Leena Yadav’s crime docu- series, House of Secrets- The Burari Deaths, has proved that we no longer need any grotesque figures, Halloween music and jump scare moments in horror movies to evoke eerie upon the audience. The three episodes of the series narrate the mysterious deaths of eleven members in the same family in a single night. Although there is a dilemma in categorizing these deaths, because it was neither a murder nor a suicide, the eleven accidental deaths in Burari was an actual incident which shook the Indian society. Cops, media, the kith and kin of the dead people and every Indian got confused how these people met with death.
The docu-series is peeping into this traditional Indian house and searching how and why it happened. Tommy, their dog, was the sole survivor who couldn’t speak about this incident. The series highlights the superstitious Indian society, the secrecy in Indian families, how mental health issues will harm others, patriarchy, media hypocrisy and so on and it is a very curious watch because of its unique unfolding of events. The three generations of Bhattiya family left the world exceptionally well without leaving any traces for their death. Hence, police came to certain conclusions which are not sure for them also.
Leena Yadav is a kind of person who isn’t interested in repeating genres and to be in a comfort zone. It is visible in this project and her previous works like the critically acclaimed movie Parched and the comedy Rajma Chawal. The crime series made by a woman from the female perspective is a wonderful and different experience to the movie lovers. How patriarchy, mental illness and secrecy squeezed them to death is the major part of narration. The first episode reveals the death of eleven people in a house and the method they have taken was surprising.
Their dead bodies were in a particular pattern which is similar to the pattern of roots hung from a banyan tree. Yadav recreated almost everything and conducted a detailed study that made us feel that we were there during the time of investigation. Crime reporters, law enforcement officials, their friends, relatives and neighbors cooperated for the docu-series. The spine chilling second episode reveals about the diary and the connection of number eleven in their life. The eleven dead members, windows, pipes, grills, diary and so on increases our palpitations without any extra set of horror techniques. Instead of scary sounds and techniques she used thrilling and the haunting lite background music composed by A R Rahman. This episode reveals the superstitious characteristics of Indian families and questions on why we are reluctant to treat mental illness.
The final episode is about Lalit and his mental instability. How his illness and dominance lead to the death of eleven people including him. He served his psychosis to others and it was generated upon them. His rules, dominance and character show that he was a complete patriarch. After the death of the father, Lalit became the tower figure and the other members started blindly believing and accepting his words. This submission is due to their superstitious belief system and deep-rooted patriarchal acceptance. A woman can’t be the head of the family, especially widows, green widows and spinsters, due to biological and social barriers. Hence, it is the duty of the male member to take the family’s burden. Here the mentally diseased person had taken the charge by undertaking various methods to become a Leviathan.
Superstitions and myths are the best keys for operating on it. Keeping familial matters a secret and suffering them without hesitation is a part of Indian culture. We have to talk with others so that others can help us if we are riding through a wrong track. The lack of interconnectedness in society is harmful to everyone. Majority of the normal and happy families in India have some hidden tragic stories.
The docu-series is trying to openly discuss these matters. The unquenchable thirst for crime stories and movies is increasing day by day. This docu-series is also discussing crime without any weapons, violence, disfigured images or showing a drop of blood. It was a deep journey to the cultural practices, psyche and social orders and this inexplicably good docu-series is a gem in Leena Yadav’s career.
