Poacher: Meet The Real-life Forest Officers Who Have Inspired Alia Bhatt-Backed Series

Alia Bhatt-backed Amazon Original series Poacher recently released to roaring reviews. Helmed by Emmy Award-winner Richie Mehta, the series explores an eco-thriller set in the dense forests of Kerala and the crowded metropolis of Delhi. Delving into India's largest ivory-poaching syndicate of 2015, Poacher is a reminder of the challenges faced by the elephants across India.

Did you know Poacher is inspired by real-life officers?

The spotlight in this crime drama shines on real-life wildlife crime fighters such as Jose Louies, Amit Mallick, Manu Sathyan, Surendra Kumar, and Vivek Menon. Actors Roshan Mathew, Dibyendu Bhattacharya, Nimisha Sajayan, Vinod Sharawat, and Sudhanva Deshpande bring these characters to life and draw inspiration from individuals dedicated to environmental conservation and wildlife protection.

Which actor played which real-life officer in Poacher?

Actor Roshan Mathew plays Alan Joseph, a tech-savvy conservationist at the Wildlife Trust of India who is skilled in data analysis and instrumental in tracing poachers. His character is inspired by Jose Louies, Chief of Wildlife Crime Control Division at the Wildlife Trust of India.

Dibyendu Bhattacharya plays the character of Neel Banerjee who is inspired from  the life of Amit Mallick, a pivotal figure in real-life operations against wildlife crime. Nimisha Sajayan takes on the role of Mala Jogi, a range officer from the Kerala Forest Department leading field investigations. Her character is primarily based on Manu Sathyan, who played an important role in dealing with ivory poaching in Kerala.

Vinod Sharawat portrays Kishore Kumar displaying the efforts of Surendra Kumar, a former Additional Principal Conservator of Forests (Vigilance) in Kerala. He was known for his contribution in the investigation dubbed “Operation Shaker.”

Sudhanva Deshpande played Vishal, Alan's mentor and founder of the Wildlife Trust of India. This character was inspired by Vivek Menon who is a prominent conservationist leading efforts in Asian elephant conservation. Menon currently serves as Deputy Chair of IUCN-SSC and Chair of the Asian Elephant Specialist Group.