Over the past decade, Indian entertainment has undergone a significant transformation, moving away from the era of larger-than-life heroes, to embrace more nuanced, flawed, and emotionally complex characters, particularly in the world of streaming originals. Traditionally, Indian cinema has celebrated protagonists with extraordinary abilities: heroes who overcome adversity through sheer willpower, charisma, or moral superiority. However, the rise of streaming content has disrupted these conventions, redefining heroism in a way that prioritizes endurance over victory.

Characters like Sartaj Singh (Sacred Games), grappling with existential dilemmas; Srikant Tiwari (The Family Man), juggling espionage with family life; and Guddu Pandit (Mirzapur), navigating the murky intersection of morality and survival - each challenge conventional notions of heroism, making them strikingly real and deeply engaging.

Yet, this shift toward realism often comes at the cost of moral clarity and inspiration. While these protagonists resonate for their authenticity, they rarely offer the aspirational qualities that traditional heroes embodied. Their perspectives can often be cynical, leaving audiences searching for hope and optimism elsewhere. This 2022 analysis on Indian streaming content highlighted how the over-indexing of cynicism risks alienating viewers seeking narratives that uplift rather than merely reflect the harshness of reality.

This is precisely why Hathi Ram Chaudhary, the lead protagonist of Prime Video’s crime thriller Paatal Lok, stands out as a rare and compelling figure. Unlike many of his contemporaries in streaming fiction, Hathi Ram embodies both realism and integrity - his character arc balancing vulnerability with resilience, making him deeply relatable yet inspiring.

Paatal Lok performed very well in its second season, which premiered in January 2025. According to our viewership estimates, 17.4 million Indian audiences watched at least one episode of Paatal Lok S2, making it the most-watched streaming original in India for 2025 so far, just ahead of JioHotstar’s The Secrets of the Shiledars at the time of publishing this article.

A significant driver of the show’s success lies in the strength of Hathi Ram Chaudhary as a character, brought to life by sharp writing (Sudip Sharma & team) and an outstanding performance (Jaideep Ahlawat). His presence anchors the series, proving that characters can be both deeply flawed and morally steadfast, offering audiences a rare blend of authenticity and hope in a landscape often dominated by cynicism.

To dive deeper, we analysed character maps created using Ormax Personality Framework. This framework is adapted from Jennifer Aaker’s Brand Personality Framework, to suit the context of the Indian entertainment business. The framework is a collection of personality traits under five dimensions. Under these dimensions, 27 relevant traits have been retained from the original framework. The framework is used to analyse characters and celebrities, on how they are perceived by their audiences. This data is collected by us through the year for major shows and films released across Indian languages.

In our analysis, we began by constructing a character map of the male protagonist archetype in hit Hindi web-series within the thriller genre. This was derived by synthesizing the profiles of five characters: Sartaj Singh (Sacred Games), Guddu Pandit (Mirzapur), Himmat Singh (Special Ops), Srikant Tiwari (The Family Man), and Sunny (Farzi).

This composite archetype is defined by a dominant presence of five key traits: Daring, Spirited, Confident, Intelligent, and Tough & Rugged. Consequently, it scores high on the Excitement and Competence dimensions, with an added layer of Ruggedness. Whether navigating high-stakes conflicts or outmanoeuvring adversaries, these protagonists embody a fusion of intellect and action, reinforcing the essence of this archetype.

Next, we examined the character map of Hathi Ram Chaudhary (Paatal Lok). While he shares all five core traits of the archetype above, his character introduces three additional defining qualities: Honest, Sensible, and Hardworking - traits that have a weaker association with the standard thriller protagonist but are deeply embedded in Hathi Ram’s persona.

