From Indian Predator to Dahmer, why are Indians so obsessed with true crime shows and movies? Experts weigh in

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What has us hooked to true crime content: curiosity or morbidity? A recent Netflix search shows the genre topping its trending lists — be it the Indian Predator anthology or Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story, its frenzied response turning the Evan Peters-starrer into a franchise.

If anything, with the rise of OTT and its ‘originals’ in India, the portrayal of crime has become unapologetically graphic and brutal. Just think of the gore and guts splayed across the room in the final scenes of Indian Predator: Murder in a Courtroom. But viewers flock to these macabre tales of death and destruction like a moth to a flame — a fitting metaphor for the most part.

So what’s the appeal of grisly true-crime content? Is it for the adrenaline rush that comes with a nail-biting climax scene?

“Some watch it due to the thrill of transgression – the excitement that comes from consuming content that is forbidden or taboo,” says Dr Chandni Tugnait, Psychotherapist and Founder and Director of Gateway of Healing. Others like it for the element of adrenaline it involves, since these stories and depictions evoke an emotional response that can lead to physical reactions such as sweating, heavy breathing, or a racing heart.

Counselling Psychologist Rashi Laskari credits some of the obsession to a certain level of escapism that it brings. “There is a certain percentage of the audience who watches true crime content for the thrill and suspense that it builds, as a way to disconnect from their lives,” she says.

But is it really a disconnect? The annual NCRB report of Crimes in India showed that in 2021, 60.96 lakh cognizable crimes including over 36.63 lakh Indian Penal Code (IPC) crimes and 24.32 lakh Special & Local Laws (SLL) crimes were registered. Out of this, 4.28 lakh cases were crimes against women, an increase of 15.3% over 2020. Despite this, women tend to make up for the lion’s share of true crime content viewership.

“Women tend to function from the emotion of fear more than men… the societal conditioning makes women feel a stronger need to protect themselves in unsafe situations. More often than not, we see our clients engage in such content to be “informed” about what can happen and how to prepare themselves better, should they ever find themselves in such situations,” Laskari says.

According to Tugnait, the psychology runs even deeper. “Women tend to be more empathetic than men and are therefore more interested in reading about stories involving suffering and pain. Secondly, women may be more interested in matters of social justice, and are thus drawn to stories about unsolved crimes and wrongful convictions. In some cases, these stories may provide a form of catharsis or even empowerment for women who often feel powerless in other areas of their lives,” she says.

Several true crime shows, like Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story and Mindhunter, attempt to present the psychology of a criminal: why do they do what they do? What’s that final switch that turns them into a villain? For instance, many have argued that Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story  has lent an empathetic lens to the notorious serial killer, emphasising his abandonment issues — a product of a lonely and misfitting childhood.

This could be one reason for why viewers find it so hard to turn away from the compelling narratives of most true-crime shows and movies. According to Tugnait, “…by delving into the backgrounds of killers and exploring the details of their crimes, these shows and movies help us understand what drove them to commit such horrific acts. In this way, they become less like “monsters” and more like real people with complex motivations and feelings.”

For the most part, these shows and movies take us “inside the mind” of a killer, to make a note of the red flags and tell-tale signs. Ultimately, however one chooses to interpret true crime content, the fact remains that it taps into something deep within all of us — an intense desire to know more about our most twisted impulses and darkest desires, she says.

Whether it’s making you look inwards or deflect outwards, true crime content can have a negative impact on your mental health. According to Laskari, it can function as a trigger to something in the past, or make you over-vigilant of your current circumstances, thus hampering your functioning.

“We often see people losing trust in others; becoming highly suspicious of their every intent and reinstilling feelings of paranoia,” she says.

Adding to this, Tugnait believes that the violence and graphic nature of these stories can intensify feelings of distress or distort perceptions of safety. Prolonged exposure to true crime content can also cause a general sense of indifference toward violent acts, and in some extreme cases, make someone prone to unhealthy behaviours like stalking or obsessing over dark subjects.

There are healthy ways to engage with true crime content without it being distressing. For starters, you can be well-informed about what you’re watching, and make sure that you balance out the dark stories with lighter content: think a slapstick comedy, or a coming-of-age romcom. Most importantly, if you feel yourself spiralling, take a step back. When it comes to consuming true crime content, moderation is the key.