Hunkkaar: The Roar Review – Aneet Padda Shines

There’s a particular kind of pressure that comes with following up a career-defining hit, and Aneet Padda knows it better than most right now. After Saiyaara turned her into a household name almost overnight, everyone wanted to know what she’d do next. The answer, it turns out, was filmed long before Saiyaara ever hit theatres. Hunkkaar: The Roar premiered on JioHotstar today, September 25, and it’s a completely different beast from the romance that made her famous.

This one doesn’t hold your hand. It’s angry, uncomfortable in places, and built around a story that feels ripped from too many real headlines. If you’ve been curious whether it lives up to the buzz, here’s everything worth knowing before you press play.

What Hunkkaar Is Actually About

At its core, this is the story of Meenu Rawat, a seventeen year old student at a school run inside the compound of a revered godman known as Baapji. When Meenu accuses him of sexual assault, what should be a straightforward criminal case instead turns into something far messier. Baapji isn’t just a spiritual figure. He commands genuine political influence, and that influence starts bending the investigation almost as soon as it begins.

The show splits its attention across three battlegrounds. There’s the ground level police investigation, led by a sharp and unyielding officer. There’s the courtroom, where an underdog lawyer has to build a case against a man half the country still worships. And then there’s the media, where public opinion becomes its own kind of verdict, often arriving before the actual one does.

What makes the premise land is that it refuses to let Meenu be a simple, easily sympathetic victim. She’s written as defiant, occasionally difficult, and not particularly interested in performing grief the way people expect her to. That choice is deliberate. The show wants you to sit with the discomfort of supporting someone who doesn’t make it easy, because that’s closer to how these situations actually play out than the sanitized version most dramas give us.

Interestingly, the title itself carries weight beyond the plot. Hunkkaar is a Hindi and Sanskrit word for a battle cry, one with roots stretching back through India’s freedom struggle and classical poetry. According to the show’s creators, the name only clicked into place in the final stretch of development, after nearly a year spent shaping the story in the writers’ room.

Meet the Cast

Aneet Padda carries the show as Meenu Rawat, and this is a real swing for her as an actor. Where Saiyaara asked her to be soft and romantic, Hunkkaar asks her to be prickly, wounded, and unpredictable, often in the same scene.

Fatima Sana Shaikh plays ACP Jasleen Singh Soni, the officer leading the investigation. She’s coming off Gustaakh Ishq and trades that film’s romantic register for something much sterner here, all controlled intensity and procedural grit.

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub takes on the role of Bhalerao, the lawyer fighting what looks like an unwinnable case on Meenu’s side. Ayyub has built a career on exactly this kind of morally grounded, slow burn performance, so this feels like a natural fit for him.

Ram Kapoor plays the lawyer representing Baapji, giving the courtroom scenes a genuine sense of opposition rather than a one sided fight. Raghubir Yadav takes on Baapji himself, and Arjun Mathur rounds out the main ensemble as a journalist caught in the middle of the media storm. Zoya Hassan, Rajesh Sharma, and a handful of other strong character actors fill out the supporting cast.

Behind the camera, three directors shared the load: Nitya Mehra, Karan D Kapadia, and Heeraz Marfatia. Mehra previously directed Baar Baar Dekho and episodes of Made in Heaven, while Kapadia worked as an assistant director on films like Talaash and Raavan before stepping into this. The show comes from Birla Studios and Applause Entertainment, working alongside Priyanka Chopra Jonas’s Purple Pebble Pictures and Mangata Films.

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Ratings and Early Reviews

Since Hunkkaar only dropped today, official critic scores are still trickling in, so treat any early star rating you see with a bit of caution for the next day or two. What’s already clear from the trailer response and the first wave of viewer reactions is that people are responding strongly to the show’s refusal to simplify its central conflict. The three way structure, cop versus lawyer versus media, seems to be the thing most early viewers are pointing to as the show’s biggest strength, since it keeps the story from settling into a predictable good versus evil rhythm.

The performances are getting singled out too, particularly Padda’s, since this is the first real test of her range after Saiyaara. Early word suggests she holds her own against heavyweights like Shaikh and Ayyub, which is no small feat for someone this early in her career.

The show carries an A rating, so expect it to go to some genuinely dark places. If you’re the kind of viewer who prefers your streaming to stay light, this probably isn’t the one for tonight.

We’ll be updating this space once full critic reviews land over the next few days, so check back if you want a more complete picture.

Should You Watch It?

If you liked the moral murkiness of shows like Delhi Crime or the media obsessed tension of something like Guilty Minds, Hunkkaar is built for you. It’s not comfort viewing, but it is the kind of show that sparks actual conversation afterward, which counts for something in a streaming landscape full of forgettable options.

Hunkkaar: The Roar is streaming now, exclusively on JioHotstar.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did Hunkkaar: The Roar release?
The series premiered on JioHotstar on September 25.

Who plays the lead role in Hunkkaar?
Aneet Padda plays Meenu Rawat, the student at the center of the show’s central accusation.

Is Hunkkaar based on a true story?
The show is a fictional drama, though its themes draw heavily from real world patterns around power, faith, and institutional bias in sexual assault cases.

Was Hunkkaar filmed before or after Saiyaara?
It was filmed before Saiyaara. Padda confirmed on social media that this project had been part of her journey for a while before Saiyaara’s release brought her wider recognition.

What is the age rating for Hunkkaar?
The show carries an A rating, meaning it’s intended for viewers eighteen and older due to its mature and sensitive subject matter.

How many episodes does Hunkkaar have?
Episode details are available directly on JioHotstar, where the full season is streaming now.

Where can I watch Hunkkaar: The Roar?
It’s available exclusively on JioHotstar and is not currently available to rent or buy on any other platform.

Prashant

Hi, I’m Prashant Jain — a film enthusiast and critic who lives and breathes cinema. From big-screen releases to the latest drops on OTT, I watch extensively and review honestly, without hype or bias.
I believe a good review should go beyond just “good” or “bad.” It should help you understand what works, what doesn’t, and whether a film is truly worth your time. My reviews focus on storytelling, performances, direction, and overall impact — all through the lens of a genuine viewer.
I regularly cover new movie releases and trending web series across OTT, bringing clear, no-nonsense insights for audiences who want real opinions, not paid praise.
Through PopNewsBlend, I aim to cut through the noise and give you reviews you can trust — whether you’re deciding what to watch next or just love discussing cinema as much as I do.