Hunkkaar: The Roar has been through a fairly long journey to reach screens, and now that journey is finally coming to an end. The Hindi-language crime thriller and courtroom drama is set to premiere on JioHotstar on September 25, 2026, bringing together a strong cast for a story that tackles genuinely difficult, socially relevant territory.
If you’ve already caught the trailer and want a closer look at what it reveals, this trailer review of Hunkkaar breaks down exactly how intense Aneet Padda’s standoff against a powerful guru actually looks.
What’s the Story?
Hunkkaar follows Meenu Rawat, a 17-year-old school student who files a police complaint against Sunil Chakosi, a powerful cult leader known as Baapji, accusing him of sexual assault. That single complaint quickly spirals into something far bigger than a personal legal case, igniting a national conflict that pulls in the police, the judiciary, and the media all at once.
At its heart, the show isn’t just about the accusation itself. It’s about what happens to a young woman once she decides to speak up against someone with genuine social and institutional power, and just how many systems end up working against her rather than for her in the process.
The Cast
Aneet Padda leads the series as Meenu Rawat, with Fatima Sana Shaikh playing ACP Jasleen Singh Soni, the officer tasked with investigating her case.
Raghubir Yadav takes on the role of Baapji, the guru at the centre of the allegations, while Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays journalist Amitabh Sinha and Arjun Mathur plays lawyer Bhalerao.
Ram Kapoor also features in a key role, alongside Rajesh Sharma, Zoya Hussain, Charu Shankar, and Veen Harsh, rounding out the supporting cast.
It’s worth noting that Aneet Padda actually completed filming for Hunkkaar before she became widely known through her breakout role in Saiyaara, which makes this release feel like a genuinely early, different showcase of her range compared to what audiences have seen from her most recently.
Behind the Scenes
The series is directed by Nitya Mehra and Karan D. Kapadia, who also serve as creators and showrunners, alongside Heeraz Marfatia. It’s produced by Applause Entertainment and Birla Studios, in association with Mangata Films and Purple Pebble Pictures, with Deepak Segal, Karan D. Kapadia and Ashi Dua Sara producing.
Interestingly, the show wasn’t always called Hunkkaar: The Roar. It was originally developed under the working title Nyaya, before being retitled ahead of its actual release. Principal photography began in the second half of 2023 and wrapped by January 2024, meaning the show has been sitting ready for release for a fair while before actually making its way to JioHotstar.
The rollout leading up to release has been fairly deliberate too. The first look dropped on August 31, followed by the teaser trailer on September 1, and the full trailer got its own launch event in Mumbai on September 10.
Why This Release Matters
Courtroom dramas built around real institutional power imbalances tend to work best when they commit fully to the discomfort at their core, and Hunkkaar looks like it’s doing exactly that. Rather than framing Meenu’s story as a straightforward legal battle, the show seems far more interested in exploring how public opinion, family doubt, and powerful influence all work together to make justice genuinely difficult to reach.
With a strong ensemble cast, a story rooted in real social tension, and a title change that suggests the makers wanted something punchier and more direct for its eventual release, Hunkkaar: The Roar is shaping up to be one of the more talked about JioHotstar releases this month.
Hunkkaar: The Roar streams on JioHotstar starting September 25, 2026.