Trail of an Assassin: Nagesh Kukunoor to helm series on Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination

On Tuesday, a new web series Trail of an Assassin, was announced, which will be based on former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s killing, and the immediate aftermath of the incident. Based on writer Anirudhya Mitra’s recently launched book – ‘Ninety Days: The True Story of the Hunt for Rajiv Gandhi’s Assassin’, the Applause Entertainment show will be helmed by director Nagesh Kukunoor.

A former journalist, Anirudhya was one of the first to report about the case and broke multiple stories while the assassins were hunted. The show, as per the content studio, will be a ‘blow-by-blow account’ of CBI’s Special Investigation Team cracking the plot, identifying and chasing down the assassins of Rajiv Gandhi.

The author shared that through his book he tried to provide the most definitive account of the biggest manhunt launched in India. He shared that he is confident that the team would bring fore an exciting series for the audience. In a statement, Anirudhya Mitra added, “The audio-visual format enables the story’s numerous facets and layers to be presented in a more nuanced and engrossing manner.”

Director Nagesh Kukunoor on his part shared that he is looking forward to taking on the ‘gritty and thrilling’ piece of storytelling. Applause Entertainment CEO Sameer Nair shared, “Driven and guided by our values of being ambitious, audacious and disruptive, we believe the adaptation of Anirudhya Mitra’s book certainly makes for a compelling story to tell. Most are aware of this incident through the medium of news and will now get a dramatized insider view of the largest manhunt in Indian history.”

Former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated on May 21, 1992, in Sriperumbudur in Tamil Nadu by suicide bombing. The woman assassin, Dhanu, triggered a belt bomb and killed Gandhi along with 16 others. After a long hunt, the investigation pointed to various militant groups’ roles in the killing.

Earlier films like Madras Cafe (2013), Cyanide (2006), Mission 90 Days (2007), Kuttrapathirikai (2007) have revolved around various aspects around Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination.