View source for Avrodh: The Siege Within

{{short description|Indian military drama web-television series}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox television
| country        = India
| company        = [[Applause Entertainment]]<br/>Irada Entertainment<br/>Mehra Entertainment
| last_aired     = {{End date|2022|06|23|df=y}}
| first_aired    = {{Start date|2020|07|30|df=y}}
| network        = [[SonyLIV]]
| editor         =
| cinematography = Shanu Singh Rajput
| location       = India
| language       = Hindi
| image          = Avrodh.jpg
| composer       = Nirmal Pandya
| writer         = {{ubl|Harmanjeet Singha|Sudeep Nigam|Abhishek Chatterjee|Aadhar Khurana}}
| starring       =
| director       = Raj Acharya
| creator        =
| runtime        = 23–25 minutes
| based_on       = [[2016 Uri attack]]<br/>[[2016 Indian Line of Control strike|Indian Line of Control strike]]<br/>{{Based on|''India's Most Fearless''|[[Shiv Aroor]] and Rahul Singh}}
| genre          =
| caption        =
| num_seasons    = 2
| num_episodes   = 18
}}
'''''Avrodh: The Siege Within''''' is an Indian [[Hindi]]-language [[military drama]] [[streaming television]] series which premiered on [[Sony Liv|SonyLIV]] on 31 July 2020.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Jain|first=Arushi|date=2020-07-31|title=Avrodh The Siege Within review: An interesting web series on 2016 surgical strike|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/avrodh-review-amit-sadh-neeraj-kabi-sonyliv-6531321/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-31|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> The series, directed by Raj Acharya and produced by [[Applause Entertainment]], Irada Entertainment and Mehra Entertainment, is a retelling of the 2016 [[2016 Uri attack|Uri attack]] and the [[2016 Indian Line of Control strike|alleged strike by Indian forces]] across the [[Line of Control]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1">{{Cite web|last=Ramnath|first=Nandini|date=31 July 2020|title='Avrodh' review: Show about 2016 surgical strike goes beyond Line of Control in more ways than one|url=https://scroll.in/reel/968727/avrodh-review-show-about-2016-surgical-strike-goes-beyond-line-of-control-in-more-ways-than-one|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-31|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US}}</ref> It is based on a chapter from the book ''India’s Most Fearless'' by [[Shiv Aroor]] and [[Rahul Singh (actor)|Rahul Singh]].<ref name=":1" /> A [[standalone sequel]], titled ''[[Avrodh: The Siege Within 2]],'' was released in June 2022.<ref>{{Cite news |title='Avrodh 2: The Siege Within' to release on June 24 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/news/hindi/avrodh-2-the-siege-within-to-release-on-june-24/articleshow/92076509.cms |access-date=2022-08-10 |website=The Times of India |language=en}}</ref>
== About ==
''Avrodh'' is based on the chapter "We Don’t Really Know Fear" from Shiv Aroor and Rahul Singh's ''India's Most Fearless''.<ref name=":5">{{Cite news|last=Alexander|first=Deepa|date=2020-07-31|title='Avrodh' review: An ensemble cast takes on terrorism in this military drama on Uri|language=en-IN|work=The Hindu|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/avrodh-review-an-ensemble-cast-takes-on-terrorism-in-this-military-drama-on-uri/article32236860.ece|access-date=2020-08-07|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The first seven episodes of the nine-part series delve into the planning of the strike, while the last two cover the strike itself.<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|last=Maru|first=Vibha|date=31 July 2020|title=Avrodh The Siege Within Review: Neeraj Kabi, Amit Sadh go back to Uri 2016 in new series|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/binge-watch/story/avrodh-the-siege-within-review-neeraj-kabi-amit-sadh-go-back-to-uri-2016-in-new-series-1706071-2020-07-30|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref> Each episode has an effective runtime of 23 to 25 minutes.