Amit Sial, who plays D.R. Kaarthikeyan, reflects on the atmosphere in India during Rajiv Gandhi's assassination

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Amit Sial, who plays the role of D.R. Kaarthikeyan in ‘The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case,’ reflected on his personal memory of the tragic event.

The actor shared how the emotional weight of the incident stayed with him over the years. Speaking about the time of the assassination, Sial recalled being a teenager in school. While the visual details have faded over time, he clearly remembers the emotional atmosphere that swept across the country.

When asked about his memory of the day Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated, Amit Sial told IANS that he was around 16 years old and in school at the time. While he doesn’t recall the visuals clearly, he vividly remembers the atmosphere — the sense of gloom that settled over the country.

“Yeah, yeah, of course, I remember. I think I was in school. I was around 16 when this happened. And yeah, very, I don't, like, my memories entail more of a feel than visual memories. Like, I know how the country felt at that moment, how my neighbours felt, what, the kind of gloom it brought with it. I remember that clearly, yeah.”

When asked whether he referred to any real-life sources to prepare for the role of D.R. Kaarthikeyan, Amit Sial shared that he extensively researched the former CBI chief’s life. He revealed that he read a great deal about Kaarthikeyan’s professional journey and watched several of his interviews available online to better understand his personality, thought process, and approach to the investigation.

“Yeah, I read a lot about Mr. Karthikeyan’s life and watched several of his interviews online. I also went through many photographs available on the internet. One particular interview really helped me because he spoke about the case itself, as well as his overall service tenure and what it involved. While he didn’t go into too much detail about the investigation, that conversation gave me a good starting point. Of course, we also had the script, which was based on the book. Honestly, I didn’t have a lot of time to research the case in-depth, so I relied heavily on Nagesh bhai, the script, a few co-actors, and Mr. Bux — who, I must say, is an encyclopedia on this case.”

“Still, I did as much research as I could because it was a huge responsibility to portray Mr. Karthikeyan accurately. At the very least, I wanted my effort to show that I genuinely tried to do justice to the role.”

“The Hunt – The Rajiv Gandhi Assassination Case” is a gripping series directed by Nagesh Kukunoor that delves into the intricate real-life investigation following the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. The series also features Sahil Vaid, Bagavathi Perumal, and Girish Sharma. It was premiered on July 4, 2025.

--IANS

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