The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case

The Hunt is a gripping and well-crafted crime thriller that brings the intense 90-day manhunt for Rajiv Gandhi's assassins to life. The storytelling is engaging, with strong performances, especially by Amit Sial as D. R. Kaarthikeyan, and a commendable focus on historical accuracy. The series keeps you hooked with its procedural depth and emotional weight.

However, the language experience was a letdown. Despite selecting the Hindi version, over 70% of the dialogue is in Tamil, with only English subtitles available and no Hindi subtitle option. This made it challenging for Hindi-speaking viewers to fully immerse themselves without constantly reading subtitles. I urge Sony LIV to add Hindi subtitles or clearly indicate the heavy Tamil dialogue in the Hindi version to set better expectations. Overall, it's a must-watch for true crime fans, but the language barrier could be improved for a wider audience.

'The Hunt' is not just another true-crime series; it's a powerful and refreshingly grounded procedural that trusts its audience. In a world of over-dramatized historical events, this show takes the opposite approach, focusing on the painstaking, pre-internet legwork of the investigation into Rajiv Gandhi's assassination. The decision to use a cast of incredible character actors instead of big-name stars is the show's greatest strength. Amit Sial as the SIT Chief is the quiet, steady anchor in a storm of chaos, and the entire ensemble feels like real people doing an impossible job, not actors playing a part.

The pacing is deliberate, and that's the point. It's a "howdunnit," not a "whodunnit," and the tension comes from the sheer difficulty of the task-chasing down leads across cities with nothing but files, landline phones, and pure instinct. It forces you to appreciate the monumental effort of the investigators. The series avoids easy answers and cinematic shortcuts, presenting the facts and the process with a raw authenticity that is often chilling. It demands your patience, but the payoff is a deep, unsettling understanding of one of India's darkest chapters.

This is not a show you binge-watch casually; it's a show you absorb. It's a history lesson wrapped in a top-tier thriller, and it's one of the most intelligent and important Indian series to come out in years. Highly recommended for anyone who appreciates quality filmmaking and a story told with integrity.

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 watched 'The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case' with my parents over 2 days. Here are my thoughts:

Pros: This series is undoubtedly good, especially since it's based on a novel. I didn't experience a single dull moment, and the actors, including Amit Sial and Sahil Vaid, delivered outstanding performances. The location and casting were very realistic, and Nagesh Kukunoor's direction was top-notch.

Cons: One major issue I faced while watching with my parents was the language barrier. Although I set the language to Hindi, about 50% of the dialogue was in Tamil, 30% in Hindi, and 20% in English. The subtitles were only available in English, which made it difficult for my parents to follow the conversation since they don't know Tamil or English. Despite their interest in the series, they missed out on about 70% of the dialogue. I didn't understand one thing here when you are giving language option of Hindi why you are speaking in Tamil and in English when there was option of Tamil language already.

Additionally, it would have been great if the series had provided more details about what happened to each member captured in the series.

Overall, it's puzzling why the series didn't stick to the chosen language. Despite this, the series is worth watching, especially for its historical significance.

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.

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