The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case

I haven't read the book 80 Days, but after watching The Hunt, I'm convinced this will stand out as one of the most perfect series in the history of Indian OTT. It's not just a retelling - it's a visceral, intelligent, and deeply human portrayal of one of India's darkest chapters.

I still vividly remember the disturbing magazine covers following Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. The traumatic visuals from that day were so intense, I doubt today's media could ever publish such images. Watching this series brought those memories flooding back. The recreation is so detailed that it blurs the line between fiction and documentary.

One particular moment that blew my mind was the poster showing Dhanu and Sivasasan standing just moments before the blast. I couldn't believe it wasn't a real photograph - it was recreated with such eerie perfection, it'll give you chills. That level of precision and storytelling is rare.

I was optimistic before starting the series, and hats off to Nagesh Kukunoor for justifying every bit of that hope. He's crafted something that's not only informative but also emotionally gripping.

The sequence of the shootout between Sivasasan and the NSG commandos instantly took me back to the Doordarshan clips we saw back then - raw, chaotic, and unforgettable. The series handles it with both realism and intensity.

The ending left a lump in my throat. Watching our brave officers and soldiers go through so much, only to face endless delays and bureaucratic hurdles, was disheartening. It's a stark reminder of how often heroes are let down by the very system they serve.

Performance-wise, Amit Sial is terrific as the senior officer - calm, composed, and commanding. But honestly, Sahil Vaid outshone everyone in my view. His portrayal had layers, energy, and raw emotion that stayed with me even after the credits rolled.

SonyLIV and the entire team behind The Hunt deserve every bit of praise. This isn't just a series - it's a benchmark for how true events should be told on screen.

It was too interesting and engage that I binge-watched the whole series in one sitting. All the actors have done their jobs excellently. No over-acting or extra drama. The no-makeup look of the female actors who communicated with their eyes more than with their dialogues was amazing. The costumes were perfect. Although there was violence here and there, there was zero vulgarity. The dramatised version of one of the most sensational assassination cases of India brought before my eyes the real events that happened in 1991 when I was a schoolgirl. If you are a fan of crime thrillers, please go for it without any second thoughts!

I deducted one star because the real incident of 21st May, which was central to the story, wasn't portrayed with the depth and realism it deserved. The sequence felt rushed and lacked the emotional intensity expected from such a historic moment. Additionally, the Hindi version was a major letdown though promoted as Hindi, around 98% of the dialogues were still in Tamil. As a result, I had to rely entirely on subtitles, which took away from the actors' performances. Suggestion: If offering multiple language versions, please ensure proper dubbing so viewers can fully engage with the content in their preferred language.

Excellent presentation No politics no propaganda. Shot like any other crime thriller .

Best in recent times . Every moment worth watching.

Casting is excellent,the pace of each episode is just right , the research is appropriate for the presentation. The characters are very well presented. It's important for the country to know the character and integrity that existed in that time and in the absence of sophisticated equipment ,it was all left to human coordination and network .the sets are good , the script is well done and has no rhetoric. The music could have been a little subdued and looks a little over but the overall experience more than makes up for it.

Anwar Says: A nostalgic story for the audience of 55 plus , sticking to basics, no non-sense and simultaneously revealing some facts, which at least I didn't know. For instance, the suicide bombers made a dry run on Mr. V P Singh before assassinating Rajiv Gandhi or they had Plan-B ready. Another distinguishing feature is that real names with real identities were used and I am surprised that in 2025 , censorship authorities have passed and this shows the brilliance of Nagesh Kukanoor.

Two more commendable features of this web series are casting and cinematography. Amit Sial as SIT chief is top class, as always but two more actors are worth following are Sahil Vaid as SP Amit and One Eyed Jack ( Marlon Brando fame)-Sivrasan played by Shafeeq Mustafa, the blue eyed boy of LTTE chief Prabhakaran. Shooting in the actual roads and lanes and making a 90 days hunt with landline phones, fax and no internet and latest gadgets look like a dream in the present context.

Nagesh has said in an interview that One thinks that he knows about Rajiv Gandhi assassination but he doesn't. Watch it and then you would know, he is right.

#SonyLIV #anwarsays #rajivgandhi #ltte #Jaffna #NageshKukunoor #AmitSial #mustwatch #thehunt.