After a smashing digital debut with Chris Hemsworth's Netflix crime-thriller Extraction in April this year, Randeep Hooda is taking the OTT route once again. Peepingmoon.com has exclusively learned that Hooda has next signed a web-series for Jio Studios banner. The actor who recently underwent leg surgery post an injury on the sets of Salman Khan's Radhe will make his Hindi web-series debut with this show, titled Inspector Avinash.

The project is said to be a thrilling cop drama and will be directed by Sunny Deol's Bhaiyyaji Superhit fame Neeraj Pathak. Randeep will be playing the role of an Uttar Pradesh police officer dealing with crimes in the state. "Randeep has been committed to this project since last year. The project was earlier supposed to roll early this year but was delayed due to Randeep's busy schedule. The team then had planned to start filming in April but the sudden COVID-19 lockdown hampered it all again. Neeraj Pathak, Randeep, and the team recently had a virtual discussion and they're now planning to start the show from January 2021 onwards," said a source close to the development.

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Inspector Avinash is Jio Studios' second web project since the company announced its foray into web content production in 2018. The banner had announced its first web series— a dramatic love story set in Mumbai's film industry in the 1970s, revolving around the relationship between a struggling filmmaker and a top heroine — in the partnership with Mahesh Bhatt's Vishesh Films early this year. The Tahir Raj Bhasin, Amala Paul and Amrita Puri starrer show was also on hold due to the lockdown and will soon go on floors in Mumbai taking all the precautions with utmost care.

The said project was signed a year back. At that time, Randeep was under a contract with Netflix for web series and films, therefore no other OTT announcements could be done with any other formats at that time.

Meanwhile, Randeep is currently shooting for his social-comedy, Unfair N Lovely with Ileana D'Cruz in Haryana. The Balwinder Singh Januja directorial chronicles the story of a dusky girl who constantly has to fend against prejudices and biases that Indian society harbours against dark skin. Hooda also has Sai Kabir's new-aged romance story Mard, and a film called Rat On A Highway lined up but the shooting timelines for those projects haven't been decided yet!