House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths (2021)

Watchseries; In House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, the certitude that is sought by the true crime documentary meets a belief in fatalism and predestination. Add ignorance, wilful or otherwise, to the mix and you have a show that lives up to its title.

The engrossing Netflix mini-series revisits the deaths of 11 members of a joint family in Northeast Delhi on July 1, 2018. The Chundawats - a widowed matriarch, her daughter and two of her sons and their families - were found dead in what was later ruled to be a mass suicide. Ten of the family members were hanging, bound and gagged, in a circular formation from a mesh that separated the ground floor from the floor above. The eldest member, the grandmother, was found strangulated in another room.

The only survivor was the pet dog, Tommy, who was tied up on the terrace. Had Tommy been let loose, he might have prevented the deaths, declares an animal rescue worker who took charge of the helpless animal.

Right from the trailer, the docu-series emphasises on the sheer 'absurdity' and the 'shock' value of the incident. The fact is further stressed by the testimonies of experts, crime reporters and law enforcement officials, who are the prime sources on record for the docu-series. We hear phrases like 'this was different', 'there was something off' by almost everyone who was interviewed. Yadav, who obviously comes from a narrative storytelling background, uses all these tools to build up that narrative and succeeds in somewhat hooking the audience early on, even though most of us know the basic facts about the incident.

Several media stories on the Burari deaths offer an explanation that is at the intersection of mental illness and superstition. The series, directed by Leena Yadav and co-directed by Anubhav Chopra, goes further down the rabbit hole. Over three episodes and roughly 135 minutes, House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths reopens the case file with the help of police investigators and journalists.

Interviews with family members, friends and neighbours throw up a murkier picture, with recurring statements suggesting that the tragedy not only evades easy answers but even an appropriate reaction.

They were such wonderful and helpful people, says person after person. They were a remarkably loving family. It is a mindboggling mystery. I will never forget this case. Perhaps the refrain "We never suspected anything" tells you much more about the case than anything else.

Perhaps the most chilling moments follow the discovery of 11 diaries, maintained over an 11-year-period. In these hand-written pages lie pointers to the manner in which deep faith can descend into outright delusion and, aided by an unequal power dynamic, can prompt a family to take extreme measures.

Although Lalit appears to have been the family's de facto head, it's difficult to portray him as the leader of a miniature cult. The diaries reveal tensions within the seemingly harmonious family unit. The lavish engagement of Lalit's niece mere days before the deaths similarly undermines the theory that Lalit wanted to keep his brood together at any cost.

Streaming platforms were meant for content like House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, where creators could push their limits and tell stories in different formats. The docu-series is a step in the right direction, though its execution is hampered by the short-sightedness of its creators. That said, one might have a couple of sleepless nights after watching it,

In House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, the certitude that is sought by the true crime documentary meets a belief in fatalism and predestination. Add ignorance, wilful or otherwise, to the mix and you have a show that lives up to its title.

The engrossing Netflix mini-series revisits the deaths of 11 members of a joint family in Northeast Delhi on July 1, 2018. The Chundawats - a widowed matriarch, her daughter and two of her sons and their families - were found dead in what was later ruled to be a mass suicide. Ten of the family members were hanging, bound and gagged, in a circular formation from a mesh that separated the ground floor from the floor above. The eldest member, the grandmother, was found strangulated in another room.

The only survivor was the pet dog, Tommy, who was tied up on the terrace. Had Tommy been let loose, he might have prevented the deaths, declares an animal rescue worker who took charge of the helpless animal.

Right from the trailer, the docu-series emphasises on the sheer 'absurdity' and the 'shock' value of the incident. The fact is further stressed by the testimonies of experts, crime reporters and law enforcement officials, who are the prime sources on record for the docu-series. We hear phrases like 'this was different', 'there was something off' by almost everyone who was interviewed. Yadav, who obviously comes from a narrative storytelling background, uses all these tools to build up that narrative and succeeds in somewhat hooking the audience early on, even though most of us know the basic facts about the incident.

Several media stories on the Burari deaths offer an explanation that is at the intersection of mental illness and superstition. The series, directed by Leena Yadav and co-directed by Anubhav Chopra, goes further down the rabbit hole. Over three episodes and roughly 135 minutes, House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths reopens the case file with the help of police investigators and journalists.

Interviews with family members, friends and neighbours throw up a murkier picture, with recurring statements suggesting that the tragedy not only evades easy answers but even an appropriate reaction.

They were such wonderful and helpful people, says person after person. They were a remarkably loving family. It is a mindboggling mystery. I will never forget this case. Perhaps the refrain "We never suspected anything" tells you much more about the case than anything else.

Perhaps the most chilling moments follow the discovery of 11 diaries, maintained over an 11-year-period. In these hand-written pages lie pointers to the manner in which deep faith can descend into outright delusion and, aided by an unequal power dynamic, can prompt a family to take extreme measures.

Although Lalit appears to have been the family's de facto head, it's difficult to portray him as the leader of a miniature cult. The diaries reveal tensions within the seemingly harmonious family unit. The lavish engagement of Lalit's niece mere days before the deaths similarly undermines the theory that Lalit wanted to keep his brood together at any cost.

Streaming platforms were meant for content like House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths, where creators could push their limits and tell stories in different formats. The docu-series is a step in the right direction, though its execution is hampered by the short-sightedness of its creators. That said, one might have a couple of sleepless nights after watching it,

House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths watchseries. I liked the series. Entertaining, short and strong. Something unexpected, very detailed.

Do not forget, this happened in 2018, if it had been in the 60's or 70's I would believe that 11 members of a family believe this lie.

But that the youngest women in the family and the older children believe in this... it does not enter my head. Even if we are talking about the (religion) culture of India.

Something more than suicide must have happened here.

Yes at the end of long stretched overly stretchered repeatedly stretched first episode you do end up in a curiosity as what happened.

But when they show, it was like what the hell. Mentally illness is true, however, what all the reporters did not pointed at was the belief into something which is man made and nothing more than a hoax.

Ain't that interesting.

This had me hooked within the first 20 minutes. I can't believe this is a true story - so very sad and mind boggling.

The story is very gripping and thought provoking. The actual documentary was decent but sometimes showed the same images over and over.

First of all, hats off to the director Leena Yadav and Anubhav Chopra for choosing this case to make it into a documentary. The case is about the demise of 11 members of the same family. Was it a mass suicide? If yes, then why? It is the premises of this documentary. Can't believe this was really happened. I was scared specially while watching the 2nd episode. Score by Rahman was superb, it intrigued me to the screen.

The voice over was done perfectly, it was giving that feel of horror. The editing was sharp and that's why it's very engaging. This has also showed that some media houses can do anything even in a sensitive situation only for their TRP. But, these are all secondary things. The primary and best thing of this documentary is its unbelievable true case. I think it's A Must Watch.

DISCLAIMER : Please DON'T watch this ALONE at NIGHT.

Available on Netflix.

© MandalBros.

The makers have comes up with a documentary on a real incident

it was very interesting and the director leena yadav have covered every aspects with all the truths ..the episodes were in totally rhyme and rhythm which keeps you engage for every second on the screen

it is really hard to believe that such things happens and what a destiny the family members had decided with what mind sets

it will take you to the top most level of reality which you must had never imagined

not to be missed.