The early reviews for Hunkkaar: The Roar suggest that this is one OTT release that has managed to rise above its familiar subject matter. The six-episode JioHotstar series takes on the familiar godman-versus-system template, but reviewers have particularly praised its performances, restrained treatment and increasingly powerful social commentary.
Set in Madhya Pradesh, the story follows 17-year-old Meenu Rawat, played by Aneet Padda, who accuses hugely influential godman Baapji, portrayed by Raghubir Yadav, of sexual assault.
The resulting battle brings together three institutions: the police, represented by Fatima Sana Shaikh’s ACP Jasleen, the legal system through Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub’s public prosecutor Bhalerao, and the media through Arjun Mathur’s journalist Amitabh Sinha.
And then there is Aneet Padda. Coming after the enormous Saiyaara spotlight, she gets a role that requires considerably more than simply riding her newfound popularity. Reviewers have singled out her courtroom sequence as one of the show’s strongest moments, with Aneet bringing Meenu’s anger, exhaustion and helplessness to the screen as she is repeatedly forced to relive her trauma.
Raghubir Yadav, meanwhile, appears to be the show’s other major weapon. His Baapji is not played as a constantly menacing villain. Instead, Raghubir makes him charming, manipulative and unsettling precisely because he can remain completely composed while chaos unfolds around him.
The series isn’t flawless. The godman abuse storyline is familiar, some developments reportedly feel convenient, and the show occasionally piles on unnecessary drama. But the early verdict is encouraging: Hunkkaar appears to have enough conviction, strong performances and emotional weight to make its familiar story worth watching.
