The Hunt for Veerappan review: A masterclass in stirring, fascinating, and ethical documentation

Netflix's recent documentary 'The Hunt for Veerappan' narrates the riveting timeline of the infamous bandit Veerappan's life empathetically.

In a faint memory from my childhood, I remember my sister joking, “Veerappan chacha nahi rahe," as she discussed his encounter on a call with her friend. “Who is Veerappan?” I asked. “Robinhood,” she answered. That is all I, and perhaps most Gen Z folks, knew about Veerappan until Netflix released the Selvamani Selavaraj-directorial, “The Hunt for Veerappan,” a few days ago. Now I know that Veerappan was a Robinhood, a brigand, a messiah, and a monster - all at the same time. He was a ruthless murderer and smuggler, but also an activist. The thrilling and terrifying documentary, “The Hunt for Veerappan,” is a ticking timeline of Veerappan’s daring yet controversial life and its sadistic ending. 

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This documentary starts with Veerappan’s wife Muthulakshmi talking fondly about him. Soon, multiple forest officers, journalists, and even members of Veerappan’s gang join in telling the intriguing story. The story hints at what led Veerappan to become the 'Forest King' as well as 'an animal in human form'. At a fast but steady pace, it takes you through all the twists and turns of Veerappan’s story that will give even the best fiction thrillers a run for their money! With every passing minute, especially due to the haunting background music and symbolic visuals, you find yourself at the edge of your seat, waiting for what is about to unfold. The documentary turns especially gory and haunting when it uses archived photos of the horror unleashed by Veerappan and the states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The vast research by the team along with the right questions asked at the right time to numerous journalists, police officers, army men, gang members, neighbors, members of LTTE, and many others, form the backbone of the documentary. I can't imagine the effort it must have taken to pack such vast data so concisely. The Hunt for Veerappan not only asks questions to the interviewees but also to the viewers. Why did Veerappan, or any bandit, turn towards crime? Why is that our collective failure as a society? What is the role of the government in this? Are police and bandits two sides of the same coin? What happens when the law is defied by those enforcing it? Is it lawful to let justice turn into revenge?

The ethics of Veerappan’s story are muddy but the documentary manages to narrate the ordeal sensitively and as objectively as possible. Its reportage is ethical and one of the more impressive ones of recent times.

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