Deepanjana Pal
Says the interviewer at one point in The Hunt for Veerappan. The woman he says this to stares at him in silence, trying to understand what he means. Then she slowly says, “Seri (all right)”, clearly still uncomprehending.
To humanise a figure known for his misdeeds is almost standard operating procedure in the age of true crime documentaries and director Selvamani Selvaraj makes sure his viewers know that there was more to Veerappan than the crimes against his name.
That of the media, the state’s law enforcement agencies, and of Veerappan’s associates. The ease with which STF members recount (and forget) the violence they unleashed upon innocents is chilling.
It doesn’t leave us wiser about why Veerappan alone was able to rise to the heights that he did, despite many others who engaged (and continue to engage in) poaching, sandalwood smuggling and other criminal activities. Neither do we know what motivated him.
But more than an understanding of Veerappan the documentary series offers a portrait of how the tactics used by law enforcement agencies have changed over the years.