# Aspirants

Aspirants is an Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age drama web series produced by The Viral Fever (TVF) and created by Arunabh Kumar and Shreyansh Pandey, written by Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish and directed by Apoorv Singh Karki. It stars Naveen Kasturia, Shivankit Parihar, Abhilash Thapliyal, Namita Dubey and Sunny Hinduja. The story follows three friends, Abhilash, Guri and SK who are preparing for the UPSC exam at Rajinder Nagar, Delhi.
The series began streaming on 7 April 2021, with five episodes have been premiered online on TVF's YouTube Channel and TVF Play. The season finale aired on 8 May 2021.
In October 2023, TVF announced the second season of the series, which premiered on Amazon Prime Video on 25 October 2023.

## Premise

TVF Aspirants is about the past and present of three friends, Abhilash, Guri and SK, who are UPSC aspirants. The past explains their UPSC aspirant life in Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi and their struggle to crack the examination, while the present examines their lives outside Rajinder Nagar as adults.
The series is set in Old Rajinder Nagar, a locality in Delhi that is home to several coaching centers and hostels for UPSC aspirants. The story revolves around Abhilash, Guri, and SK, three friends who are preparing for the UPSC exam. The series portrays the ups and downs of their lives, their personal and professional struggles, and their relationships with each other and with their families.

## Cast
### Main

* Naveen Kasturia as Abhilash Sharma IAS, District Magistrate of Rampur; Guri and SK's best friend; Dhairya's ex-boyfriend
* Shivankit Singh Parihar as Gurpreet "Guri" Singh, Abhilash and SK's best friend; Dhairya's husband
* Abhilash Thapliyal as Shwetketu "SK" Jha, Abhilash and Guri's best friend; UPSC coach at Unacademy in Rajinder Nagar
* Sunny Hinduja as Sandeep Ohlan "Sandeep Bhaiya", ALC (Assistant Labour Commissioner) of Rampur
* Namita Dubey as Dhairya Singh, Guri's wife and Abhilash's ex-girlfriend; an NGO worker

### Recurring

* Kuljeet Singh as Walia Uncle, Abhilash's landlord in Rajinder Nagar
* Bijou Thaangjam as Pema Rijiju, SK's friend and a rapper
* Neetu Jhanjhi as Walia Aunty, Abhilash's landlord in Rajinder Nagar
* Nupur Nagpal as Pragati, Guri's ex-girlfriend; a PSC officer
* Tengam Celine as Deepa Nabam IPS; Abhilash's friend
* Abhishekh Sonpaliya as Abhilash's PA
* Darius Chinoy as Abhilash's former boss
* Preeti Agarwal Mehta as Anuradha Tiwari IAS
* Sandeep Sharma as Manohar Prakash, Abhilash's former UPSC coach in Rajinder Nagar
* Jaspal Sharma as S. Chandrakant, Head of Accounting at Abhilash's former UPSC coaching center in Rajinder Nagar
* Salim Siddiqui as Xen Officer

## Episodes
### Series overview

| Series | Episodes | Episodes | Originally released | Originally released | Originally released |
| Series | Episodes | Episodes | First released | Last released | Network |
| 1 | 5 | 5 | 7 April 2021 (2021-04-07) | 8 May 2021 (2021-05-08) | TVF Play YouTube |
| 2 | 5 | 5 | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) | Amazon Prime Video |

### Season 1

| Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Date of Broadcast |
| 1 | "UPSC - Optional Me Kya Hai?" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish | 7 April 2021 (2021-04-07) |
| Abhilash entered the Old Rajinder Nagar, Delhi, to prepare for his UPSC CSE, which is famous for Coaching institutes of Civil service examinations. He is trying to change his optional subject but the things become difficult as it is his last attempt. |||||
| 2 | "Teacher Sahi Hona Chahiye" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish | 14 April 2021 (2021-04-14) |
| Abhilash became dissatisfied with his teacher in the institute eventually decided to leave his coaching institute as he is worried about his examination. |||||
| 3 | "Positive Approach Rakh Yaar" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish | 21 April 2021 (2021-04-21) |
| After being taunted regarding his negative approach, Abhilash went to study at the library, where Dhairya enters his life after which things turn positive. But, things turns out impotent. |||||
| 4 | "Plan B Kya Hai?" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish | 28 April 2021 (2021-04-28) |
| Finally, Abhilash realises that cracking UPSC is difficult, no matter how determined a candidate is. He also realises that he needs a backup plan. |||||
| 5 | "UPSC - Pre...Mains aur Life." | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish | 8 May 2021 (2021-05-08) |
| IAS Abhilash Sharma struggles when the past meets the present. Things took turn when Sandeep Bhaiya, his mentor cum friend from the past, returns as a colleague and advise him as he used to do. |||||

### Season 2

| Episode | Title | Directed by | Written by | Date of Broadcast |
| 1 | "Self Study" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) |
| Abhilash shares his ambitious vision for Rampur, but businessman Dayanidhi Joshi challenges his administration, while SK and Guri are surprised by Abhilash's unexpected return to ORN in the past |||||
| 2 | "Strategy" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) |
| Sandeep Bhaiya's measures against a factory owner present the first roadblock in DM Abhilash's vision. Guri and SK debate whether or not to ask any favour from Abhilash for a crucial project. |||||
| 3 | "Murphy's Law" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) |
| Abhilash confronts the striking employees, to which Sandeep registers his objection. Meanwhile, young Abhilash goes through the challenges of the MAINS exam and a painful fight with his old friend SK. |||||
| 4 | "Mock Interview" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) |
| DM Abhilash's action against Sandeep threatens to derail their friendship with SK siding with Sandeep. Guri wins back the tender after an anonymous letter disqualifies the previous bidder. |||||
| 5 | "Final Interview" | Apoorv Singh Karki | Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Ashutosh Chaturvedi, Pankaj Mavchi | 25 October 2023 (2023-10-25) |
| Dhairya confronts Abhilash and convinces him to bury the past ghosts and move on in life while Sandeep casts allegations regarding Guri's tender which could bring down DM Abhilash. |||||

## Soundtrack

The series' soundtrack features 11 songs composed by Rohit Sharma, Tushar Mallek, and Nilotpal Bora and written by Deepesh Sumitra Jagdish, Avinash Chouhan, and Hussain Haidry. The track "Dhaaga" which is originally from TVF's previous series Yeh Meri Family (2018) was reused in the series.

## Spin-offs
### SK Sir Ki Class

* The trailer of the first spin-off named SK Sir Ki Class was released on 16 February 2023. It focuses on SK, his life as UPSC teacher in Old Rajinder Nagar and his struggles to make one of his students Ashish Arora (Gagan Arora) prepare for the UPSC exams, even though Ashish doesn't want to.

### Sandeep Bhaiya

* The second spin-off Sandeep Bhaiya was premiered on Youtube on 30 June 2023. It follows the early life struggles and passion of Sandeep Singh Ohlan (Sandeep Bhaiya) and his life after becoming a PCS officer.