Web Series

Meet the Real Forest Officers Who Inspired Alia Bhatt’s Backed Series – Republic World

Updated on 27 February 2024, 23:54 IST

Unknown to many, the Alia Bhatt-backed web series Poacher takes inspiration from some real-life officers who have dedicated themselves to the environment. Know them here.

Republican entertainment table

Alia Bhatt-backed Amazon Original series Poacher recently released to rave reviews. Directed by Emmy Award-winner Richie Mehta, the series explores an eco-thriller set in the dense forests of Kerala and the bustling metropolis of Delhi. A look at India’s largest ivory poaching syndicate in 2015, Poacher is a reminder of the challenges facing elephants across India.

Did you know that Poacher is inspired by real officers?

This crime drama shines the spotlight on real-life wildlife crime fighters like Jose Louis, Amit Malik, Manu Sathian, Surendra Kumar and Vivek Menon. Actors Roshan Mathew, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Nimisha Sajayani, Vinod Sharawat and Sudanwa Deshpande bring these characters to life and take inspiration from personalities dedicated to environmental and wildlife conservation.

Which actor played which real-life officer in Poacher?

Beautiful Roshan Mathew plays Allan Joseph, a tech-savvy naturalist at the Wildlife Trust of India who is skilled in data analysis and helps track down poachers. His character is inspired by Jose Luis, Chief of the Wildlife Crime Control Unit of the Wildlife Trust of India.

Dibyendu Bhattacharya plays Neil Banerjee’s character, inspired by the life of Amit Malik, an important figure in real-life wildlife crime operations. Nimisha Sajayani plays the role of Mala Jogi, a Kerala Forest Department officer who leads the field investigations. His character is mainly based on Manu Sathyan, who played an important role in the ivory poaching case in Kerala.

Vinod Sharawati portrays Kishore Kumar, who shows the efforts of Surendra Kumar, former Additional Chief Conservator of Forests (Vigilance) in Kerala. He was known for his contribution to the investigation called “Operation Shaker”.

Sudhanva Deshpande played the role of Vishal, Alan’s mentor and founder of the Wildlife Trust of India. This character is inspired by Vivek Menon, who is a well-known conservationist who leads efforts to protect Asian elephants. Menon currently serves as Vice-Chair of the IUCN-SSC and Chair of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group.