Nagesh Kukunoor to direct series based on Rajiv Gandhi's assassination
Filmmaker Nagesh Kukunoor is all set to direct the web series Trail of an Assassin based on the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi. The web series, announced on Tuesday, will shed light on the aftermath of the unfortunate incident. Trail of an Assassin is based on the book Ninety Days: The True Story of the Hunt for Rajiv Gandhi's Assassin.
Why does this story matter?
The ex-prime minister was assassinated on May 21, 1992, by a suicide bombing in Sriperumbudur, Tamil Nadu. A female assassin, Dhanu, armed with a belt bomb triggered an explosion that killed Gandhi and 16 others. After an extensive hunt, the investigation resulted in leads pointing to various militant groups. Details of the events were noted by former journalist Anirudhya Mitra in the aforementioned book.
Production house Applause Entertainment acquired rights to adapt Mitra's book
Applause Entertainment acquired the production rights to Mitra's book. They announced, "Applause Entertainment greenlights a crime procedural Trail of an Assassin. Directed by Nagesh Kukunoor, the series will be based on the book Ninety Days: The True Story of the Hunt for Rajiv Gandhi's Assassin authored by Anirudhya Mitra and will be produced for Applause Entertainment by Elahè Hiptoola of Kukunoor Movies (sic)."
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Series will narrate details of the biggest manhunt in India
Mitra was one of the first ones to break the news about Gandhi's death. The upcoming web series will deliver a "blow-by-blow account" of how the Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) cracked the case and also identified and arrested the assassins. Mitra's book provided a detailed account of the biggest manhunt and adapting it onscreen will present a more "nuanced and engrossing" format.
Kukunoor's web series promises 'dramatized insider view' of the assassination
In a press release, director Kukunoor shared his excitement about taking up the "gritty and thrilling" story. "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," he added. Before this, Kukunoor served as the showrunner for Modern Love Hyderabad which was released on Amazon Prime Video.
