Indian Police Force (TV series)

Indian Police Force is an Indian Hindi-language action thriller[1] television series that streams on Amazon Prime Video.[2] It is created and directed by Rohit Shetty and Sushwanth Prakash.[3] Set in the Cop Universe, it is produced by Shetty under the banner of Rohit Shetty Picturez and Reliance Entertainment. It stars Sidharth Malhotra, Shilpa Shetty and Vivek Oberoi.[4] [5]

Indian Police Force
Official release poster
GenreAction-thriller
Police procedural
Created byRohit Shetty
Written bySandeep Saket
Anusha Nandakumar
Directed byRohit Shetty
Sushwanth Prakash
Sneha Shetty Kohli
Starring
Music byAkashdeep Sengupta
Lijo George-DJ Chetas
Abhishek-Ananya
Opening themeAmar Mohile
Country of originIndia
Original languageHindi
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes7
Production
ProducerRohit Shetty
CinematographyGirish Kant
Raza Hussain Mehta
EditorBunty Nagi
Camera setupMulti-camera
Running time45–50 minutes
Production companiesRohit Shetty Picturez
Reliance Entertainment
Original release
NetworkAmazon Prime Video
Release19 January 2024 (2024-01-19) –
present
Related
Cop Universe

Plot

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DCP Kabir Malik and his senior officer Joint CP Vikram Bakshi go on to investigate a series of bomb blasts in Delhi during the Delhi Police Raising Day. The serial blasts were committed by Zarar, an Indian Mujahideen (IM) terrorist, who is living under a fake identity as Haider. Vikram and Kabir stop some of the five serial blasts and are asked to collaborate with Vikram's classmate Tara Shetty, ATS Chief of Gujarat. They track down a suspect called Shadab, through sketches and witness accounts, and also learn about his hideout through an undercover officer.

Later, Kabir and Vikram decide to follow their lead without consulting Tara. However, their operation leads to an intense encounter between the agents and Zarar’s associates. Zarar takes a kid as a hostage after most of his associates are killed and Shadab is arrested; he shoots Vikram twice. Vikram succumbs to his injuries and dies. Kabir faces internal conflict with Tara and gets removed from the case. After a series of bombings in Jaipur, Kabir collaborates to investigate and his relentless pursuit leads him to suspect Zarar, who is in Darbhanga and is planning major attacks with new accomplices and financial support.

Zarar and his team prepare for the bombings, but Kabir and Tara, following some leads, manage to thwart some attacks and arrest members of Zarar’s team. However, Zarar manages to escape again and Kabir tracks Zarar to Darbhanga. Meanwhile, after the Jaipur attacks Zarar marries Nafisa, whose father was also part of Zarar's team though Nafisa and her family had no idea about the same. Later Kabir reveals Zarar's true identity to Nafeesa. She faints after knowing this as she is pregnant with Zarar's child and is taken to hospital. Zarar contacts her in the Hospital and convinces her to come to him and she agrees, but on the news, she hears that Zarar's parents are alive about which Zarar lied to her. She reveals to Kabir and his team that Zarar will pick up her in Bangladesh via train. Zarar leaves for Bangladesh and Kabir learns about his exact location through Nafisa. Kabir and Rana head for Bangladesh and meet up with Jagtap, Vikram and Tara's friend from the academy and a RAW agent.

Kabir, Rana, and Jagtap ambush Zarar and his men at the station as Zarar was waiting for Nafeesa to arrive. Jagtap also spots Rafeeq and tries to capture him, but to no avail. After a brief chase through the streets by Kabir, Zarar is captured and taken to a safe house at the India-Bangladesh border before being transported back to Delhi. Tara reunites with Kabir and Jagtap, deciding to leave for the mission of capturing IM's leader and their team, including Rafeeq, who was spotted in Kathmandu.

