The godman-using-his-influence-to-manipulate-and-rape-devotees is a genre that has been done to death. When the trailer of Hunkkaar came out, it appeared to be one of the newest entries in the space. It is that, but much more and done well.
If Saiyaara got Aneet Padda a budding star status, Hunkkaar is bound to take critics sit up and take notice of her quiet resolve as a 17-year-old rape survivor, Meenu Rawat, taking on a much-revered and manipulative godman Baapji AKA Sunil Chakosi (Raghubir Yadav) who also runs a school and ashram in Saburi, a fictitional town in Madhya Pradesh.
Hunkkaar will benefit from Aneet Padda’s casting after the Saiyaara storm but the actor will doubly benefit as the series, created by Nitya Mehra and Karan D Kapadia, is where one gets to see her front and centre in a defining role.
This is the Aneet Padda before the glam-sham of Bollywood. Raw, baring her soul, and screaming from the inside. Had Hunkkaar been released before Saiyaara, (which she shot after the series) she would have become a darling of the critics. But even now, no one’s complaining as she seems to have hit that sweet spot of stardom and critical acclaim.
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Come for Aneet Padda but you’ll be forced to stay for Raghubir Yadav. The veteran has been having a great run as the beloved Pradhan-ji of Panchayat and now you shall see him turn into this creepy cult leader who thrives on mind games and people’s insecurities. He is excellent as this ‘Pied Piper of Saburi’ who literally has his devotees dance to the tune of his flute.
When Baapji is accused, a mob of his followers block roads, call Meenu all kinds of names, and she and her family are forced to hide and move from house to house. You feel every bit of her seething anger, when Meenu asks, “Criminal wo hai par jail mein mujhe rehna padega?” Nothing is sacred, but there are plenty of games.
The blind faith of the bhakts runs so deep, other rape survivors believe what he did was part of ‘Shaktidaan’ and not abuse. When Baapji does go to jail, he receives a hero’s welcome, just like any other criminal with influence. When he returns to Saburi, it’s like Diwali.
Hunkkaar uses the plot of a sexual predator masquerading as a godman to reflect on the importance of the three pillars of society: police, law, and media.
As ACP Jasleen Singh Soin, Fatima Sana Shaikh delivers her best performance yet. She is solid as a new cop who gets this high-profile investigation as her career’s first case. ACP Jasleen falters, she powers through, all this while battling judgement, patriarchy, and personal demons. She is a good addition to the likes of Shefali Shah, Rasika Dugal, (Delhi Crime) and Sonakshi Sinha (Dahaad) in the streaming copverse.
I can never get tired of Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, who made his Bollywood debut as the bad man, playing the righteous good guy who stands tall against all odds, circumstances, and caste prejudice. I cannot imagine anyone else but him playing prosecution lawyer Bhalerao. He is always a pleasure to watch on screen.
Arjun Mathur plays Amitabh Sinha, a news anchor who speaks ‘Truth To Power’, with no regard for ratings, political pressure, and job security. Once he sinks his teeth into the case, he makes a meal out of it. His anger and frustration as a media person trying to do the right thing is very believable.
The ensemble cast of this taut drama is on point. Rajesh Sharma and Charu Shankar as Meenu’s hapless but supportive parents who blame themselves for throwing their only child into the lion’s lair. Ram Kapoor is effective in his limited screen time but he really needs to lay off playing lawyers for some time. Zoya Hussain’s Shivani is a Ma Sheela-esque character who runs Baapji’s real show from the shadows and is waiting in the wings for her moment.
Also Read | Priyanka Chopra Backs Courtroom Drama Hunkkaar – The Roar Featuring Aneet Padda And Fatima Sana Shaikh
