Top 10 Indian Crime Documentaries

True crime has become a massive topic of interest. The compelling grip of the stories of several criminals, gangsters, outlaws, and serial killers only gets stronger as we explore the darkest secrets behind the most controversial criminal cases in history. India has a fair share of such cases, and watching these documentaries from a closer angle allows us to play safe as a detective and see the story unfold and uncover the most controversial facts. There is a vast audience among the people whose interest is inclined towards this true-crime genre, and hence, below are listed the top 10 Indian crime documentaries that will make a chill run down your spine.

1. Delhi Riots: A Tale Of Burn And Blame

This Kamlesh K Mishra Kamlesh K Mishra was born in Gopalganj, India, to >> Read More... -directed documentary paints an accurate picture to society of the events that took place during the riots following the opposition of CAA in the northeast region of Delhi in 2020. The movie captures an accurate picture of the violence and accounts of eyewitnesses and the people who lost the lives of their loved ones and succumbed to the violence that shook the capital region of India. In finding the roots that triggered the violent acts, innocent people who lost their lives were ignored, and this documentary aims to fulfill that purpose. Watch this film to learn about the effects of these riots, where lives were affected, which the media failed to convey. This could be streamed online on Voot.

2. Bad Boy Billionaires: India

This docuseries follows the proverbial rise and fall of four prominent business magnates of India, namely Vijay Mallya Vijay Mallya is an Indian entrepreneur and a forme >> Read More... , Nirav Modi, Subrata Roy, and Ramalinga Raju, who all achieved predominant success before being accused of corruption. This Netflix documentary tries to explore various scandals, which include these famous Indian billionaires and all the sins they built over the years, resulting in their tremendous wealth and ultimately causing their downfall. The docuseries tries to give both sides of the stories behind the scammers. If this intrigues you, this docuseries is for you. Stream it now on Netflix.

3. House Of Secrets: The Burari Deaths

House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths is a 2021 docuseries released by Netflix and created by Leena Yadav Leena Yadav, a film producer, a director, a screen >> Read More... and Anubhav Chopra Bio coming soon... >> Read More... . It explores the lingering theories of the famous Burari case reported in Delhi wherein 11 members of the same family hanged themselves to death, allegedly, as a part of a ritual. The docuseries includes the testimonials of the neighbors and the police and the news reporting which followed the events back then. It examines the spine-chilling theories and secrets that lead to the hanging of 11 members of a joint family, including children, adults, and an older woman, to death, all at the same time. Explore the story of this national sensation by watching this documentary series now on Netflix.

4. Indian Predator: Murder In A Courtroom

This docuseries is based on the true story of Bharat Kalicharan Yadav, aka Akku Yadav, which happened in Nagpur, Maharashtra. As per some media sources, he raped over 40 women in the region of Kasturba Nagar in Nagpur. This Netflix documentary follows the events of his trial, during which around 200 women wield swords and smash stones into Akku Yadav's intestines in broad daylight. Apart from this, Yadav got accused of murdering his best friend Avinash Tiwari Avinash Tiwari is a talented, hard-working, vibran >> Read More... and Asha Bhagat, who used to sell liquor in Kasturba Nagar and his sworn enemy. His bloodlust ends up amplifying and resulting in him harming women of all ages. This documentary is about the community he terrorized and the vengeance they unleashed by lynching him in a courtroom. While watching this, as the final episode rolls in, you will be rooting for Yadav's death. This series is a must-watch and hence makes its way to our list.

5. Crime Stories: India Detectives

This Netflix original is a 2021-released true crime documentary created and directed by N Amit and Jack Rampling. This four-episode docuseries chronicles the working of Bengaluru Police as they attempt to solve four violent crimes, three related to murder and one involving the kidnapping of a child, showing the darker side of the IT Hub of India, Bengaluru. The documentary also features the personal lives of the investigating officers, adding a little more human touch to it. The series is primarily shot in Kannada, and it does not fail to show the investigations being carried out transparently. This docuseries, as a whole, is a compelling watch and hooks you to the stories being followed and as the mysteries are unleashed.

