Karan D Kapadia didn’t just cast Aneet Padda in Hunkkaar: The Roar — he made sure she was the only option from the moment the script took shape. The filmmaker, who co-created and directed the six-part socio-legal crime thriller with Nitya Mehra and Heeraz Marfatia, revealed that Padda was his immediate choice the second the story was written. There was no debate. No alternative. ‘The minute we were done writing it, I knew she had to be cast,’ Kapadia said. He went on to explain that he actively fought for her inclusion, ensuring she came on board despite any logistical or scheduling hurdles. Her role as Meenu Rawat, a 17-year-old survivor seeking justice after accusing a self-styled spiritual leader, Baapji (Raghubir Yadav), of sexual assault. Is central to the film’s emotional core. But the story isn’t just about trauma. It’s about what happens next. The project began in 2024, when Kapadia and Mehra were developing Big Girls Don't Cry and came across a real-life article about sexual assault. That incident became the seed for Hunkkaar: The Roar, a narrative designed not to dwell on victimhood but to spotlight resilience and the possibility of justice. ‘The article resonated with us,’ Kapadia said. ‘We also wanted to celebrate the system. There’s so much gloom around us all the time, this was a story of hope.’ Nitya Mehra echoed that sentiment, noting the team wanted to shift the conversation away from framing survivors solely as victims. ‘I felt that we needed to change the narrative,’ she said. ‘(Most) headlines are about the survivor. While Karan and I are not trying to take away the horror that survivors go through, it was imperative to focus on the good fight.’ Fatima Sana Shaikh plays ACP Jasleen Singh Soni, the investigating officer driving the case forward. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub portrays a lawyer entangled in the legal and moral complexities of the trial. For Kapadia, Padda’s casting wasn’t a matter of medium or experience. He believes her range transcends formats. ‘I don’t think it (the medium) matters,’ he said when asked about her versatility. The film is now streaming exclusively on JioHotstar. Its release comes at a moment when stories about power, accountability, and survival are being re-examined, not just in cinema, but in public discourse. And in this one, the lead was never up for grabs.