More than three decades have passed since the horrific assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, an unfortunate event that took place on the night of May 21, 1991, still remains one of the most unforgettable political tragedies in the minds of all Indians. But yet many people are unaware of the truth behind this pivotal tragedy. Now after 34 years after this chilling event, OTT is going to unravel the untold truth behind it, which would help in educating more people through the medium of visual representation and entertainment.
Streaming platform and release date
This forthcoming docuseries, named The Hunt - The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case, promises to present the hidden truth using factual data, archival footage, and dramatized recreations, will be streaming on the OTT heavyweight SonyLIV from 4 July 2025. Due to its format of docuseries, expectations from it for presenting the truth in a truthful and factual manner have skyrocketed.
Inspiration for the series
Adapted from the acclaimed book ‘Ninety Days: The true story of the Hunt for Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassins’ authored by an investigative journalist ‘Anirudh Mitra’, the series is poised to offer viewers an unprecedented look at the complex web of events. The core of the book focuses on how the SIT cracked the assassination plot, it also details the series of events that led SIT to identify the suicide bomber and the mastermind.
What really happened in 1991
At approximately 10:10 pm on 21 May 1991, when India’s former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi was campaigning for the general elections in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu, the horrific assassination took place, which can never be forgotten by anyone even after the passage of three decades.
The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber, Dhanu (Kalaivani Rajaratnam), a 22-year-old operative of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), a Sri Lankan separatist group. She approached the Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, with a respectful gesture, and then activated an RDX explosive belt concealed beneath her attire. The explosion instantly killed Rajiv Gandhi and 14 other individuals, including security personnel and bystanders, many more were left injured. LTTE’s intelligence chief, Sivarasan, was found to be the mastermind behind this meticulously planned conspiracy.
Executed under the leadership of Velupillai Prabhakaran, the primary motive behind this brutal attack stemmed from resentment over the Indian Peace Keeping Force’s (IPKF) intervention in Sri Lanka, and the concern that Gandhi’s return to power might lead to further involvement in the civil war.
More about the series
Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor under the production of Applause Entertainment Ltd. and Kukunoor Movies, starring Amit Sial, Bhagwati Perumal, Girish Sharma, Rama Rao Jadhav, Sahil Vaid and many more skilful artists, this docu-series is all set to release on SonyLIV on 4 July 2025. So, mark your calendars and get ready to uncover the untold truth about the fateful night of 21 May 1991, and series of events, research and investigation following the incident in order to find those who were responsible for this mishap.