Cast

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Production

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Casting

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Sidharth Malhotra was cast as the lead role, and was joined by Shilpa Shetty, Shweta Tiwari, Vivek Oberoi and Nikitin Dheer.[12][13][14][15]

Development

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The series was announced by Rohit Shetty in April 2022.[16] The first look teaser featuring Sidharth Malhotra were unveiled in April 2022 on Amazon Prime Video.[17] Shilpa, Sidharth and Rohit were spotted at the Mumbai Airport before leaving for Goa, Maharashtra on 9 May 2022.[18][19]

Filming

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The series was primarily shot in Mumbai, Maharashtra, Goa, Delhi NCR, Hyderabad, Jaipur, and Dhaka.[20] The principal photography of the series started in March 2022.[21] The first schedule kickstarted in Mumbai. Filming then moved to Goa where a fight scene was shot from 12 May,[22]and ended in May 2022,[23] before Shetty left for Cape Town to shoot Khatron Ke Khiladi 12.[24] in August 2022, filming happened at Mehboob Studio in Mumbai where a fight scene was shot. In November 2022, filming happened in Delhi NCR. Filming took place at India Gate, Red Fort, Old Delhi, Lodi Gardens, Sharda University, and a song was shot at Humayun's tomb. In January 2023, filming took place at Ramoji Film City, Hyderabad where some action scenes were shot including the climax. In August 2023, a small schedule took place in Jaipur.

Release

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On 18 April 2022, Amazon Prime Video announced the series officially with a first look and teaser being released.[25] The series was released on 18 January 2024, a day ahead of its original release date.[26]

Reception

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Critical response

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Archika Khurana of The Times of India gave the series a 3/5 star rating, writing, "Despite the predictability in the storyline, Indian Police Force is recommended for its novelty in delivering a high-packed action series in the digital space. The half-hourly episode format enhances its appeal, making it a worthy watch for fans of the Cop Universe and those seeking engaging content in the web series realm."[27] Rishil Jogani of Pinkvilla gave 3/5 rating, said that "Indian Police Force is a typical Rohit Shetty style show which has the merits and demerits that each of his previous films possess. For those who admire his kind of cinema, watching the series becomes an absolute no-brainer."[28]

Trisha Bhattacharya of India Today gave a mixed review of 2.5/5 stars, writing, "The narrative, though riveting, occasionally succumbs to predictability, relying on well-worn tropes of the crime thriller genre. The series could benefit from more innovative storytelling choices and plot twists to elevate it beyond the standard fare."[29] Aishwarya Vasudevan at OTTplay gave 2.5/5 rating, stating that "When it comes to the world of police dramas, Indian Police Force makes an effort to carve out a certain place for itself; nonetheless, it doesn't seem like the roaring patrol car that is synonymous with other cop films by Rohit Shetty. The series fails to reach the heart-pounding crescendo that the Cop Universe is known for."[30]

Deepa Galhot of Rediff.com gave 2/5 rating, stating that "Rohit Shetty's strengths have been action and humour; the former he delivers in spades, but the latter is totally lacking in Indian Police Force."[31] Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave a negative review of 1.5/5 rating, writing, "Rohit Shetty has spread over seven episodes the things he does in two-and-a-half-hours of his blockbuster cop sagas -- evil Muslim terrorists balanced by brave Muslim cops, clunky plots to demolish innocent lives, and scores of cars and jeeps cartwheeling in the air."[32]

Devansh Sharma of Hindustan Times said that "Rohit Shetty's streaming debut is wired very differently from his tentpole movies, but that doesn't imply it's any better."[33] Shilajit Mitra of The Hindu gave a verdict "Though less bombastic than his action features, ‘Indian Police Force’ registers little forward momentum in Shetty’s cinematic style; the cop universe has reached maximum entropy."[34]

