Political conspiracies, secret missions, and dramatic retellings of India’s past—The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case has captured attention for exactly these reasons. Streaming now on SonyLIV via OTTplay Premium, this series offers a gripping dive into one of the most significant and tragic moments in modern Indian political history. If you were drawn to the high-stakes storytelling and real-life consequences of The Hunt, here are five additional intense historical and political thrillers you should stream next.
1. Freedom at Midnight—The Birth of a Nation, the Pain of Partition
Drawn from the acclaimed novel by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins, Freedom at Midnight is a richly textured political drama that follows India’s path to freedom and the consequent partition into India and Pakistan. The series portrays landmark moments that reshaped the subcontinent, from Mountbatten’s arrival to Gandhi’s final days.
Directed by Nikkhil Advani, this visual reimagining brings together a talented ensemble: Sidhant Gupta plays a young, idealistic Jawaharlal Nehru; Chirag Vohra dons the robes of Mahatma Gandhi; and Rajendra Chawla appears as the resolute Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The series also features excellent performances of British figures, including actors from the movies playing Lord Louis Mountbatten and Lady Edwina Mountbatten. If The Hunt engaged you with its politics, Freedom at Midnight will move you by the sheer weight of history.
2. Mission Over Mars—A Scientific Achievement, Told through Grit and Grace
While The Hunt is a chase for justice, Mission Over Mars is a pursuit of a different kind—one to the stars. This is a drama inspired by the real women of ISRO’s Mars Orbiter Mission (Mangalyaan), India’s finest scientific victory.
The show centers on four women scientists navigating sexism, societal pressure, and technical challenges as they make history. Featuring Sakshi Tanwar, Mona Singh, Nidhi Singh, and Palomi Ghosh, this Ekta Kapoor-produced series goes beyond the lab to show the emotional stakes and human resilience behind the mission. It’s not a typical thriller, but it thrills nonetheless, with high-stakes drama rooted in real accomplishment.
3. Rocket Boys—The Visionaries Who Changed India’s Destiny
Before India could become a space-faring nation or nuclear power, it had to dream big. Rocket Boys tells the story of two such dreamers: Dr. Homi J. Bhabha and Dr. Vikram Sarabhai, pioneers who laid the foundation of India’s nuclear and space programs in the early decades after independence.
Starring Jim Sarbh as Homi Bhabha and Ishwak Singh as Vikram Sarabhai, this beautifully crafted period drama goes beyond scientific facts. It delves into friendship, sacrifice, political strife, and the stress of creating something that will last from scratch. Similar to The Hunt, Rocket Boys strikes a balance between historical accuracy and humanity, providing an intelligent tale that’s both heady and heartfelt.
4. Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran—When Science Meets Secrecy
If you like thrillers in which national security and foreign diplomacy come face-to-face, Parmanu: The Story of Pokhran is a must-watch. Inspired by real events, the movie tells the story of how India tested nuclear weapons in 1998 while managing to avoid global monitoring, especially from America.
John Abraham plays Ashwat Raina, an IAS official who is bent on reclaiming India’s nuclear reputation after a previous attempt years ago. Diana Penty plays a military officer who supports the covert mission. Directed by Abhishek Sharma, Parmanu expertly weaves patriotism, suspense, and historical detail into a story that keeps you on edge, just like The Hunt does with its unfolding investigation.
5. The Awakening of a Nation—Revisiting the Consequences of Jallianwala Bagh
Against the backdrop of one of India’s most tragic periods, The Waking of a Nation is a dramatized tell-all of the aftermath of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The six-part show traces the story of Kantilal Sahni, a newly returned young lawyer from London who becomes caught in the intricate conspiracy of colonial lies and growing national anger.
Produced by Ram Madhvani, this intense drama stars Taaruk Raina as Kantilal Sahni, with Sahil Mehta, Bhawsheel Singh Sahni, and Nikita Dutta. While the British try to stifle the truth, an epic struggle for justice ensues, one rife with moral compromises and deadly repercussions. Like The Hunt, this show is propelled by character-driven quests for truth in the face of systems based on silence.
Final Thoughts
What makes The Hunt: The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case so engaging to watch is not only its concentration on an actual political enigma but also how it manages to humanize history to demonstrate how policy, ideology, and tragedy come together in very intimate ways. All of the shows and films mentioned above do the same thing in various guises, from courtroom theatre and nationalist fervor to the understated determination of scientists and leaders.
No matter what you’re looking for in India’s independence, its rise to science, or its periods of political unrest, these five titles are less than straightforward histories; they’re films that linger with you well after the end credits.