House of Secrets review: The Burari Deaths (2008)

House of Secrets review: Suicide or A Genocide?

The Indian documentaries are levelling their standards by counting on the talent rather than their commercial value. Platforms like Netflix have been proving their worth by giving stage to such unknown stories. These astonishing thrillers would certainly be preferred by the audience to watch at their homes than in the theatres.

This recent release, “House of Secrets: The Case of Burari Deaths (2008)” is the perfect example of non-fictional cinema.

This documentary, released on October 8, 2021, talks about the real incident that happened in 2008 in Burari, Delhi. This was a case that gave chills to the public and as well as the police. A case that is horrifying and confusing, outweighs the rest of the Delhi crime record.

After reading the House of Secrets review, you would surely be motivated to watch the complete documentary to know the whole story.

A depressing situation: 

The first scene starts with the depiction of the crime itself. Eleven members of the Chundawat family are found dead under the ceiling, themselves hung up with blindfolds on. Neither old nor young, no member of the family is spared.

The scenes portray a replica of the actual scene, by taking the details from the police and the witnesses. It is a horrifying piece of art that will shake you in and out.

The initial episode of House of Secrets appears rather unclear as to the intention behind this incident. The police do not know whether to label it as a mass murder, a mass suicide, an accident or a genocide.

Joining the crime pieces:

Later, as the case unfolds, various conspiracies rise, only one of which is believed by the police to be the truth. However, you cannot predict the finale as each one of the pieces of evidence holds a fair point.

It gets more difficult for the crime branch to find a ground for this case when the investigation begins. A few related people, neighbors, colleagues etc. are interrogated to know the family background. No clues are found that indicate social spite for the family.

Subsequently, the case resolves at an unexpected point when the officers find some evidence which is powerful enough to convince everyone.

It is one of the shortest series (3 episodes) on Netflix yet there is no doubt about its success and credibility.

The underlined psychology: 

The most important aspect of this sensational thriller is the sociology and the phycology behind a regular Indian household. One can hardly believe the repercussions of superstitions or blind faith shown in the report. The case of Burrari deaths is a lesson learnt the hard way for our society, that no one can estimate any family’s situation through their social representation.

This documentary will surely make you question the people and the society around you.

Direction:

Leena Yadav’s (the director) vision behind representing this story in the form of a documentary is obvious, as it portrays the scary scenario through its raw yet intense cinematography.

By conducting a social autopsy, marking out the mentality and lifestyle of the family, Leena dives into the available facts and reshapes this unusual case into a social message for us.

Pictures of the family members and other smaller details help us connect to the family instantly, adding to the documentary making it a realistic thriller.

Music:

The background score, composed by the great A.R. Rahman, is the cherry on the top of this nasty cake. It will lure you into the exact moment and feelings of victims and other people involved in this case.

Therefore, I would recommend this series if you’re looking for some break from fictional stories. This is an off-putting genre. Thus, do not watch if you’re too lighthearted, too empathetic for people or suffering from any severe mental disorder. Overall, it’s a good heavy dose for exciting entertainment lovers.

Watch the real incident explained in detail.

To read more such thriller reviews, click on : https://theotthour.com/2022/10/16/delhi-crime-season-2-review/