There is something about crime stories that keep us glued to our TV sets. And when these crime stories are straight out of life, somehow the interest quotient increases. It could be because it may have happened in your city or taken place during your lifetime and you can relate to the places and the news of that time.
OTT is full of such true crimes that have been dramatised for the screen. Here are some:
Delhi Crime Season 1 & 2 on Netflix
Both the seasons perhaps top the list. While season one was based on the ghastly and cruel Nirbhaya rape case that shook the country, season 2 is loosely based on the Kachcha-Banyan gang, about which today’s generation doesn’t know anything. So, the curiosity level is even higher. The series brings on screen the story of cold-blooded assassins who enact the crimes committed by the Kaccha-Baniyan gang, robbing and murdering the old citizens of Delhi’s elite class. The struggle between the Delhi Police curbing the crime and catching the assassins is something to watch out for if you’re looking for a series involving the Indian Police and their functioning.
Indian Predator: The Diary Of A Serial Killer on Netflix
This is yet another bone-chilling show based on multiple crimes, that took place in the country. It is based on the infamous case of Raja Kolander, an alleged cannibal with a kill count of over 15 people. The timeline of this three-episode docu-series dates back to 2000, when Dhirendra Singh, an Allahabad-based journalist went missing. His body was found mutilated with the head separate from the body. The investigation and the then new-age technology of phone tracking led the police to Raja Kolander who had made a call from the journalist’s home after murdering him. Interestingly, the call was made from Singh’s mobile to a landline number under the name of Phoolan Devi and her husband Raja Kolander, based in now Prayagraj’s Chheoki neighbourhood.
Mumbai Diaries 26/11: Amazon Prime
This eight-part series is a medical crime thriller set in the emergency room of a hospital. Taking you on a rollercoaster of emotions, it follows the travails of the night of terror, November 26, 2008. The writing gives us a humane view of the crises and the gut-wrenching narrative is tied with themes of solidarity and sacrifice. The stellar cast includes Mohit Raina, Konkona Sen Sharma, and Mrunmayee Deshpande. They perfectly portray the plethora of emotions that the grief-stricken embody.
Jamtara – Sabka Number Ayega on Netflix
This Netflix web series is based on actual crimes like phishing by a group of school dropouts. The leading characters Sunny and Rocky are cousins and with their friends, start to con people on the call and earn money but things go against their way when a news article publishes about the scam. The director Soumendra Padhi got the idea for it after reading an article about a phishing scam orchestrated by a bunch of school dropouts.
The Talwars: Behind Closed Doors: HBO
A horrific crime that was sensationalised by the media and police, the Aarushi Talwar crime case of 2008 is unforgettable. Revisiting the gruesome murder of 13-year-old Aarushi and domestic worker Hemraj Banjade, the series unravels the secrets behind double deaths. The show not only deals with the changing suspects and lack of real proof but tactfully depicts the struggle of the lower class who are often framed for crimes they didn’t commit.
The Keepers: Netflix
This docuseries, based on a true event that happened decades ago, still gives chills to people who read about it. The Baltimore story, which was adapted for the screen uncovers a dreadful crime involving the disappearance and murder of a nun, Cathy Cesnik. The beloved nun who worked at a convent as a high school teacher suddenly disappears on November 7, 1969, and her body is found two months after her disappearance. The story uncovers not just one crime but several sexual crimes carried out by the school’s chaplain, that went unnoticed and unpunished. Director Ryan White has put together events of that deadly crime through real-life accounts by friends, students and colleagues of Sister Cesnik, whose murder remains unsolved even today, despite the culprit being known to everyone.
American Crime Story: Disney Hotstar
American Crime Story is an American anthology true-crime series with three seasons and three high-profile criminal cases. Season one titled ‘The People v. O. J. Simpson’ chronicled the famous murder trial of former American footballer O. J. Simpson. The second season, titled ‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace’, chronicled the murder of designer Gianni Versace by spree-killer Andrew Cunanan. The third season, titled ‘Impeachment’, is about the Former US President Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky scandal and is based on the book ‘A Vast Conspiracy: The Real Story of the Sex Scandal That Nearly Brought Down a President.
Why Did You Kill Me?: Netflix
The series is an American documentary based on a true crime story, that highlights the significance of digital platforms when it comes to seeking information across the world. Directed by Fredrick Munk, the film explores a family’s quest in looking for their 24-year-old daughter’s killer through the use of social media. The US-based film highlights the mother’s struggle as she tracks her daughter’s killers and goes down the emotionally disturbing road of pursuing justice, and showcases the horrendous crime that took their daughter’s life.
American Murder: The Family Next Door: Netflix
This documentary is based on a true crime story that shook people across the world. It is the story of the Watts family residing in Colorado. The documentary materialises a horrid account of the murder of Shanann Watts and her children using social media posts, texts, CCTV footage, and on-record documents. Popplewell weaves this mystery into a film which explores several theories and the killer’s mindset as to why he did what he did. The story becomes dark and unbelievable when Shanann Watts’s husband turns out to be the culprit, who murders her and their two daughters because of the stress they had in their marriage. The events of the story and the aftermath of the murders are not only shocking but also disturbing.
Ted Bundy: Falling for a Killer: Amazon Prime
The 5-part miniseries focuses on the victim. In this docuseries, serial killer Ted Bundy’s long-time girlfriend, Elizabeth Kendall, and her daughter, Molly, open up about the serial killer for the first time.
