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BOLLYWOOD SPECIAL JUNE 02, 2023 | The Indian Eye 41

do it on my trust. Today, he is being
praised as this being one of his best
roles and people are looking forward
to him as equal as Randeep. Other
cast, the STF team Shaleen Bhanot,
Ajay Chaudhary, Harjinder, Praveen
Sisodiya ji, Shantanu Chhaparia,
all these guys made STF look very
real. Then, of course, we have Rahul
Mittra ji, my close friend and broth-
er. We had met few months back and
he had told me few years back, ‘Neer-
raj, I want to act.’ So, I just looked at
him and before I had started writing,
I have something for you. He played
Jagjivan Ram, the MLA with a swag
and with little naughtiness. A lot of
compliments, he is getting, and some
people even told me that he is a very
cute villain. So, the chubbiness in his
face and his smile worked for the
character. Then, Every small charac-
ter was written beautifully. So, I think
the writing and the right casting has
done the job. The casting team has
worked very hard, and the result is
for all of us to enjoy.
Though it tells the story of UP in the
90s, do you think the story also reso-
nates with the present social climate in
UP or India?
This show has been set up in the The director with Randeep Hooda on the shooting location
90s, but it is relevant in today’s set up
also. I think the crime, politics, hu- IMDb rating, which is phenomenal. which are running parallel, but it was relationship, bond, and romance.
man bond and a police officer trying My show is picking up and growing. a difficult task to justify all the char- Primarily, I will give it to the brilliant
to curb crime made in any era, any With so much content now avail- acters. You will be shocked to know writing.
language, any culture will resonate able on TV, films and OTT platforms, that there are small and big, more What is your next project?
with people and audiences. what is the key to get the attention of than 250 characters in the show. With the kind of phenomenal
My show is primarily a police the audience? Out of which, 60 or 70 are perhaps success, we are witnessing, I have be-
crime show that is set up in a real sce- OTT, yes, there is vast content prominent roles with 20 being the come little numb and calm. I want to
nario. It is based on the real-life char- now available to the audience. They main roles. But thanks to the writing accept this with lot of humility. I am
acter who had his flaws and heroism. have many things to watch, lots of team and my experience as a writer working on lot of projects. This show
A character who gave his life, going movies are there, so many series are for last 20-25 years, helped me cre- is produced by my company Gold
behind criminals but he also reformed there on OTT. But I think any series ate this kind of a unique form where Mountain Pictures and Jio Studio has
many criminals. He did encounter of which hooks the audience and keep you are connected with each charac- presented it. They have given me the
150 criminals officially, but he re- them on edge of the seat is that which ter, yet Randeep is leading the cast. chance to grow and show my talent. I
formed almost 500 criminals. Those can connect with them culturally or This is his story, but it is not only his want to produce many more movies
reformed criminals became his force in a socio-political way. story, small character or even small and shows; so I am working on var-
of informers that he called fondly as Inspector Avinash is a hard-hitting dra- one-minute appearances are being ious scripts. I have worked on cou-
Mayajaal. Whenever he used to get ma with a dose of humour and sattire. appreciated by the people. They are ple of very good scripts. So, I think
stuck in a case, this Mayajaal force, How did you strike the balance and how remembering Pinky, Binny, our own in a few months’ time you will hear
his informers were his backbone. I challenging it was to write and direct it? Rahul Ji’s character Jagjivan, which from my company and especially me
think different characters, entertain- People are getting entertained are smaller in comparison to lead ac- about couple of movies and web se-
ment, the humour, various kind of because of the humour, action and tors. I forgot to talk about Adhyayan ries. I am planning to expand and do
tracks on romance, father son rela- a its complete package. As we say Suman, who is playing Shashi Bhu- more because I have lots of stories
tionship, grand locales and above all in India, we love the food in a tha- shan, and Freddy Daruwala who are trying to come out of my head, with
it is shot well, have made it a treat to li, we love all kind of entertainment, political brothers. They are present- the right team and blessings of God.
the eyes. The one-liner dialogues are and this show is rightly balanced with ing the political class, and its associ- I also want to thank media, espe-
amazing, and you can feel that you a perfectly blended script. I would ated royalty. The kind of grace, they cially Rahul Mittra Ji who has been
have transcended and travelled into say that it was not easy, but I was are bringing to the characters is phe- a big support system for me. He has
that world and era which is working clear with what I wanted to cater to nomenal. So, I am very lucky to have been loving me, unconditionally, as a
with the audience. Of course, all the my audience. I did not want a single all of them, all having trust in me and brother. Whenever I sit with him, I
performances are highly rated and intense cop drama, I did not want a giving me the complete authority really feel he is my brother because
that is why we have got amazing rat- slow burner, a kind of binge watch. and freedom as a captain. They were he gives me that kind of love and af-
ing in IMDb. We have just done 7 I wanted a fast-paced show, multiple not at all insecure, that is the biggest fection. He has great knowledge of
days of the show, more episodes are characters with all characters having quality icon of this team. That is how branding and how you should create
yet to come. Even before the telecast their beginning and the end. I was I could deliver this beautiful blend your brand. So, I am putting all that
of 8th episode, we have got 8.4 or 8.5 sure that there must be many stories of humour, satire, politics, crime, to my best use.

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