Eijaz Khan, Pooja Gor Explain How Adrishyam 2 Differs From Other Anti-Terrorism Shows: 'We Explore Humour, Emotion And...' | Exclusive
Eijaz Khan and Pooja Gor star in Adrishyam 2, an espionage thriller about intelligence officers combating terrorism, now streaming on SonyLiv.
Eijaz Khan and Pooja Gor have teamed up for Adrishyam 2, an espionage thriller based on the lives of two intelligence officers saving the country from terrorists. Whether during the prep or the shoot, both Eijaz and Pooja realised the immense responsibility bestowed upon the officers to protect the nation. The duo spoke exclusively to News18 Showsha about taking on such critical roles and their learnings and their understanding of India’s anti-terrorism squad.
They revealed that they had Ex-Intelligence Officer Prabhakar Aloka on the sets all throughout to hand-hold them through the shoot. The actors also explained what makes Adrishyam 2 different from the multiple films and shows made in a similar genre.
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Excerpts from the conversation:
Adrishyam 2 tackles a heavy and sensitive subject—India’s fight against terrorism. What drew you to this project?
Pooja: The preparation for my character was twofold. First, there was the physical aspect, which involved learning and training for the combat and action sequences required for the role. That also included adapting my body language to suit the character—someone who operates in the shadows, like the name suggests, ‘the invisible heroes.’ This is a story about unsung heroes who work behind the scenes to keep the country safe, allowing citizens to sleep soundly without fear.
As actors, we are trained to project ourselves through our bodies and expressions. But this character required me to do the opposite—to be less visible, to not draw attention, to remain undetected. That’s a fundamental part of their reality. So, I had to consciously tone down my physical presence to fit the character’s essence.
The second, and arguably more important, aspect of preparation was the mental side. Understanding the emotional and psychological toll on officers who lead double, or even multiple, lives was essential. They have different facets of their personality—one they show to their family, another to their colleagues, yet another to their enemies, and then the version of themselves that only they know when they are alone with their thoughts. Navigating those layers required me to dig deep and truly empathise with their journey.
It was also about understanding their state of mind during high-pressure moments where a split-second decision could mean life or death—not just for themselves but potentially for an entire nation or community. Those mental exercises, or as I like to call it, the ‘mental workout,’ were crucial.
How did you prepare yourselves mentally and physically to portray such an intense role?
Eijaz: It all starts with understanding the essence of the occupation—what the job truly entails and what’s expected of you. From there, it’s about building a powerful character sketch, crafting a solid backstory, and then merging that foundation with the situations presented through the storyline. The key is to figure out how a particular character would navigate those scenarios and what the interpersonal dynamics would be with every other character. As Pooja rightly mentioned, the goal is to be as invisible as possible.
For instance, when I played an army officer in another film, I had to bulk up, maintain a rigid, authoritative demeanour, and project a presence that naturally stood out. But with this character, the challenge was the opposite—I had to ensure that the character wouldn’t attract attention, wouldn’t stand out, and would remain completely under the radar.
On a mental level, it’s about portraying a character who is so self-assured, mature, and grounded that he doesn’t seek validation or attention from anyone. It requires a certain kind of conviction—almost a belief that your decisions are always justified. But there’s also a deeply human aspect to it, where you constantly question your beliefs and actions.
Is there anything new or perhaps something very unexpected that you learned about India’s anti-terrorism squad while reading more about it?
Eijaz: In real life, playing a character like this starts to mess with your mind. You begin to suspect everything—thinking, ‘Is this real? Could this be true?’ And honestly, reality often turns out to be stranger than fiction. What Aloka ji shared with me, which I can’t fully disclose, made me realise that the wins we see aren’t always actual victories. They’re often used as pawns in a much larger game.
What we see as news or our version of the truth is often shaped or manipulated. It’s not necessarily a lie, but rather, bits of information are released to serve a broader purpose. What I learned from Aloka ji is that it’s never about outright victories. It’s about constant management. Every minute, whether you’re sleeping, awake, or starting a new day, you’re always back at the same space—managing the situation again.
Pooja: As human beings, we’re conditioned from birth to follow certain structures—how to walk, talk, learn, question, and even what to study. But rarely are we taught to question those structures themselves. Intelligence work, however, requires questioning everything, regardless of where the information comes from—whether it’s from a colleague or a source. You question every piece of information, and then use your instincts to decide how to act on it.
This role taught me to question everything, even beyond the script. When I started reading books related to intelligence work, I realized how important that mindset was. It wasn’t just about being rebellious or challenging everything outwardly; it was about questioning for my own understanding. Knowing what’s happening, processing it, and then deciding what to do with that knowledge.
I came across the OODA Loop concept, which intelligence and defence personnel use as a guiding principle: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. Notice how Act is the final step. First, you observe the situation, orient yourself, make a decision, and only then do you act.
Most of us skip those steps and jump straight to reacting. Especially today, with social media, everyone’s caught up in reaction after reaction without taking a moment to truly process what’s happening. Nobody stops to observe or orient themselves before deciding how to respond. Applying the OODA Loop to my own life has helped me immensely.
It’s not that films or series on terrorism haven’t been made before. In fact, it is a hit genre. What difference do you think Adrishyam 2 makes?
Eijaz: Well, I’m not really in a position to weigh the pros and cons of another show. But speaking of Tanaav, which is on SonyLIV and part of the Sony bandwagon—what sets Adrishyam 2 apart is that it’s a very well-rounded show. As I’ve mentioned before, it’s not just action-oriented. We delve into so much more—there’s humour, emotional engagements, and even family life.
When you’re living a double life, how does that affect you? It’s not just about intelligence and counterintelligence or showing how certain operations are carried out. We’re trying to present a broader spectrum—there’s a little bit of everything. And this variety doesn’t compromise the integrity of the show; in fact, it makes it more engaging. We’ve consciously tried to make Adrishyam 2 approachable. It’s not overly complex or hard to grasp; it’s something everyone can enjoy.
Pooja: Eijaz summed it up perfectly. I completely agree with what he said. The show is woven together so well—it’s light-hearted in parts and provides the right amount of escapism. That’s what people often look for when choosing a show.
Adrishyam 2 is a six-episode series that is currently streaming on SonyLiv.
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