After the success of a web series, the makers usually announce its season two. But Neeraj Pandey has taken a different route and he has announced season 1.5 of his web series Special OPS.
Titled Special OPS season 1.5: The Himmat Story, the series will star Kay Kar Menon in the lead role who also played the lead in season one.
Neeraj Pandey took to Twitter to make an announcement about it. He posted, “हिम्मत के जीवन की वो घटना जो उसे हिम्मत सिंह बनाती है । We go back in time to witness the incident that shaped the Man. #SpecialOPS1.5 #TheHimmatStory #ComingSoon @DisneyplusHSVIP @fridaystorytel1 @kaykaymenon02.”
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As the title suggests, season 1.5 will focus on the back story of Himmat Singh (Kay Kay Menon).
While talking about the series, Neeraj Pandey stated, “Special OPS was conceptualized as a universe which will go beyond the regular narratives of linear seasons and conventional storytelling, and the ensemble of cast and characters does lend itself extremely well. The response by the audiences demanded that we embark on the journey. We are starting off with a unique Special OPS 1.5; which is neither a prequel nor a sequel and with this the audience will be witnessing the back story of the main protagonist Himmat Singh! The series will start with Himmat Singh being assigned to another case, but the deflection point is the same parliament attack that started the series of events. It will be narrated across 3 episodes approximately an hour long each.”
Menon added, “If you thought that you had seen the best of Himmat Singh, you need to wait for Special OPS 1.5 - it is a terrific redemption story! While it’s not a prequel to Special Ops, there is some interesting history about the character that will unfold. As an actor I strive to do different things and being part of a new universe is very exciting.”
President & Head of Disney+ Hotstar, Sunil Rayan stated, “Within weeks of its launch, Special Ops emerged as one of the biggest shows of 2020! We’re excited to venture in this nonlinear format of storytelling that brings alive an entire universe; where stories and different characters can simultaneously co-exist. The scale at which this is being conceived is enormous and speaks of our passion for creating world-class entertainment for our audiences. We will continue to innovate and bring fresh, distinctive content for people to enjoy; and we’re thrilled to partner with Neeraj Pandey to bring alive this ambitious new format, that has never been done in India before.”
Special OPS season one had started streaming on Disney+ Hotstar in March 2020.
So, Kajol and Twinkle Khanna’s show, Two Much, is already near its fourth episode. And people keep asking: why do we love watching stars sit on sofas so much? It’s not the gossip. Not really. We’re not paying for the gossip. We’re paying for the glimpse. For the little wobble in a voice, a tiny apology, a family story you recognise. It’s why Simi’s white sofa mattered once, why Karan’s sofa rattled the tabloids, and why Kapil’s stage made everyone feel at home. The chat show isn’t dead. It just keeps changing clothes.
Why Indian audiences can’t stop watching chat shows from Simi Garewal to Karan Johar Instagram/karanjohar/primevideoin/ Youtube Screengrab
Remember the woman in white?
Simi Garewal brought quiet and intimacy. Her Rendezvous with Simi Garewal was all white sets and soft lights, and it felt almost like a church for confessions. She never went full interrogation mode with her guests. Instead, she’d just slowly unravel them, almost like magic. Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, they all sat on that legendary white sofa, dropping their guard and letting something real slip out, something you’d never stumble across anywhere else. The whole thing was gentle, personal, and almost revolutionary.
Simi Garewal and her iconic white sofa changed the face of Indian talk showsYoutube Screengrab/SimiGarewalOfficial
Then along came Karan Johar
Let’s be honest, Karan Johar changed the game completely. Koffee with Karan was the polar opposite. Where Simi was a whisper, Karan was a roar. His rapid-fire round was a headline machine. Suddenly, it stopped being about struggles or emotions but opinions, little rivalries, and that full-on, shiny Bollywood chaos. He almost spun the film industry into a full-blown high school drama, and honestly? We loved it up.
Kapil Sharma rewired the format again and took the chat show, threw it in a blender with a comedy sketch, and created a monster hit. His genius was in creating a world or what we call his crazy “Shantivan Society” and making the celebrities enter his universe. Suddenly, Shah Rukh Khan was being teased by a fictional, grumpy neighbour and Ranbir Kapoor was taunted by a fictional disappointed ex-girlfriend. Stars were suddenly part of the spectacle, all halos tossed aside. It was chaotic, yes, but delightfully so. The sort of chaos that still passed the family-TV test. For once, these impossibly glamorous faces felt like old friends lounging in your living room.
Kajol and Twinkle’s Amazon show Two Much feels like friends talking to people in their circle, and that matters. What’s wild is, these folks aren’t the stiff, traditional hosts, they’re insiders. The fun ones. The ones who know every secret because, let’s be honest, they were there when the drama started. On a platform like Amazon, they don’t have to play for TRPs or stick to a strict clock. They can just… talk.
People want to peep behind the curtain. Even with Instagram and Reels, there’s value in a longer, live-feeling exchange. It’s maybe the nuance, like an awkward pause, a memory that makes a star human, or a silly joke that lands. OTT gives space for that. Celebs turned hosts, like Twinkle and Kajol in Two Much or peers like Rana Daggubati in Telugu with The Rana Daggubati Show, can ask differently; they make room for stories that feel earned, not engineered.
How have streaming and regional shows changed the game?
Streaming freed chat shows from TRP pressure and ad breaks. You get episodes that breathe. Even regional versions likeThe Rana Daggubati Show, or long-running local weekend programmes, prove this isn’t a Mumbai-only appetite. Viewers want local language and local memories, the same star-curiosity in Kannada, Telugu, or Tamil. That widens the talent pool and the tone.
From White Sofas to OTT Screens How Indian Talk Shows Keep Capturing HeartsiStock
Are shock moments over?
Not really. But people are getting sick of obvious bait. Recent launches lean into warmth and inside jokes rather than feeding headlines. White set, gold couch, or a stage full of noise, it doesn’t matter. You just want to sit there, listen, get pulled into their stories, like a campfire you can’t leave. We watch, just curious, hoping maybe these stars are a little like us. Or maybe we’re hoping we can borrow a bit of their sparkle.
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