Tag: Amit Sial

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The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case: A gripping manhunt

Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid and co

The best thing about this Nagesh Kukunoor directed web series is the multiple perspectives. This includes both the special investigative team and also the perpetrators behind the assassination of late Rajiv Gandhi. The quote of “One man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter,” has been explored well

Starcast: Amit Sial, Sahil Vaid, Bhagavati Perumal, Girish Sharma, Shafeeq Mustafa and others

Genre: Crime thriller

Director: Nagesh Kukunoor

Story: Rohit G. Banawilkar, Nagesh Kukunoor and Sriram Rajan

Based on: Ninety Days: The True story of the Hunt For Rajeev Gandhi Assassins

Producers: Nagesh Kukunoor and Sameer Nair

Production Companies: Applause Entertainment and Kukunoor movies

Cinematography: Sangram Giri

No of episodes: 7

Streaming site: SonyLIV

2025 has been a fantastic year for Applause Entertainment with consecutive hit web shows starting from Black Warrant and Criminal Justice Season 4, now their latest web show The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case has opened to rave reviews. The Hunt truly deserves all the praise that has come its way. The broad storyline of this Nagesh Kukunoor directorial has shades of Shoojit Sircar’s Madras Cafe also based on the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, however the tone and also the timeline varies significantly. Madras Cafe was about the events leading up to the assassination of Rajeev Gandhi due to India’s intervention in SriLankan’s Civil War. This web series though focuses on the manhunt following the assassination. Apart from being an investigative thriller Nagesh Kukunoor and his writers have also dwelt into the political tensions.

Madras Cafe directed by Shoojit Sircar

A major strength of The Hunt web series is the depiction of numerous challenges faced by the CBI team. How the squad gradually assembles all the pieces to track down the LTTE operatives in a terrain where the LTTE has widespread sympathy has been wonderfully written and enacted. The constant game of wits between the two sides plays out in a gripping fashion keeping the viewers thoroughly engrossed about the outcome.

Nagesh Kukunoor also deserves praise for the balance of intense moments with the personal side. There is a portion of the feared Sivarasan and the aid Suba (Gouri Padamkumar) enjoying a Rajinikanth movie like any normal couple. Similarly, there is a scene of Subha painting her nail while guarding the hideout with a rifle. These moments are lovely to watch. On the other hand, you have two investigators exchanging their views on the food in North versus South, this is just before meeting an informant. This juxtaposition of the professional investigation and some carefree moments makes the show very enjoyable.

Through the track of LTTE supporters Nagesh Kukunoor along with his writer’s dwell into how the armed rebels are considered heroes by the local population. This is where the theme of one person’s hero being another person’s terrorist comes. The viewers also see the officers doing certain things that don’t align with their personal beliefs. The web series at no point takes sides leaving the viewers to make their own judgments.

Mention must also be made of Sangram Giri’s cinematography. He does a very fine job in capturing the atmospherics of 1990’s Tamil Naidu. There is in a lived-in feel. Specific mention must be made of his work in the tension filled last moments.

The mixture of characters conversing in Hindi and Tamil also doesn’t get jarring due to the fluent pronunciation. Sahil Vaid in a breakthrough act nails his Tamil dialogues, breaking out of hero’s best friend mold Sahil gives a very good account of himself. Amit Sial as DR Kartikeyan too brings in the both the required gravitas and authority as per the requirement. Bhagavati Perumal is also good however the two actors who stand out the most in the supporting roles are Shafeeq Mustafa and Gouri Padmakumar. They play their roles to absolute perfection capturing the various nuances.

Sahil Vaid in a breakthrough act

Shafeeq Mustafa and Gouri Padamkumar

While gripping for most part The Hunt could have benefitted with more contextual set up about IPKF (Indian Peace Keeping Force). Also, Rajiv Gandhi’s involvement for those not aware needed a little more detailing. The last episodes also somewhat drag making you wish Nagesh Kukunoor had wrapped things more crisply.

Final word: The Hunt: The Rajeev Gandhi Assassination Case is a binge worthy watch for fans of layered thrillers featuring psychological warfare

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Raid 2: More or less the same beats but works as a utopian tale of delivering justice

Ritesh Desmukh in Raid 2

Ritesh Desmukh’s avatar of a crooked and suave politician under the guise of a philanthropist is the most interesting part of this Rajkumar Gupta directorial. Ritesh once again proves that he is a very capable actor who can go beyond comic roles. Saurabh Shukla returns back as Tauji and the veteran actor is a complete hoot with his sarcastic humor and punch lines.

