with passion despite setbacks.

As the series gears up for its release, both actors are hopeful that it will strike a chord. “It’s a slice of life kind of story. It will definitely ring some bell somewhere in your body,” Gagan summed up.