Hunt review: Sudheer Babu’s slowburn thriller is worthy of your time
A remake of the Malayalam hit Mumbai Police, the film works better as a psychological drama than as a thriller
3.0/5
Jan 26, 2023
Hunt
Hunt
Story:
Arjun Prasad, a cop, while investigating the murder of his colleague Aryan Dev, is injured in an accident and suffers from partial memory loss. He has little clue about his case or his past and is on a quest to understand himself better every passing day. While he gathers the courage and gets back to work, the case takes him back to many dark corners in his life. His counterpart, Mohan Bhargav, stands by his side in the hour of crisis.
Review:
Even as the debate around the feasibility of remakes in the OTT era rages on, Hunt, a Telugu remake of a popular Malayalam cop thriller Mumbai Police, tries its luck at the theatres today. Beyond labels like remakes/adaptations, the basic purpose of cinema remains to tell a good story and to entertain - Hunt is successful in that pursuit. It respects your intelligence, boasts of absorbing drama, a taut screenplay and is spearheaded by strong performances.
Hunt has an additional layer of appeal because its protagonist isn’t only after a killer in a case, he’s on a quest to discover himself after a fatal accident. He has a colourful, partly notorious past and the partial memory loss gives him a chance to start on a clean slate again. It provides him an opportunity for self reflection and it’s not an easy path - he unearths a different piece of the puzzle each day, forcing him to confront his inner demons.
The true victor in Hunt is the nuanced writing and the alluring characterisation. The three pivotal characters have distinct journeys, conflicts and moments to shine. It looks at cops from a humane dimension, delving deep into their professional and personal lives and doesn’t reduce them to heroic caricatures. Keeping its thriller exterior intact, Hunt also makes you to look at the loneliness in a cop’s life, their need for identity at work and companionship too.
The mood of the film is largely morose (could’ve done with more liveliness), the treatment is understated and the mysteries are more internal than external. More than a whodunit, Hunt works as a psychological drama. The screenplay, alternating between the present and the past of Arjun is one of its major strengths. The action choreography is slick and diverse and lends a larger-than-life appeal to the narrative.
The only dance number in Hunt serves as a speedbreaker, but one can’t deny its appeal - Ghibran makes sure that the occasional indulgence doesn’t hurt the film.
The ending isn’t sensationalised and remains true to the spirit of the story. The fact that a mainstream actor Sudheer Babu has trusted Telugu audiences to accept an out-of-the-box story like Hunt indicates that times are changing . The film is focused when it doesn’t turn into an advertisement of his ripped physique.
Sudheer Babu presents the various complexities within Arjun Prasad with an earnestness that’s hard to ignore. Srikanth couldn’t have asked for a better role to suit his persona and age, while Bharath’s comeback is equally impressive. The supporting cast, including Chitra Shukla, Mounika Reddy, Mime Gopi, Kabir Duhan Singh, Goparaju Ramana, Manjula, do justice to their brief roles. Abhijeeth Poondla’s extended appearance could’ve been less hysterical.
Ghibran’s expertise with action thrillers helps Hunt and the makers ensure that the technical appeal of the product isn’t compromised. Director Mahesh Surapaneni doesn’t tinker with the soul of the original and extracts fine contributions from his capable cast, crew. Hunt isn’t your average murder mystery, it takes time to create its ambience and is a compelling package of several complex interpersonal conflicts.
Verdict:
Look at Hunt beyond the label of a remake to recognise its worth. Stories revolving around a character’s psychological quest are a rarity in Telugu cinema and director Mahesh Surapaneni uses this opportunity responsibly, while respecting the source material. Sudheer Babu, Srikanth and Bharath get ample scope to shine in the nuanced thriller-drama with layered characters and a gripping screenplay.
Share
Cast and Crew
Where To Watch