Hunkkaar (Social Thriller/ 2026/ Jio Hotstar)
Creators- Nitya Mehra , Karan D Kapadia
Cast – Aneet Kaur Padda, Fatima Sana Sheikh, Raghubir Yadav, Arjun Mathur, Mohammad Zeeshan, Rajesh Sharma, Ram kapoor
There is something impactful about Hunkkaar that sets it apart from the similar Godmen stories like Ashram, Maharaj or Sirf Ek Banda Kaafi hai.
The first aspect to impress me was the visual design ,setting and cinematography (Kabir Tejpal & Kavin Jagtiani )
The muted and true-to life filters impart grittiness. The dull lighting used in scenes with interiors of ashram give a dark and claustrophobic feel. The choice of the fort and the small town was bang on. The dull looking heritage structures of Orchha look imposing without adding any bright grandeur. The show lends eeriness and discomfort without depicting anything that is visually uncomfortable.
The superb sound design (Subhajit Mukherjee) lends impetus to the visual experience. It elevates the emotional quotient and tension as required and enhances the foreboding feel.
I loved the cast and performances.
Aneet Kaur Padda is a revelation.I was blown away by the raw looks and powerful performance. I haven’t seen Saiyyara. Watching her effortless delivery left me thinking of her potential in such meaty roles.
Choice of Raghubir Yadav as Baap ji was a masterstroke. They chose to avoid making Baapji look imposing, villain-ish or larger than life. The fact that he looked old, sober, saintly and deceptively tender , made it all the more uncomfortable.
Fatima Sana Sheikh as the ethical cop fighting the system, plays it well. But I don’t understand the writers’ obsession to confer this emotional baggage to the back story of every investigation cop’. Why the hell do they think that this oft repeated layer to the character adds meat to the role.
Zeeshaan Ayub , who has by now mastered the art of playing the perfect activist , is great as usual. Some of his scenes in the courtroom are especially impressive.
I loved Arjun Mathur as the ethical journalist. The intensity of his conviction and emotional involvement was conveyed beautifully.For me, his stand out scene was the announcement of the court verdict.
Ram Kapoor as the sharp ruthless lawyer was good. His stand out scene was the change in his expressions after the victim’s testimony and during the final verdict. Subtle and impressive.
Zoya Hussain and Rajesh Sharma, being the capable actors they are, add heft.
Appreciation for casting by Mukesh Chhabra is a must .
As for the story, it is not new. The powerful Godman, power plays, political nexus, media manipulation and how blind faith is an affliction in certain sections of society.
This show just makes the horror more palpable. What made it particularly scary is how it depicts the conviction of zombied followers and the terror of brainwashed masses and crowds. I also liked the fact that they avoided sensationalising the sexual misconduct.
A couple of sidetracks could have been avoided, certain court room proceedings seemed abruptly edited and there were a few instances of logical loopholes. But these minor shortcomings apart, this social thriller cum legal drama grips you right from the first frame, keeps you tense through out and with its last frame ,leaves you emotional and overwhelmed, wishing for a positive ending to such real life battles.
Definitely worth recommending.
