True-crime documentaries on Netflix scrutinize patriarchal narratives in India through sensational murder cases

Two Netflix documentaries, 'Curry & Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case' (2023) and 'The Indrani Mukerjea Story: Buried Truth' (2024), examine high-profile murder allegations while revealing how media reinforces patriarchal structures in India. Christo Tomy directed the first film about Jolly Joseph, a Kerala woman accused of poisoning six people over 14 years. Uraaz Bahl and Shaana Levy co-directed the second documentary focusing on media mogul Indrani Mukerjea, who allegedly murdered her daughter Sheena Bora. Both productions transform news into entertainment through dramatic storytelling that highlights class divisions and moral hypocrisy. Public discourse around these cases reduced the women to stereotypes of ambitious gold-diggers with loose morals, despite ongoing court proceedings. Unlike fictionalized male serial killer portrayals like 'Dahaad' (2023) or 'The Serpent' (2021), these documentaries present female defendants as cautionary tales about women defying social expectations. Mukerjea's Instagram presence with 1.5 million followers showcases her life after bail, including dance lessons and public speaking engagements. The analysis by writer Deepa Bhasthi argues that such media treatment reinforces societal conditioning against independent women regardless of class or financial status.