The Hunt - The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case
Hindi / Tamil - Thriller/Drama7 episodes ~45 minsSonyLiv
As mentioned in a previous review, Sony LIV has consistently been one of the best OTT platforms for original Indian content. Some of their stories are adapted or remade from British or Turkish shows, but they are crafted thoughtfully for Indian sensibilities. With The Hunt, they reaffirm that belief yet again.
Nagesh Kukunoor is having a well-deserved resurgence. Earlier this year, he played a key role in Season 2 of Paatal Lok and now he is back behind the camera, directing this breathlessly tight 7-part mini-series that chronicles the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case—from that fateful night in Sriperumbudur to the final moments in Konanakunte, where it all came to an end.
Based on the book Ninety Days: The True Story of the Hunt for Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassins by Anirudhya Mitra, Kukunoor does an outstanding job demonstrating how a thriller can be executed with restraint—no loud bangs or dramatic overkill. Much like the best of British spy dramas, The Hunt is a highly detailed investigation thriller. There is no room for slacking, no time to miss ANY action on the screen. It demands your full attention.
It is hard enough to maintain tension over nearly six hours of storytelling—especially when the outcome is historically known and there is no room for shock twists. But this is absolutely riveting television. I am genuinely glad they made a mini-series instead of a film, because every detail feels essential.
Sorry for using the word many times, but the episodes unfold with the same kind of meticulous planning that went into the assassination itself—masterminded by Sivarasan. For those of us who lived through that time, it was one of the most shocking incidents in modern Indian history. To its credit, this series voids politicizing the events or choosing sides or fanning any needless drama.
The investigation is led by Karthikeyan (played with quiet strength by Amit Sial), brought in to crack this high-profile case. He is supported by Sahil Vaid, Bhagavathi “Bucks” Perumal, and others as they work to find the LTTE kill squad hiding across Indian cities, wading through the complex challenge of sympathetic allies of the cause.
Recommendation : Watch this in the original language – Hindi (multi-language) version, not the dubbed-only Hindi track. It gives you the raw nativity and adds immense credibility to the story.
The casting directors deserve all the praise—they truly make the show what it is. Bringing in actors who could speak Tamil fluently was the right call. The performances beautifully differentiate between Sri Lankan Tamil and Indian Tamil (one standout scene where Dhanu switches accents is just brilliant).
Among the lead cast:
- Amit Sial is excellent as the understated, studious, yet quietly assertive team leader. This is a huge contrast to his usual corrupt, foul-mouthed cop roles, and it might just surprise a lot of his fans.
- Sahil Vaid is terrific as SP Amit. A real revelation—his flawless Tamil accent was a huge and welcome surprise.
- Bucks Perumal plays the gruff, no-nonsense Raghothaman with grit and restraint. A fair departure from his mostly humorous characters in recent times.
- The actors portraying Sivarasan, Dhanu, Subha, Nalini, and Murugan are all top-notch—committed, chilling, and fully in character.
The 90s-era detailing is spot-on—from locations to set design, costumes, the cars, the movies in the cinema, everything has been chosen with care. The cinematography leans heavily on low-light scenes and works beautifully to sustain mood. The background score is pulsating andkeeps the tension running across all seven episodes.
A great start second half of 2025. I am quite certain The Hunt will land in my Top 10 of the year. Wonderfully acted, directed, cast, and crafted—The Hunt is a fantastic return to form for Nagesh Kukunoor the director. I truly hope we see a lot more from him.
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