Neeraj Pathak, the writer-director behind the Randeep Hooda-starrer Inspector Avinash, has opened up about the show's second season and shared his honest thoughts on where Indian streaming stands today.
In a space crowded with real-life crime stories, Inspector Avinash has managed to do something most shows and even films have shied away from until recently: use real names. The show names both its protagonist, Avinash Mishra, and the dreaded-UP gangster Shriprakash Shukla, without hiding behind fictional alternatives.
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Why Neeraj Pathak Chose To Use Real Names
For Pathak, the decision was rooted in authenticity. "In UP, these stories were newspaper headlines. I wanted to make the audience feel they are in the UP of 90s. So, if I used one real name, that helped the audience believe everything else was real, too," he said.
Using a real gangster's name in India is not without its risks, given how quickly legal cases can be filed. But Pathak stood firm on his creative call. "Nobody wants to get stuck in legal tangles. But if I don't name the person for whom the STF was formed for authenticity, then the entire story seems pointless," he explained. "A CM was the target of a hit job, a criminal grew so big, so if I don't name him, I should not make the show. So, I decided we will see what will happen."
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Neeraj Pathak On OTT Formula Problem
Beyond the show itself, Pathak also reflected on how the Indian OTT landscape has changed since its early days. In his view, the freshness that once defined streaming content has given way to a repetitive pattern.
"Now you feel that everything is the same in the OTT space, the same format, same formula," he said. "Give the hero a negative trait. There are written books of that formula of what traits a hero should have."
That said, he is not entirely dismissive of the trend. "I feel all these things are good because everything should be discussed. But ultimately, every formula is made to be broken. Success can come from anywhere," he added.
Inspector Avinash Season 2 is streaming on JioHotstar from May 15, three years after Season 1 first aired. It stars Randeep Hooda alongside Urvashi Rautela, Amit Sial, Shalin Bhanot, Rahul Mittra, Zakir Hussain, Ayeesha S. Aiman, Zohaeb Farooqui, Bidita Bag, Pravin Sisodia, Rajneesh Duggal, and Ajay Chaudhary.