Starcast: Ajay Devgan, Ritesh Deshmukh, Vani Kapoor, Saurabh Shukla, Amit Sial and others

Genre: Crime thriller

Director and writer: Rajkumar Gupta

Additional writers: Ritesh Shah, Karan Vvyas and Jaideep Yadav

Producers: Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and others

Production Companies: T- Series Films and Panorama Studios

Music: Amit Trivedi, Rochchak Kohli etc.

Cinematography: Sudhir K. Chaudhary

Running time: 2 hours and 18 minutes

One way to describe the Raid movies is utopian tales of social justice, the reason being in today’s age honest income tax officers conducting raids on powerful people is a distant dream. Many are aware about the manipulative nature of the investigative departments and the way they have been used by the ruling party. In that sense both the Raid movies are more of aspirational tales on how an income tax officer should actually be like. Ajay Devgan as Amay Patnaik fits the bill perfectly given his larger-than-life image and also a solid presence.

Raid 2 primarily focuses on the Amay Patnaik’s 75th raid. In the initial portions of the movie Amay is accused of corruption charges. However this just turns out to be a facade on expected lines. Amay is actually collecting information on Ritesh Deshmukh’s Dada Bai, a suave politician with the image of a benevolent man. The local population of Bhoj considers Dada Bai as their god but beneath the philanthropist facade Dada Bai is actually a crooked politician with multiple crimes. The story focuses on the various hurdles faced by Amay Patnaik in bringing out the truth of Dada Bai with the help of certain people like Amit Sial’s Lallan Sudhir.

A major strength of Raid 2 is the battle of wits between Ajay and Ritesh Desmukh. The way Dada Bai outsmarts Amay Patnaik in the first half gives the movie some of its best moments. Ritesh presents a very calm demeanor systematically destroying all the evidence. The first half ends with Amay being suspended, also his reputation of a honest income tax officer goes for a toss.

Ritesh Desmukh as Dada bai is more of a sophisticated politician who doesn’t get his hands dirty but gets the work done through his men. This works as an interesting contrast to Saurabh Shukla’s Tauji who was more rustic. Also, the duality in the characterization of Dada Bai has come out well. This can be particularly seen in the way he worships his mother every morning by washing her feet. The mother played by Supriya Pathak considers her son to be an epitome of virtue when the actual reality is different.

It’s a long time since Ritesh has done something outside comedy and the actor does a very good job in portraying the different facets of Dada Bai. The way he exudes menace mostly through the eyes is brilliant to watch. Raid 2 once again shows Ritesh’s ability in adapting to different characters. This is another impactful performance from the actor who has proved that he is capable of doing more than just comedies, easily Ritesh’s best work post EK Villain.

Mention must also be made of Saurabh Shukla and Amit Sial, they contribute to some very entertaining moments. Saurabh Shukla is an absolute hoot with his punch lines; specific mention must be made of the scenes where Tauji takes pleasure in the downfall of Dada Bai. Amit Sial too makes his presence amply felt with his witty one liners. He plays the eccentric nature of Lallan Sudhir perfectly raising ample chuckles.

Amit Sial as Lallan Sudhir

A major problem with Raid 2 is the familiar beats coupled with Ajay Devgan’s characterization. There isn’t much of an upgrade to the role, as a result there is nothing new that Ajay brings to the table. Of course, the actor slips into the role with practiced ease, the serious gaze and the overall body language helps. However, there is a stale nature to his scenes because as viewers you know that Amay is completely pure and will win the battle.

Vani Kapoor also doesn’t add much to the proceedings other than looking gorgeous. Unlike Ileana she gets more to do but the romantic track and the overall arc doesn’t contribute anything significant to the movie. Supriya Pathak as the naive mother who later gets to know of the reality about her son fares much better.

Vani Kapoor as the supportive wife

Songs come across as more of speed breakers; however Tammana does look sizzling hot in the special number Nasha. The actress exudes a lot of sensuousness with her belly moves. Having said that the remixed version of “Paise Ye Paise” from Karz movie does make an impact. The placement of the song is absolutely perfect.