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|last=Vats|first=Rohit|date=31 July 2020|title=Avrodh The Siege Within Review: Setting the Record Straight Across the LOC|url=https://www.news18.com/news/movies/avrodh-the-siege-within-review-setting-the-record-straight-across-the-loc-2745997.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=News18}}</ref> While the planning continues at the highest levels of government in [[New Delhi]], the mission is kept secret from even the senior most ministers.<ref name=":3" /> The story covers the death of a militant leader, [[Burhan Wani]], and the aftermath,<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|last=Paul|first=Shreya|date=2020-07-30|title=Avrodh: The Siege Within review — SonyLIV series presents a riveting portrayal of 2016 Uri attack sans hyper-nationalism|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/avrodh-the-siege-within-review-sonyliv-series-presents-a-riveting-portrayal-of-2016-uri-attack-sans-hyper-nationalism-8649191.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=Firstpost}}</ref> the functioning of militant and terrorist groups in Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistan's involvement in cross border attacks, international pressure, and even the domestic bureaucratic angle and how journalists fit into the picture.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> The weapons that were part of the alleged cross-border strike is seen, including [[M4A1]]s, [[IMI Galil|Galils]] and [[Tar-21|TAR-21]]s.<ref name=":5" />
=== Promotion ===
Promotion of the web-series was done though a trailer showcasing battle scenes and important decisions being taken in the halls of power at [[Raisina Hill]].<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|last=Shukla|first=Nehal|date=31 July 2020|title=Review – 'Avrodh: The Siege Within' narrates a captivating story|url=https://www.adgully.com/review--avrodh-the-siege-within-narrates-a-captivating-story-95310.html|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=ADgully|language=en-US}}</ref> Extensive digital promotion took place, including a virtual press conference and social media promotion.<ref name=":6" /> Along with promotion on ''[[The Kapil Sharma Show]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-09|title=The Kapil Sharma Show: Avrodh cast to grace the stage|url=https://indianexpress.com/photos/entertainment-gallery/kapil-sharma-show-avrodh-cast-amit-sadh-6537611/|access-date=2020-08-10|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=न्यूज़|first=एबीपी|date=2020-08-08|title=वेब सीरीज 'अवरोध' के लिए ऐसे की थी अमित साध ने तैयारी, कपिल के शो में दिए सीरीज से जुड़े सवालों के जवाब|url=https://www.abplive.com/entertainment/amit-sadh-gains-12kgs-for-web-series-avrodh-the-siege-within-revealed-on-the-kapil-sharma-show-1518497|access-date=2020-08-10|website=www.abplive.com|language=hi}}</ref>
== Cast ==
* [[Amit Sadh]] as [[Major (rank)|Major]] Videep Singh, team leader ([[Para (Special Forces)|Para SF]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Vikram Gokhale]] as [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]], based on [[Narendra Modi]]<ref name=":0" />
* [[Neeraj Kabi]] as [[National Security Advisor (India)|NSA]] Shailesh Malviya, based on [[Ajit Doval]]<ref name=":0" />
* [[Darshan Kumar|Darshan Kumaar]] as [[Major (India)|Major]] Raunaq Gautam ([[Bihar Regiment]])<ref name=":02">{{Cite web|last=Jain|first=Arushi|date=2020-07-31|title=Avrodh The Siege Within review: An interesting web series on 2016 surgical strike|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/avrodh-review-amit-sadh-neeraj-kabi-sonyliv-6531321/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-07-31|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref>
* [[Anant Mahadevan|Ananth Narayan Mahadevan]] as Satish Mahadevan
* [[Madhurima Tuli]] as Journalist Namrata Joshi<ref name=":0" />
* Nikhil Sangha as Pankaj Kumar, Namrata's boss
* Shehzad Shaikh as Sarthak Srivastav, Namrata's boyfriend
* Anil George as Abu Hafeez, mastermind of the Uri attack