6. The Talwars - Behind Closed Doors

This four-episode documentary examines the mysteries involved in the double murder case of a teenage girl named Aarushi Talwar and her family’s household servant in Noida, India. The death of this young, starry-eyed girl made the tightly-knit Talwar family suffer such an unbearable loss. This horror is etched in the memories of the whole nation like a chill. The episodes are titled as per the chronicles of the inquest. The documentary brings into a frame the various people involved- the cops, Aarushi's closest friend Fiza, the maid, her uncle, family friends, media personnel, etc. Follow along as the cops try to solve the mystery of this double murder case by watching this series now! Stream it easily on the Disney Plus Hotstar platform.

7. Mumbai Mafia: Police Vs. The Underworld

In the 1990s, crime boss Dawood Ibrahim and his network wielded unchecked power over the financial capital of India – Mumbai. For years, the underworld of Mumbai has lured many filmmakers to explore the subject, and with ‘Mumbai Mafia - Police vs. the Underworld', makers did not fail to bring out the chilling and riveting stories of this vast network of gangsters and criminals in the underbelly of Mumbai. This documentary film depicts the clashes between Mumbai Police, and the mafia Dawood Ibrahim, along with his companions like Abu Salem, and many others. Mumbai Police's attempt to bring down these outlaws, and the rise of 'encounter cops' who brazenly kill their targets, the problem is tackled at the root cause. Catch up on the events that led to the elimination of such criminals with this series, streaming now on Netflix.

8. Indian Predator: Beast Of Bangalore

This season of Indian Predator tells the story of Umesh Reddy, who terrorized the whole of Bangalore in the 1990s. The victims were women from all regions who were brutally raped, robbed, and murdered by him and the police had to meticulously devise plans to catch this murderer after he had tricked them multiple times. The docuseries features interviews with the police department, forensic scientists, and a few journalists who were deployed at that time to track and investigate this horrific case. It is a sordid true crime drama that somehow manages to rise above its format to deliver a powerful message about being convicted by the media, and the plight of women in the country. ‘Indian Predator: Beast of Bangalore' is an intriguing watch and the trickster character of the killer and the methods of the police apprehending him is what makes it so. Watch now on Netflix.

9. Indian Predator: The Butcher Of Delhi

This Netflix true crime docuseries, directed by Ayesha Sood Ayesha Sood is an Indian film industry director, p >> Read More... and produced by VICE India, revolves around the story of Chandrakant Jha, a serial killer who left three decapitated victims outside the Tihar Jail of Delhi accompanied by taunting notes back in 2006-07. The documentary does not involve much on the mystery part around the killer but does include his crimes and motive, and how he held grudges against the system. Jha was a deranged and dangerous man who rose to infamy when he started leaving beheaded bodies of the victims outside Tihar Jail and mocking the police to catch him. It includes the interviews of the cops involved during the investigation, some confidential informants of the Delhi Police, and anecdotes of the people present near the epicenter. The series excellently manages to paint the true picture of the man behind these monstrous killings. No doubt, this came up on our lists.

10. My Daughter Joined A Cult

Towards the end of our list, we have ‘My Daughter Joined a Cult’, which tracks the quick rise and fall of Swami Nithyananda Nithyananda Paramahamsa is a well-known spiritual >> Read More... , the man who claimed himself to be an enlightened spiritual teacher and a self-proclaimed godman. The series depicts how Swami turned out to be a conman instead of a godman. It shows how he used to portray himself on the stage as a saffron-clad sadhu who leads his life on the path of dharma and promotes Hinduism despite having a disturbing criminal record. He is accused of raping several women and is believed to have a womanizing and predatory lifestyle. Nithyananda’s two-faced ways are revealed best by Sarah Landry, aka Sudevi, his social media manager, and Jordan Lozada through their recollection of goings-on in the ashram, which include verbal abuse and beating of disciples as well as demands to ramp up the videos propagating his teachings and increase the enrolments for his inner awakening program. This series unravels the misdeeds of this so-called godman and brings into light the dark reality behind it. Stream now on Discovery+ and see the harsh reality of the Gurus.