Supernatural Thriller 'Inspector Rishi' Leaves Audiences Spellbound With Its Gripping Plot

Tamil investigative thriller "Inspector Rishi", has left viewers impressed and asking for more. Set in the backdrop of the forest of Thaenkaadu, near Coimbatore, a series of inexplicable murders coincide with a series of supernatural occurrences. In his quest to find the objective truth or in this case, the lack of it, Inspector Rishi (Naveen Chandra) finds himself in a complex web of intrigue, conspiracy, and an unforeseen force.

Creator JS Nandini confesses she is rather overwhelmed with the response to the same.

"We all wished for it, but we kind of expected it to pick up a little late, as we thought compared to the other biggies in the industry as well as the big billed projects and films which were being released, we thought people first watch those and in our case, we will have to depend on word of mouth, which will take time to spread. But to hear people talking about it instantly and within days of getting such feedback feels wonderful."

Naveen Chandra plays the titular character of Inspector Rishi. A rational-minded officer who refuses to comply with locals and their theories that a malevolent spirit has caused the deaths. As he starts investigating the murders he is caught in a maze, and also finds himself dealing with his troubled past, which had left him with just one eye.

Naveen admits he was drawn to the fact that the series was being shot in a forest since he is known to spend time a lot of his time alone in the wilderness.

"Nandini ji called me and said I would like you to play this part, which I feel is good for you. When she sent me the pitch and I saw it meant spending weeks in a dense forest, I was convinced this was written for me. I also loved the aesthetics of the show, and just the collective energy on set was awesome".

However, 'Inspector Rishi' goes beyond just being an investigative thriller, as it also addresses several political, and socio-cultural issues. From the impact of tribal relocation, homophobia as well as animal abuse. JS Nandini weaves a comprehensive even though sometimes slow narrative, but the director gives each one of her characters, some room to breathe, as the many subplots come together to form a whole.

"The supernatural versus the science of reality has always intrigued me and is something I have been questioning all my life. In my immediate family there have been people who have had supernatural experiences, and on the other hand, there are those who are sceptical about it as well.

I was very curious to know what is the real truth. I wanted to know if there is a force that governs us or if are we merely dealing with our psychological problems, that we can sense and see things which others cannot. Those questions got me interested in the horror genre.

Then the other horror of society, what humans are capable of inflicting on others, be it their own, animals or even the environment which feeds them, is what I wanted to question through the series. So, I wrote it from the heart and through these characters let those watching feel for them, resonate with them or even question them", says JS Nandini.

But her lead actor Naveen says he likes dabbling in both medium, long form as well as feature films.

"It does not matter if it is a series or a film, our job is to act and perform and take responsibility for the director and writer's vision and what they have imagined and execute the same. At the end of the day, both medium series or films are dependent on stories, writers and the director as well as the actors. It's a collaborative effort".

Naveen Chandra who made his debut in the Telugu film "Sambhavami Yuge Yuge", in 2006, and made his Tamil debut with 'Pazhaniappa Kallori', has been steadily building his repertoire as an actor. He garnered rave reviews for the 2012 Telugu film "Andala Rakshasi', which also brought him into the spotlight.

The actor will be next seen in Shankar's much-awaited Ram Charan starrer 'Game Changer'. So, what beans can he spill?

"I cannot say much as yet, we are still shooting. We released the song "Jaragandi" recently and the response has been stupendous. We garnered a million views within minutes. It's been great working with Shankar Sir, Ram Charan Kiara, and the other actors. It's honestly been a dream come true for me since I was a fan of Shankar Sir's films such as Gentleman when I was a child. Today when he comes to me and it's his hand on my shoulders and explains the scenes, I cannot tell you how great feels. I am very excited and we will be announcing the release date soon".

So, will we see a Season 2?

'Let's hope so', say JS Nandini and Naveen in unison.

Inspector Rishi Is streaming on Prime Video.