Watch Raid 2 if you are in the mood for a utopian tale of social justice and Ritesh Deshmukh’s acting

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Swatantra Veer Savarkar: An Honest Insight Into India’s Freedom Struggle From A Different Perspective

The most interesting aspect of ‘Swatantra Veer Savarkar’ is the depiction of his ideological clash with Mahatma Gandhi.
Swatantra Veer Savarkar (Hindi)
22-03-2024, Drama, Biography, 2 hours 58 minutes, U/A, Theatre
  • Main Cast: Randeep Hooda, Ankita Lokhande, Amit Sial, and Rajesh Khera
  • Director: Randeep Hooda
  • Producer: Randeep Hooda
  • Music Director: Vipin Patwa
  • Cinematography: Arvind Krishna
  • Rating: 3/5

Vinayak Damodar Savarkar is someone who does not need a particular introduction. Savarkar is a hugely polarising historical figure with more than one controversy.

He was the one who laid the foundation for the present Hindutva regime and has also been accused of having an indirect hand in killing India’s Father of the Nation — Mahatma Gandhi, the reason being the ideological differences along with Nathuram Godse being a student of Savarkar.

A biopic on a person like Savarkar is not easy to make, given his vastly turbulent life that is filled with many incidents.

Acclaimed actor Randeep Hooda not only plays the title role but also directs and co-writes the story.

The rawness of a first-time director is quite visible, particularly in the second half, but there is no denying the passion with which Randeep mounts the film.

Synopsis

In simple terms, the story of Swatantra Veer Savarkar is about the different stages in Savarkar’s long and turbulent life.

It starts with him losing his father at a young age. Then we see how the grown-up Savarkar decides to become a freedom fighter and does the things he does.

The major life-turning events of Savarkar are shown in great detail in the movie. This includes interaction with Gandhi, and his life imprisonment in the Andaman Islands aka Kaala Paani.

Stand out scenes

Ankita Lokhande in ‘Swatantra Veer Savarkar’. (X)

Among the many passages in the film, my favourite ones are the scenes featuring Randeep Hooda and Amit Sial as the supportive elder brother Ganesh Damodar Savarkar (Amit Sial.) The bond between the brothers comes out strongly and moves us.

For example, there is a scene in the second half when Veer Savarkar and Ganesh Damodar Savarkar unexpectedly cross paths in the Andaman jail, Damodar is surprised to see his younger brother there and, in that shock, he forgets to hug him.

The portions of how Abhinav Bharat was formed and the ideology behind it are well shown.

The most interesting aspect of Swatantra Veer Savarkar is the scenes of ideological clash with Mahatma Gandhi. Thankfully, the clash of ideologies has been handled with maturity.

There is an important scene when someone tells Savarkar that he hates Gandhi. In response, Savarkar says he doesn’t hate Gandhi but dislikes the ideology of non-violence.

We are also shown that Gandhi wrote letters to the British government seeking the release of Savarkar from the Andamans. He also praises Savarkar, though they have a different approach to the freedom movement.

When Gandhi dies, there is a genuine pain that we see. In fact, Savarkar condemns the act of Nathuram Godse and says that Godse shouldn’t have done this.

Randeep Hoods — The USP

Another major USP of Swatantra Veer Savarkar is its leading man Randeep Hooda.

Randeep Hooda has always been one of the most dependable actors going to any lengths to portray his characters with authenticity — physical and mental.

Here too, Randeep immerses himself into the role, whether it is the fiery freedom fighter of the first half or the prisoner in the long and elongated portions of Kaala Paani.

The physical transformation is, of course, brilliant. But the way he showcases the fighting spirit of Savarkar makes his performance even more admirable.

Among the other actors, Amit Sial stands out as both a supportive elder brother and a freedom fighter himself.

Ankita Lokhande does not have many dialogues but does a fine job in her limited screen time. She effectively portrays the inner strength of a freedom fighter’s wife.

Crammed narrative

Savarkar’s life is on a huge scale given the many incidents. There are times when, as viewers, you might feel that the movie is crammed with too much information and a web series would have been a better option.

The second half in particular needs some brevity. The portions of Savarkar being tortured both physically and mentally need some serious trimming.

Also, the vilification of Congress reaches the point of exhaustion. It does not add anything substantial to the narrative.

Talking about the technical departments, cinematographer Aravind Krishna does a good job of capturing the vast landscape through his lens.

The production design and the art design are also in complete sync with the era of the film.

