Inspector Avinash S2 Review: Randeep Hooda Adds Heart To An Otherwise Formulaic Cop Saga

Inspector Avinash Season 2

Streaming on: Jio Hotstar

Cast: Randeep Hooda, Abhimanyu Singh, Amit Siyal & more

Directed By: Neerraj Pathak

Rating: 3/5 stars

After the success of the first season, Inspector Avinash returns with bigger conspiracies, darker emotions and a far more personal battle for its central hero. Season 2 does not attempt to reinvent the cop-thriller genre, nor does it pretend to be a subtle study of morality and justice. It is loud, dramatic, packed with shootouts, political conspiracies, betrayals and encounter operations. Yet despite all its flaws, the series manages to remain engaging because it understands exactly what kind of story it wants to tell.

A return to chaos, crime and collapsing loyalties

This season places STF officer Avinash Mishra in the middle of an expanding weapons cartel linked to gangsters Sheikh and Devikant Trivedi. But unlike the previous season, the danger now reaches his home too. His son lands in legal trouble after being accused of murder, his marriage begins to crack under pressure, and the system he works for slowly starts turning against him.

The result is a season that constantly moves between gang wars, emotional breakdowns, police operations and political manipulation. Sometimes it becomes too crowded for its own good, but the momentum rarely stops long enough for the audience to completely disconnect.

The story keeps moving, even when it loses direction

One thing the new season gets right is pace. Every episode introduces a fresh crisis, a new betrayal or another operation gone wrong. The storytelling runs on urgency, which works well for binge viewing. The makers keep the narrative active enough to maintain interest, especially during the first few episodes and the final stretch.

The opening itself throws viewers directly into chaos. Avinash finds himself accused in a controversial case involving the deaths of innocent students, immediately setting the tone for the season. From there, the show spirals into overlapping investigations, cartel operations, hidden alliances and emotional turmoil.

However, the screenplay struggles with consistency. The biggest issue with Season 2 is not the lack of ideas but the inability to fully develop them. Several tracks begin with genuine promise but disappear midway or receive rushed conclusions. A few subplots feel like they exist only to increase scale rather than deepen the narrative. The Nepal angle, for instance, arrives with intrigue and importance but eventually fades away without leaving much impact. Certain side characters are introduced with dramatic buildup only to become irrelevant later. Instead of carefully exploring existing conflicts, the series often jumps towards another new crisis.

Because of this, the storytelling occasionally feels scattered. The show keeps adding layers without always tying them together effectively. There are moments where it feels like three different crime dramas are unfolding at once.

The emotional core works better than expected

Interestingly, the strongest portions of the season are not always the action scenes. The emotional conflict surrounding Avinash and his family adds surprising weight to the narrative.

The father-son angle becomes one of the most effective parts of the season. Watching a cop known for handling criminals and dangerous operations struggle helplessly when his own son gets accused creates genuine tension. The show becomes less about encounters and more about whether Avinash can separate his role as an officer from his responsibilities as a father.

His relationship with wife Poonam also adds emotional depth at several points. There is exhaustion in their marriage, frustration built over years of fear and instability, and moments where both characters feel emotionally cornered. A sequence where Poonam leaves home with their son after his arrest stands out because it feels grounded amidst all the exaggerated drama around it.

The camaraderie within the STF team also works naturally. The officers joke, argue and support each other in a way that feels believable. These scenes bring warmth to the otherwise chaotic narrative and prevent the show from becoming emotionally hollow.

Unfortunately, even these moments do not receive enough breathing space. Just when the emotional tension begins to settle in, the screenplay quickly shifts towards another chase, encounter or conspiracy.

Randeep Hooda carries the series on his shoulders

The biggest reason Randeep Hooda keeps the show watchable is that he fully understands the world of Inspector Avinash. He does not play the character like an invincible action hero. Instead, he gives Avinash roughness, exhaustion and emotional vulnerability.

Whether he is delivering aggressive confrontations, emotional scenes involving his family or quieter moments of internal conflict, Hooda remains convincing throughout. His command over the local dialect adds authenticity to the character, making him feel rooted within the setting instead of overly stylised. Even some of the exaggerated dialogues land because of the conviction with which Hooda delivers them.

Amit Sial performs effectively as Sheikh, bringing calm menace to the political-criminal network. Abhimanyu Singh delivers one of the stronger performances of the season as Devikant Trivedi. His unpredictability and intimidating screen presence make the character genuinely threatening.

Urvashi Rautela gets more emotional material this season and performs with surprising restraint in several scenes. While the writing still limits her character in many places, she manages to leave an impact during the family-focused moments.

Shalin Bhanot also performs sincerely, especially in scenes involving friendship and loyalty within the STF circle. However, not every character receives equal attention. A few supporting roles feel underdeveloped despite having strong actors attached to them. Some subplots could have been removed entirely without affecting the larger narrative.

Direction chooses mass entertainment

Director Neerraj Pathak clearly understands the flavour of storytelling this series is aiming for. Instead of turning Inspector Avinash into a restrained, realistic police procedural, he embraces old-school mass entertainment.

The show thrives on dramatic entries, larger-than-life confrontations, political conspiracies and emotionally charged dialogues. It constantly tries to maintain an atmosphere of tension and aggression.

At times, this approach works well. The world feels volatile and dangerous. The dusty backdrop of 1990s Uttar Pradesh adds texture to the story, while the gangster-politician nexus creates enough intrigue to sustain the larger conflict.

But the same dramatic style also creates inconsistency. Certain action sequences become unintentionally over-the-top, especially during a few encounter operations. Some confrontations feel more focused on hero elevation than realism.

The writing also repeatedly falls back on familiar North Indian crime-drama clichés. There are smoky rooms filled with gangsters, loud statements about the system, corrupt politicians and endless conversations about loyalty and betrayal. None of it feels particularly fresh.

Yet the series somehow remains entertaining because it commits fully to its tone instead of trying to appear sophisticated.

Strong visuals and background score elevate weak writing

Technically, the show delivers a mixed experience. The cinematography is easily one of its strongest aspects. The visuals successfully capture the rough, chaotic atmosphere of the setting. Wide shots, aerial frames and dusty landscapes give the series scale and help maintain the gritty tone.

The background score also works effectively during emotional and action-heavy moments. It amplifies tension without becoming overly distracting.

However, the editing feels uneven in several episodes. Certain scenes end abruptly, while transitions between emotional drama and action sometimes feel awkwardly stitched together. The pacing remains fast, but not always smooth.

Sound design too becomes inconsistent at points. Sudden audio shifts and patchy dubbing occasionally pull viewers out of important scenes.

Another noticeable issue is the handling of female characters. Most women in the narrative either function as emotional triggers, informers or victims affected by male decisions. Apart from a few moments involving Poonam, the writing rarely gives its women independent depth or agency.

Final Verdict

This is the kind of show you watch for energy rather than depth. It may not always make sense, but it rarely stops moving.

For viewers who enjoy loud, gritty North Indian crime sagas filled with political conspiracies, encounter operations and emotional family drama, Inspector Avinash Season 2 delivers enough entertainment to justify the binge.