The presence of the trait Honest infuses his character with an element of Sincerity, setting him apart from the morally ambiguous figures that dominate the genre. The traits Sensible and Hardworking further reinforce his Competence, but in a grounded, unembellished manner. Unlike the conventional thriller protagonist, Hathi Ram is not defined by grand victories but by his resilience, moral clarity, and unwavering pursuit of justice in a system designed to break him. His strength lies not just in his ability to outwit adversaries but in his steadfast commitment to truth, making him a uniquely compelling figure in the evolving landscape of Indian streaming narratives.

This rich interplay of traits (eight dominant traits are an anomaly even among the strongest characters, as traits naturally compete for association within a framework) is a testament to the depth and complexity of Hathi Ram Chaudhary’s character. At first glance, he may seem like just another weary, cynical cop, disillusioned by the entrenched corruption within the police force. His WhatsApp 'gyaan' on the three 'loks' reflects his world-weariness, yet beneath this hardened exterior lies an unyielding sense of fairness.

A particularly poignant moment in Season 2 underscores how his deep-seated honesty emerges through his tough, battle-worn demeanor. When Hathi Ram discovers his colleague Ansari’s homosexuality, his initial reaction is one of visible bewilderment. Yet, instead of responding with disgust or prejudice - despite his inability to fully grasp Ansari’s predicament - he offers something rare: acceptance without judgment. He urges Ansari to live openly, insisting that no one should have to hide in shame. This moment is not shaped by political correctness but by Hathi Ram’s intrinsic moral compass, reinforcing the authenticity of his honesty.

Unlike conventional heroes, Hathi Ram does not seek power, vengeance, or personal gain. His integrity remains unshaken despite betrayals, failures, and the relentless disillusionment of his profession. This distinguishes him from characters like Guddu Pandit (Mirzapur), whose journey is driven by revenge, or Srikant Tiwari (The Family Man), who maintains a strict boundary between his professional and personal life.

While Guddu Pandit’s arc begins with avenging his brother’s death, his insatiable ambition propels him beyond mere retribution - he seeks to seize control of Mirzapur itself, where morality is eclipsed by personal vendetta and the thirst for power. In contrast, Hathi Ram’s morality remains steadfast even after suffering a personal loss in Ansari. Whereas Guddu embraces the very violence he once condemned, Hathi Ram resists allowing the system to corrupt him. His relentless pursuit of truth, untainted by self-interest, further differentiates him from Guddu, emphasizing his level-headed and sensible nature.

Similarly, Srikant Tiwari’s defining struggle is his constant battle to separate work from home, attempting to shield his family from the perils of his espionage career. Hathi Ram, in contrast, blurs these lines. When confronted with the responsibility of an orphaned boy in Season 2, he does not hesitate to bring him home despite the risks. He allows his personal morality to dictate his professional decisions - something Srikant would likely avoid to protect his family from unnecessary complications.

This decision is also a reflection of Hathi Ram’s Hardworking approach to his profession - one that transcends the limits of a mere job. His challenges set him apart from Sartaj Singh (Sacred Games), whose battles are more existential than systemic. While Sartaj wrestles with the burden of his father’s legacy and the weight of preventing a nuclear catastrophe, Hathi Ram’s conflicts are deeply rooted in harsh realities - institutional corruption, financial struggles, physical limitations, bureaucratic constraints, domestic pressures, and professional insecurity. These tangible, everyday struggles not only make him deeply relatable but also highlight his unwavering resilience and never-say-die spirit. For Hathi Ram, his work is not just a duty - it is a calling, one he refuses to abandon, no matter the cost.

Hathi Ram Chaudhary stands apart in the streaming thriller space precisely because of these differentiating traits. His unique blend of qualities shapes an ethos that is entirely his own - one of Integrity in Action. His quiet defiance and relentless pursuit of justice prove that resilience, honesty, and perseverance can be just as compelling as power and ambition. In a genre often saturated with morally ambiguous anti-heroes and edgy narratives, Hathi Ram not only fits within the established archetypes but also expands them, pioneering a new space where integrity seamlessly coexists with high-stakes storytelling.