With fiery passion, noted writer-director Neeraj Pathak defends both his real and reel character Inspector Avinash. With the second season of Inspector Avinash emerging as number one on Jio+Hotstar, he is overwhelmed by the response. His Instagram feed is inundated with a unanimous query; when do we get Season 3?In times when streaming platforms have a surfeit of cop dramas, he thinks Inspector Avinash has touched a chord because of its larger than life presentation and high entertainment value. In one line he sums up his directorial signature as, “Massy OTT entertainer.” For the uninitiated, he shares that Inspector Avinash, a real flesh and blood person, is as entertaining as his reel counterpart. His first meeting with the encounter specialist was as intriguing where he not only met the super-cop but also his web of informants which he refers to in his series as ‘maayajaal.’ The permission for screen adaptation of his dramatic life when he singlehandedly made criminals in Uttar Pradesh fear him and the law back in 1990s too was given as dramatically; on a napkin.Casting Randeep Hooda for the titular part was a no brainer for Neeraj who has previously worked with another fine actor Irrfan Khan. He remembers the god of acting very fondly and reveals how Irrfan was a friend whom he directed in a television drama AnuGoonj much before he became The Irrfan. Yet another actor who figures on his ‘My Favourites List’ is Jattvibeny Deol. Not only has he worked with him in Bhaiaji Superhit but also written their home production Apne.When Neeraj landed in Mumbai he always knew he wanted to be a director who is essentially a storyteller. Writing seemed the ideal way to start his journey. He proclaims, ‘patriotism is in my blood’ and the deshbhakt in him has written Pardes and intends to write and direct a patriotic actioner soon. Not because Dhurandhar has created magic on box office but since, “It’s important to instil among our youth a sense of pride in their nation.” His idea of nationalism is not narrow and includes tales of unsung heroes like Inspector Avinash. The series might begin with a cocky Randeep Hooda as Inspector Avinash posing a teaser, ‘What do you think, am I hero or a villain,’ in Neeraj’s eyes his lead is undoubtedly a hero. Encounter killings might be seen as unethical by those who take a high moral ground, but Neeraj insists, “Often, especially, when it comes to heinous crimes, such kind of vigilantism becomes a necessary evil.”Those of you who may have given Inspector Avinash a miss, he beseeches, “Watch it not just for Randeep’s aura but also to see how I have balanced a gritty tale of realism with ingredients of a potboiler.”The freedom that OTT provides has made him more fearless and equally responsible. While on OTT the principle of self-censorship works, he feels today even the CBFC is not that restrictive and live example of that is Dhurandhar. He adds, “They have let brutality and abusive language pass and gave it an A certificate. Repugnant violence, I think is sometimes necessary to evoke disgust against criminals. Today’s audience is mature and no one takes away lessons on violence from a film/ series.”As Neeraj recreates the world of policing, his celluloid interpretation earns him seven offers of biopics on police persons. If his cop of 1990s were to talk to today’s police, he would tell them to control crime and take their role responsibly. Meanwhile, Neeraj is paying heed to his moral compass. To fans of his series, he promises that when he gets down to the inevitable Season 3 of Inspector Avinash he will not get caught in the trap of monotony and mediocrity. Only, reality will come with generous tadka of masala entertainment.