STRANGER THAN FICTION
OTT platforms are beginning to fill their slates with Indian non-fiction content
n March, Disney+ Hotstar released 1232 KMs, a documentary which followed seven migrant workers on an arduous journey back to their hometowns during the nationwide lockdown last year. Having earlier premiered Roar of the Lion, a series on the Chennai Super Kings team, it wasn’t their first foray into the non-fiction genre. In February, Discovery+ launched Secrets of Sinauli: Discovery of the Century, an investigative documentary about archaeological excavations in the Baghpat district of Uttar Pradesh. Netflix, whose Indian original documentary slate has so far been limited to the series Bad Boy Billionaires: India, has, apart from Searching for Sheela, announced four
Itrue crime shows. Applause Entertainment, creator of popular show Scam 1992, also seems to be pouring resources into developing non-fiction content. Amazon Prime Video, too, is on the lookout for documentary series.
For Netflix, investing in documentaries was expected. Compared to 2019, the viewership for non-fiction series— like Tiger King and The Ted Bundy Tapes—among its subscribers in India grew more than 250 per cent in 2020. It was proof that crime—already a popular fiction genre—could be binge-watched even when the context was real. “I truly believe that unscripted content has the power to engage at a very different level,” says Monika Shergill, Netflix’s vicepresident for content. “When you see people in their own environment, the kind of voyeurism it offers, people enjoy watching it.”
Tanya Bami, Netflix’s director, international originals, says the company aims to tell stories that “are insightful and revelatory even to an Indian audience”. Netflix’s 2021 documentary slate includes two true crime series—House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, based on the mass suicide of a family of 11 in Delhi, and Indian Predator, a series about serial killers. For Bami, finding engaging subjects like Ma Anand Sheela isn’t enough. An “elevated visual aesthetic” and “an intriguing narrative treatment” are also key.
For this, finding the right creators becomes essential.
Given their eye for detail and accuracy, as also their access, news organisations, like the India Today Group, become ideal collaborators. “You will see a lot of research has gone into looking at the context,” says Chandni Ahlawat Dabas, senior editor, originals, special projects and events, India Today, who is working on Indian Predator. “For the first time, the treatment of the story is not just about the crime. With OTT, we are digging deeper.” India Today has devoted over a year to the series and is “keen to work with multiple platforms to do cutting-edge content” beyond true crime.
Depending on how these shows are received, 2021 may well become a gamechanging year for documentary-makers. The next Wild Wild Country, might well come from India. ■