Speaking about his recently released series, The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case, Nagesh Kukunoor says with a smile, “I have done my best to break my image over the years.” The filmmaker is known for making tender, quietly reflective films about the underdogs and marginalised, be it Iqbal (2005), which revolves around a deaf and mute person who dreams of becoming a cricketer or Dhanak (2015), which explores an innocent bond between a brother and sister. In recent years, however, Nagesh has started exploring darker political realities through his stories, like in the series City of Dreams. He enjoys the freedom that comes with OTT. “We have been able to push the boundaries, tackle some topics, which I would never be able to do in a theatrical format,” he says.Yet, while making a show based on real-events like The Hunt, Nagesh was “wary of the political space”. He says, “We’ve entered an era of self-censorship a long time ago. So even as writers, there’s a constant question that you ask yourself of whether I should say this or not. When I am doing a fictional political show, it’s all okay. But when you step out into the real world, you don’t know whose toes you’ll step on, so you want to steer clear of that.” The filmmaker’s focus is clear in the show. It plays out more like a police procedural than a political drama, adapted from the book Ninety Days by investigative journalist Anirudhya Mitra. The series explores the investigation that followed the assassination of the former prime minister. “We all know that Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated and we all know that eventually it ended with arrests of those involved. But it is the ‘how’ that I never knew,” says Nagesh.The filmmaker was in the process of getting a job in Atlanta, USA, in 1991 when the assassination took place. He remembers the shock he felt after hearing the news. “I quite liked Rajiv Gandhi because he was one of those who had a smiling face. He was a man who presented himself well,” recalls Nagesh. Even Amit Sial, the actor who plays DR Kaarthikeyan, the IPS officer who led the investigation team, was in ‘disbelief’ when he came to know of the assassination. “I was just fifteen then, so I wasn’t much aware of the reason behind it,” says Amit. “It was only later that I started reading more. So, my knowledge about the incident when I was offered the role for the series was quite rich.” The show has a methodical approach to its storytelling, where the filmmaking stays minimal, serving just as a means to bring out the facts about the real story. There is no attempt to elevate the emotions either through the background score or the performances. Nagesh feels that the approach comes from how he sees the world. “I want my actors to keep things real. Besides, the reality of what happened was just so dramatic that just putting my actors in that kind of space was enough to tell the story. I didn’t want to do anything in the name of sensationalism,” he says. Amit adds that Nagesh always ensured the rhythm of the performances remained intact. “Sensationalising the incident would have been a grave injustice to the real people involved. Making it unnecessarily jingoistic with loud music would have taken the reality away,” he says.At the same time, Amit has also been part of films that have sensationalised history, be it the recent Akshay Kumar starrer, Kesari Chapter 2 or the Randeep Hooda directorial, Swatantrya Veer Savarkar, which was accused by many of manipulating certain facts in order to build a narrative and malign a community. The actor stands by these films, calling it a ‘conscious choice’ to be part of them, saying that looking at history is subjective. “As per your worldview, the perspective about a historical incident can change,” he says. “So, it’s difficult to say that only one particular thing that is written is correct. In such cases, it becomes important to know the worldview of the writer-directors behind the project. Would you want to associate yourself with them?” says the actor. Nagesh also feels that storytelling is subjective. “We are living in a time where truth is so dramatic and exaggerated that fiction is doing everything to match that. Where do you draw the line?,” he wonders. “When I watch certain things which are super exaggerated, I roll my eyes. I understand what the filmmakers are trying to do.”Amit further maintains that he doesn’t look at things from a moral lens all the time. “If I do that, I won’t be able to do any work. If tomorrow, I am offered the role of Hitler, will I not play him? I will definitely consider,” he says. What if someone is inspired by the fascist leader after watching the film? “That is bound to happen. Someone must have been inspired by reading his autobiography as well. Hitlero ki kami nahi hai duniya me (There is no shortage of Hitlers in the world),” Amit concludes with a smile.
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