* Umar Sharif as Wahab<ref name=":0" /><!--See note for Shehzad Sheikh above-->
* [[Pavail Gulati]] as Major Rishabh Sood ([[Dogra Regiment]])<ref name=":0" />
* [[Adarsh Balakrishna]] as Racy
* [[Arif Zakaria]] as Ali Raza Khan <ref name=":1" />
* [[Mir Sarwar]] as Fakhruddin Rasheed
* [[Mohommed Ali Shah]] as [[Captain (armed forces)|Captain]] Irrfan Khan
* [[Bikramjeet Kanwarpal]] as [[Colonel (India)|Colonel]] Ajay Saxena ([[Para (Special Forces)|Para SF]])
* [[Mohit Chauhan (actor)|Mohit Chauhan]] as Colonel B.K. Rastogi ([[Dogra Regiment]])
*Vineet Singh as Captain A.P. Mahesh Jagtap
*Iqbal Singh Singha as DGMO Lt.General Singha, based on [[Ranbir Singh (general)|Ranbir Singh]]
*Deepak Kriplani as [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Navy Chief]] Chawla
*Namit as [[Air chief marshal (India)|Air Chief Marshal]] Deo
*Shiladitya Banerjee as [[Lieutenant general (India)|Lt.General]] Anil Dua
* Meghana Kaushik as Niharika
* Praveena Deshpande as Sunita Bharadwaj
* Adil Pala as Adil (Terrorist 1)
* Moin Imtiaz Ganai as Moin (Terrorist 2)
* Sawar Raja as Sawar (Terrorist 3)
* Mark Bennigton as Bob Terry
* Prahan Rao as Captain Chirag Malhotra
* [[Saurabh Dubey (actor)|Saurabh Dubey]] as Rajesh Chauhan
*Sonel Singh as Doctor Gayatri
*Syed Fahad Andrabi as Shoaib
* Vivek Sangotra as Momin
* Sandeep Verma as Sartaj
Season 2
*[[Sanjay Suri]]
*[[Abir Chatterjee]]
*[[Mohan Agashe]]
*Ananth Mahadevan
*Aahana S Kumra
*Rajesh Khattar
*[[Karan Thakur (actor)|Karan Thakur]]
*Arif Zakaria
*Adil Pala
*Umar Nasir
== Reception ==
=== Critical reception ===
Deepa Alexander of ''[[The Hindu]]'' gave ''Avrodh'' a positive review, saying that there are ample reasons to watch the web-series.<ref name=":5" /> Arushi Jain, writing for the ''[[The Indian Express|Indian Express]]'', described it as "a retelling, sans any jingoistic and provocative dialogues or scenes", of how the Uri attack was avenged, which makes it "an interesting watch" unspoiled by patriotic excesses.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Jain|first=Arushi|date=2020-07-31|title=Avrodh The Siege Within review: An interesting web series on 2016 surgical strike|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/avrodh-review-amit-sadh-neeraj-kabi-sonyliv-6531321/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> ''[[India Today]]''{{'s}} review calls ''Avrodh'' "a well-rounded series", with both the "guns and the glory" as well as the "facts".<ref name=":2" /> Without being "hyper-nationalistic", ''Avrodh'' manages to showcase the complexities that went into the planning of the strike, including how terrorist groups function, the backing from ISI, international pressure and a plethora of other aspects.<ref name=":2" /> Sreeparna Sengupta wrote in her ''[[The Times of India|Times of India]]'' review that "the planning, execution and training for the mission are shown with meticulous detailing". Sengupta also wrote that the cast pulls of a strong performance and while the narrative is predictable, "there are enough twists and turns in ''Avrodh'' that make it a gripping watch".<ref>{{Cite news|last=Sengupta|first=Sreeparna|date=31 July 2020|title=Avrodh The Siege Within Season 1 Review : This Series Makes For A Gripping Watch|work=The Times of India: Entertainment Times|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/web-series/reviews/hindi/avrodh-the-siege-within/seasonreview/76889922.cms|access-date=7 August 2020}}</ref> Shreya Paul in the ''[[Firstpost]]'' wrote that ''Avrodh'' is a retelling of India's retaliation to the Uri attack, without "unnecessary excesses".<ref name=":4" /> Nandini Ramnath wrote in ''[[Scroll.in]]'' that "the script is straight out of a government dossier".<ref name=":1" /> ''AdGully'' wrote that ''Avrodh'' "is this story behind how India shrugged off its indecisiveness".<ref name=":6" /> ''Film Companion'' wrote that life in Kashmir is depicted well, however the show "feels like propaganda", "confuses love for India with indifference for human life" and questioned what the show would mean for Kashmiris without 4G internet.