Final take

Swatantra Veer Savarkar can be watched if you like detailed history lessons and, of course, if you are Randeep Hooda’s fan.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/swatantra-veer-savarkar-movie-review/

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Maharani Season 3: A Gripping Tale Of Politics And Revenge

Just like the previous two seasons, the web show shines the brightest when it focuses on the politics of Bihar.
  • Main Cast: Huma Qureshi, Sohum Shah, Amit Sial, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya
  • Director: Saurabh Bhave
  • Producer: Naren Kumar and Dimple Kharbanda
  • Music Director: Rohit Sharma
  • Cinematography: Anup Singh
  • Genre: Political Drama
  • Episodes: 8
  • Rating: 3.5/5
  • Published in: Southfirst

For those who haven’t seen the first two seasons, Maharani—created and written by Subhash Kapoor, is loosely inspired by the incidents in the 1990s Bihar.

It was when seasoned politician Lalu Prasad Yadav declared and made his homemaker-wife Rabri Devi his successor.

Season 1

The first season of Maharani was set from 1995 to 1999 and had characters inspired by Naxal and left-wing militants.

Rani Bharati (Huma Quereshi) is the wife of Bihar CM Bheema Bharti (Sohum Shah). In unforeseen circumstances, Bheema Bharti gets severely wounded and appoints his wife Rani as a technical CM until he recovers.

Rani Bharti is a simple woman who is happy with her domestic life. But now, she has to deal with government files, corruption and the caste massacres happening within the state.

In addition, she is not a literate woman.

Initially, Rani Bharti feels like a fish out of the water and wants to return to her simple life. But, eventually, she becomes a firm administrator and wins admirers.

As she grows more confident the inevitable clashes with her husband happen. Season 1 ended with Bheema Bharti going to jail on charges of corruption.

Season 2

In Season 2, Bheema runs a proxy government from jail. Bharti is facing opposition from her husband and the rival politician Naveen Kumar (Amit Sial).

Naveen and Bheema used to be friends. But now, they are big-time foes.

The issues dealt with this backdrop were the demand for a separate Jharkhand state along with the chilling death of Shilpi Jain and Gautam Singh that sent shock waves for both Rani and the state of Bihar.

In this scenario, some of Rani’s decisions don’t go well with her party members. Season 2 ended with Rani Bharti going to jail for a crime she did not commit, and the death of her husband Bheema.

Season 3

Now, you have Season 3, after a gap of one and a half years.

Maharani Season 3 begins with the life of Rani Bharti in prison. She utilises her time in jail to complete her education, which she left midway because of her father.

Rani Bharti also makes moves to strike back against her opponents. In simple terms, Season 3 focuses on how Rani Bharti proves her innocence and comes out of the complex web orchestrated by the cunning Navin Kumar.

The series plays out like an intense game of chess after a point.

Analysis

Huma Qureshi in ‘Maharani Season 3’. (X)

A strong point of Maharani Season 3 is the socio-political commentary.

Director Saurabh Bhave touches upon the illegal sale of liquor despite an alcohol ban in the state. He presents an authentic picture of how this illegal sale leads to the flourishing of illicit crimes.

Apart from the illegal sale of liquor the show also dwells on unauthorized dealings and the brutal electoral tactics.

Saurabh Bhave has also done a good job of showcasing the effect of power struggles and how nasty the political landscape can be. The cutthroat world of politics keeps the viewers thoroughly engaged even when the proceedings become predictable and slightly tedious.

The clinical way Rani Bharati goes about her revenge and completes her education has been well presented.

On the flipside, some twists suffer from weak writing and the middle portions could have done with more thrills.

Huma Quereshi steals the show

Huma Quereshi successfully takes off from where she left off in the first two seasons. She nails the accent and portrays the inner strength of a woman who has come a long way from being called a misfit.

Amit Sial continues to be wickedly charming showcasing the shrewd demeanour of Naveen Kumar perfectly.

The other supporting characters played by Vineet Kumar and Dibyendu Bhattacharya are also in fine form.

Rohit Sharma’s music and Mangesh Dhadke’s background score add another layer to the show.

The song “Kaun Bola Ban Hai” particularly deserves a mention for its satirical tone about the supposed alcohol ban.

Verdict

Maharani Season 3 is a must-watch for those who like political thrillers.

It is streaming on Sony Liv.

https://thesouthfirst.com/entertainment/maharani-season-3-web-series-review-a-gripping-tale-of-politics-and-revenge/