References

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  1. ^ "Indian Police Force". British Board of Film Classification. Archived from the original on 20 January 2024. Retrieved 20 January 2024. INDIAN POLICE FORCE is a Hindi-language action thriller series; in this episode, the net closes in on Zarar.
  2. ^ "Rohit Shetty: I want to make 'Indian Police Force' a big international show". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Rohit Shetty on Indian Police Force: Want to make the biggest show". 28 April 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  4. ^ Yadav, Prerna (20 April 2022). "Indian Police Force: Rohit Shetty's cop universe goes digital with Sidharth Malhotra; watch FIRST glimpse". www.indiatvnews.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Sidharth Malhotra, Rohit Shetty, Shilpa Shetty's 'Indian Police Force' Proves Major Hit for Prime Video (EXCLUSIVE) – Global Bulletin". variety. February 2024.
  6. ^ "Indian Police Force: Vivek Oberoi Is "Most Experienced" Officer In Rohit Shetty's Squad". NDTV.com. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Isha Talwar Talks About Her Role in Rohit Shetty's Indian Police Force; Reveals Mirzapur 3 Gave Her A 'Power Trip' | Exclusive". 24 June 2023. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  8. ^ "Shweta Tiwari to star in Rohit Shetty's web show". Tribuneindia News Service. Archived from the original on 3 February 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  9. ^ "Sharad Kelkar on being a part of Indian Police Force: If you work in Rohit Shetty's film or series, you will get the maximum viewership". Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  10. ^ a b c "Indian Police Force teaser: Rohit Shetty set to unleash more explosions, toss even more cars into air in Prime Video's biggest Indian series". The Indian Express. 16 December 2023. Archived from the original on 1 January 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2024.
  11. ^ "'India Police Force': Vibhuti Thakur Roped In To Star In Rohit Shetty's Web Series". outlookindia.com. 3 May 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  12. ^ Jha, Lata (23 April 2022). "Sidharth Malhotra to star in new Amazon Prime Video original". mint. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Shilpa Shetty is the first female cop in Rohit Shetty's cop universe, joins OTT series Indian Police Force". 24 April 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  14. ^ "Vivek Oberoi to star alongside Sidharth Malhotra & Shilpa Shetty in Rohit Shetty's 'India Police Force'". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  15. ^ "Nikitin Dheer, Kratika Sengar Dheer welcome baby girl". 12 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  16. ^ Ramachandran, Naman (20 April 2022). "Rohit Shetty, Sidharth Malhotra Team up for 'Indian Police Force' Amazon Prime Video Series". Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  17. ^ "Wow! Rohit Shetty Announces His Cop Universe Action-Packed Series, 'Indian Police Force' With Sidharth Malhotra- WATCH | SpotboyE". www.spotboye.com. Archived from the original on 21 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  18. ^ "Sidharth Malhotra & Rohit Shetty make a stylish appearance as they leave for Indian Police Force shoot; PICS". PINKVILLA. 6 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  19. ^ "Shilpa Shetty serves street style as she's snapped at the airport". filmfare.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  20. ^ "Rohit Shetty's series Indian Police Force with Sidharth Malhotra to be shot in Goa -Exclusive!". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 31 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Watch: Rohit Shetty announces action-packed series 'Indian Police Force' starring Sidharth Malhotra". Free Press Journal. Archived from the original on 8 January 2023. Retrieved 21 June 2022.
  22. ^ "Sidharth Malhotra gets hurt on Indian Police Force sets: 'Rohit Shetty's action hero equals to real sweat, real blood'". 15 May 2022. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  23. ^ "Rohit Shetty praises Sidharth Malhotra as he aces action sequences in Indian Police Force". filmfare.com. Archived from the original on 12 August 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  24. ^ Kanabar, Nirali (13 May 2022). "Rohit Shetty to head to South Africa for Khatron Ke Khiladi 12 on May 27? All you need to know". India Today. Archived from the original on 16 June 2022. Retrieved 12 August 2022.
  25. ^ "Rohit Shetty teams up with Amazon Prime Video with new series". The New Indian Express. 21 April 2022. Archived from the original on 23 May 2022. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  26. ^ "Rohit Shetty's 7-part series 'Indian Police Force' starring Sidharth Malhotra gets a release date". Mid Day. 21 October 2023. Archived from the original on 21 October 2023. Retrieved 21 October 2023.
  27. ^ "Indian Police Force Season 1 Review: Rohit Shetty's 70 mm cop universe fits perfectly in the small screen too". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  28. ^ "Indian Police Force Review: Sidharth Malhotra-Rohit Shetty-Sushwanth Prakash show rides on the action and emotions". Pinkvilla. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  29. ^ "Indian Police Force' Review: Sidharth Malhotra's web series is riveting yet cliched". India Today. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  30. ^ "Indian Police Force Review: Rohit Shetty's web series led by Sidharth Malhotra is the hard case of missing 'main character energy'". OTTplay. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024. Indian Police Force fails the Rohit Shetty spark, which he boasts in his Cop Universe.
  31. ^ "Indian Police Force Review: This Is No Singham!". Rediff.com. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  32. ^ "Indian Police Force Review: Rohit Shetty, Sidharth Malhotra show is all surface, minimal depth". The Indian Express. 19 January 2024. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  33. ^ "Indian Police Force Review: Rohit Shetty goes long, but not higher in debut web series with Sidharth Malhotra". Hindustan Times. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
  34. ^ Mitra, Shilajit (19 January 2024). "'Indian Police Force' series review: More cops from Rohit Shetty". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 19 January 2024. Retrieved 19 January 2024.
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