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Parasuraman|first=Prathyush|date=2020-07-31|title=Avrodh The Siege Within On SonyLIV Review: Based On the Uri Surgical Strikes, This Feels Like Propaganda|url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/streaming/avrodh-the-siege-within-sonyliv-review-based-on-the-uri-surgical-strikes-this-feels-like-propaganda-amit-sadh/|access-date=2020-08-07|website=Film Companion|language=en-US}}</ref> ''Koimoi'' felt that more could have been done with ''Avrodh'', and as far as it being propaganda or not, "decide for yourself".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Kulkarni|first=Shubham|date=2020-07-29|title=Avrodh: The Siege Within Review: Amit Sadh-Darshan Kumaar Starrer Is A Half Baked Rehash Of Uri: The Surgical Strike|url=https://www.koimoi.com/reviews/avrodh-the-siege-within-review-amit-sadh-darshan-kumaar-starrer-is-a-half-baked-rehash-of-uri-the-surgical-strike/|access-date=2020-08-07|website=koimoi.com}}</ref> ''Thandora Times'' said the series is a must watch,<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=31 July 2020|title=Avrodh The Siege Within Web Series Review Thandoratimes.com|url=https://www.thandoratimes.com/moviereview-id-avrodh-the-siege-within-web-series-review109.htm|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=Thandoratimes.com|language=en}}</ref> whereas a [[Mashable]] review called ''Avrodh'' a "piece of crap" and an "abysmally bad piece of propaganda".<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chatterjee|first=Pramit|date=2020-07-28|title='Avrodh: The Siege Within' Review - At Least 'Uri: The Surgical Strike' Was Well-Polished Propaganda|url=https://in.mashable.com/entertainment/15933/avrodh-the-siege-within-review-at-least-uri-the-surgical-strike-was-well-polished-propaganda|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-07|website=Mashable India|language=en-in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=9 August 2020|title= Avrodh The {{sic|Se|ige|hide=y}} Within Review: A Detailed & More Realistic Edition of URI-Attack |url=https://webseriestale.com/avrodh-web-series/|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-08-09|website=webseriestale.com|language=en}}</ref>
== References ==
{{reflist}}
== Further reading ==
* Giridhar Jha (1 August 2020) [https://www.outlookindia.com/website/story/entertainment-news-not-only-ajit-doval-my-character-in-avrodh-is-based-on-all-nsas-paatal-lok-actor-neeraj-kabi/357764 Not Only Ajit Doval, My Character In Avrodh Based On All NSAs: Paatal Lok Actor Neeraj Kabi]. ''Outlook India''
== External links ==
* [https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/avrodh-1700000236 ''Avrodh: The Siege Within''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220714025027/https://www.sonyliv.com/shows/avrodh-1700000236 |date=14 July 2022 }} on [[Sony Liv]]
* {{IMDb title|id=12392458}}
[[Category:2020s Indian television miniseries]]
[[Category:Hindi-language web series]]
[[Category:Indian drama web series]]
[[Category:2020 Indian television series debuts]]
[[Category:2020 Indian television series endings]]
[[Category:Indian action television series]]
[[Category:Indian crime drama television series]]
[[Category:Indian historical television series]]
[[Category:Indian military television series]]
[[Category:Indian period television series]]
[[Category:Indian political television series]]
[[Category:Indian thriller television series]]
[[Category:Television series based on actual events]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Narendra Modi]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of Indian people]]
[[Category:Indian Armed Forces in fiction]]
[[Category:Cultural depictions of prime ministers of India]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Jammu and Kashmir]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Television shows set in Delhi]]
[[Category:Kashmir conflict in fiction]]
[[Category:SonyLIV original films]]