The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case on Sony LIV is an ambitious dramatization that aims to capture one of India’s most significant and tragic political episodes.
Unlike Netflix’s gripping documentary The Hunt for Bin Laden, which received acclaim for its raw intensity and focus on firsthand accounts, The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case takes a more conventional biopic route, casting actors to reenact events.
This approach, while visually appealing, tends to dilute the impact. In recent years, audiences have shown growing preference for sharply edited, non-fictional narratives that let the real players in the story speak.
A prime example is The Hunt for Veerappan on Netflix, which outshined Ram Gopal Varma’s once-celebrated biopic on the forest brigand.
The documentary format allowed viewers to connect more deeply with the truth through testimonies and behind-the-scenes footage — elements that fiction often misses.
In The Hunt, despite solid production design and a strong subject, the dramatic elements — especially performances and background music — sometimes feel different, distancing the audience from the gravity of real events.
The seven-episode series is worth a watch for those unfamiliar with the case, but for viewers who got habituated to relish Docudramas seeking immersive storytelling rooted in authenticity, it may not fully deliver.
Had Sony LIV opted for a documentary-style narrative, giving screen time to investigators, intelligence officers, and political figures directly involved, the series could have offered a far more gripping and insightful experience.
As it stands, The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case feels like a missed opportunity to tell a story that needed no dramatic embellishment to leave an impact.
