The Hunt for Veerappan

Very well documented timeline of this dreaded criminal. From late 80s until early 2000s. How so many different people involved in his life from wife to police to STF personals to friends to villagers to negotiators to traders account for his life is something you cannot find in any movie or book so far done on him,

Personal note not amounting to the rating given: I remember while growing up in Bangalore the stories of Veerappan and his atrocities were norm. I was in 2nd year of my college when Rajkumar was kidnapped and the days followed were horrific to say the least. The thing was that it took a kidnapping of an actor, though well revered to take this man more seriously than ever. Not that there were no sincere efforts were being taken to nab him but it all were failing due to many reasons which this documentary has shown quite aptly.

As a kid growing up during peak Veerappan times, during the kidnapping, all I remember about the whole thing are the features on Sun News and what the elders used to talk about. I also remember the "Veerappan ah pudika vakku illa" dialogue from Kaakha Kaakha. Given my limited knowledge about Veerappan and all the events from back then, this was a very fascinating watch.

This is a 4-ep documentary, not a biopic, about the approach that the police forces from TN and KA had to capture him. Several individuals directly involved in the process, including Veerappan's wife Muthulakshmi speak in this doc. The editing and the storytelling in worth the 3.5-4 hours. The narration is slow but worth it. The original doc has a mix of English, Tamil and Kannada narration, but there's a full dub as well, in case you're wondering.

Was waiting for this series from long time. The actual timeline with the most accurate details makes this documentary so good. You will be glued to it until you finish it. We all in our childhood heard a lot about Veerappan(Indians) here is all the details and all the crimes he committed we only know him for the smuggling of chandan but it was way more than that and Netflix makes sure that every detail is shown as accurate as possible. You will feel the fear and you will feel the anxiety the only thing you will not feel is the time as it is a pure entertainer and even if you are not into documentaries I assure you this can be exception in your watchlist.

The one thing the makers can be proud of when it comes to this 4-episode miniseries is that it's solidly made and put together. It offers three perspectives: that of Veerappan's acquaintances (including his wife Muthulakshmi), the special task force that was hot on his trail (but never quite close to nabbing him) for nearly 20 years, and the media folks involved at the time. While this paves the way for a well-rounded approach, some questions are still left hanging. We get to know near-to-nothing about Veerappan's upbringing and what drove him to become a poacher, a smuggler, and eventually a kidnapper/murderer (except for greed and notoriety). The episodes are neatly cut and sorted, with each chapter proving to be decisive in the lives of Veerappan and those that revolve around him.

On the bright side, we get finer details regarding the "Dr. Rajkumar kidnap & release" saga. When you hear one of the victims say he remembers all the details 23 years later, you know how pivotal those days in capture would've been. It also paints a more humanized picture of Veerappan, shedding a fair amount of light on the people he may have inadvertently helped out while he was carrying out his 'revolutionary' antics. The STF's losses, the conflicts between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, Veerappan's gradual change of mind when he spends time with his wife and daughter - all of this is given ample time.

There are some incredible visuals on display too, be it of the forest or the subtle reenactment of events. Of all the folks interviewed, the clear standout (by a mile) is Muthulakshmi, whose strong, bold demeanour is evident all through, whether it's how she responds with composure, the way she laughs, or just her sitting posture. Add to that, we get to hear from Veerappan himself through various cassette tapes he shared with people over the years. A few doubts remain about the killing of Veerappan, but that's left as a loose end. Selvamani Selvaraj, the writer-director, is an interesting filmmaker to watch out for. He's making his next with Dulquer Salmaan.

Great series. Not able to sleep without watching complete series!!!

Must watch series if you're interested in crime thrillers.

It's all about the Indian bandit Veerappan.

I'm a 90s kid. We have heard a lot about Veerappan from the early age of my life. That gave a eager to watch this series Some people know only bad side some know only good side of Veerappan or The police.

So after watching the complete series you can come to an conclusion either who's good and who's devil.

I don't know whether this director has done similar crime series come documentaries but this one will be well earn a very good name for this director.