The alleged perpetrator of the brutal murder case in Delhi has owned he was inspired by the crime show Dextor. So, do such shows have an impact on the psyche of the audience? Experts share their take

Mona

The 28-year-old man who allegedly chopped his live-in partner into 35 pieces in New Delhi was reportedly inspired by American crime show Dexter to murder and store her body; Drishyam-style murder in Ghaziabad — wife kills, buries husband inside home with the help of lover, but caught after four years; International Emmy winner Delhi Crime, based on the brutal Nirbhaya case; Abhay, picking stories from real cases right from ‘Nithari’ to ‘Cyanide Mallika’… Art imitates life or life art? The latest ‘Delhi Dexter case’, as its being called, has brought this question into limelight again.

NO PARENTAL GUIDANCE

The restricted crime dramas are now freely available for anyone to watch. A disclaimer that says 18 + is just a formality, many teens watch it without parental guidance. Adolescents hooked to these dramas full of blood, violence and gore sure turn more aggressive and violent. — Dr. Sachin Kaushik, Senior consultant psychiatrist

Series not to be blamed

I don’t think content needs to be blamed for crime around us. When superhero characters like Superman came into being, did people tie a bed-sheet around their bellies and started jumping off cliffs? Mental health is a big issue and no matter what resemblance it has to the TV series or films, the sickness lies within those people who are doing such things. — Vivek Oberoi, Actor

Have we suddenly see an upsurge in crime dramas? Author and filmmaker Piyush Jha puts things in perspective, “Crime sagas are not new, these have been part of our shows and films as well literature, even classic literature, for long. Now, easy accessibility makes it seem like there is an upsurge while these have been around forever.”

But sure crime sagas are being consumed with utmost glee — Mirzapur, Paatal Lok, Dexter, Orphan: First Kill, Dahmer, Squid Game, The Twelve, Mindhunter and You have won over the audience. Actor Mitaali Nag, who has been part of the thriller Aashiqana, explains, “Crime dramas are very thrilling, and addictive to watch. They give us a glimpse into the minds of the criminals. The viewers witness the real thing in the safe environment of their homes without actually being a part of the crime. I guess it’s also the curiosity to know how the cases are solved, especially the ones you know about. That is why there is an increase in viewership of such shows.”

In the grey zone

So, do the shows impact viewers? If one goes by the headlines, one sure sees a pattern. Post Nirbhaya case, which was very sensitively and sensibly handled in the series Delhi Crime, there have been many such brutal rapes and killings. Mitaali says, “If we look at the positive aspect, it educates the viewers on the way crimes are committed and to be alert. However, watching too much crime is known to have affected people’s mental health.

However, Piyush Jha disagrees, “Look at the number of people who have seen Dexter, and how many such crimes do you see…One in billions? It’s wrong to point fingers at any show or a film. Crimes are committed all over the world, all across the country, and these are adapted as content on screen.” Another pertinent point to be mentioned is the rise of grey characters. Gangster Ganesh Gaitonde (Nawazuddin Siddiqui) in Sacred Games, Hathoda Tyagi (Abhishek Banerjee) in Paatal Lok and Dagar Rakhwala (Bobby Deol) in Love Hostel have been popular too.

Piyush opines, “Every era comes with its villains; back in time it was Thakur, the village zamindar; 70s saw the rise of angry young man who fought against the system; during the 90s politicians challenged the heroes and today we see villains in police, God-men, grey characters and more.”

Handle with care

Mitu, producer of the show Crime Alert on Dangal, believes crime-based shows always find an audience. “That is because everyone is intrigued to find out how crime happens and what motivates people to take such drastic steps, and how such things are solved. While doing crime shows, the stories sometimes are so gory that it shakes you up,” she admits.

“Crime dramas need to be handled carefully. The makers need to be sensible and sensitive. To present the show in such a way that the message is sent across — that the criminal will be punished — is a challenge,” she adds.