Of online voyeurs and offline vigilantes
True crime squirmed under the spotlight of two documentaries at Sundance 2025, earlier this year. Charlie Shackleton's Zodiac Killer Project opened up the genre playbook to dismantle the codified conventions that go into choreographing an investigative spectacle for the screen. David Osit's Predators charged the stakeholders of a booming industry on multiple counts: for the genrefication of tragedy, for inviting voyeurs to play moral arbiters, for galvanising vigilantes into enacting DIY justice, for feeding a singular and collective appetite for the macabre, and for seeding an adverse parasocial mania. The schadenfreude-pilled addicts searching for their next fix are put under scrutiny, same as the opportunistic peddlers of grisly stories.
In recent times, true crime has gotten more confrontational, more introspective, more aware of its shortcomings, more committed to addressing the system, not just the individual. The two Sundance docs examine our relationship with stories which in so many ways have become our modern myths in this internet age. Predators reviews the legacy of a popular NBC show that delivered a uniquely American brand of public spectacle. For three years, the Dateline spinoff To Catch a Predator (2004-2007) became a rating sensation with its ambush journalism. Dubbed 'Punk'd for paedophiles,' the programme was built on a winning formula: actors posing as minors online would lure potential predators to a house rigged with cameras; on arriving at the house, these older men would be cornered by host Chris Hansen with chat transcripts and difficult questions; outside, local police would be waiting to swarm the man and charge him with online solicitation of a minor. This humiliation routine was broadcast on national television.
However, bypassing due process left a majority of the cases unprosecutable. Not to mention this extralegal enterprise undermined the legitimacy of the criminal justice system. Especially when it turned out it wasn't so much the show working with law enforcement as law enforcement working for the show. NBC cancelled To Catch a Predator when one of the targets, a Texas assistant DA, shot himself after his house was surrounded by police and Hansen's production crew. But by then it had left its mark. It spawned enough copycat sting operations targeting suspected predators online to become a YouTube phenomenon. Vigilante groups began to surface around the US with their own participatory true crime iterations. As Osit finds out following one crew, it is less justice that incentivises these operations, more the righteous satisfaction of catching someone with their pants down. It is social cleansing for clout, for subscribers, for our viewing pleasure. It is mass-mediated dehumanisation peacocking as public service. It is gotcha TV premised upon revelling in others' ignominy.
To Catch a Predator capsuled the spectacle of public shaming via subterfuge into 20 episodes. But what happened beyond the runtime? The show had no interest in the family left behind: the betrayed wives, daughters and friends who had to endure through their shock, anger and grief. When Osit sits down with the distressed mother of an 18-year-old decried by Hansen for dating a 15-year-old in the ongoing web series Takedown, the ruinous cost of public shaming becomes glaring. Interviews with some of the young actors hired to play underage decoys on To Catch a Predator reveal the toll it took on them. Hansen would always confront his targets with the statement: 'Help me understand.' Osit confesses his own childhood trauma as a survivor of sexual abuse made him keen to understand why some adults would prey on children. But Hansen was never interested in the why. When he is interviewed in the film, it only confirms to Osit the aim was never to decode the minds of predators. Nor was it to alert parents to online dangers. It was to grant audiences the feeling of a moral order briefly restored coupled with the pleasure of self-exoneration from disorder. But by making a spectacle of shaming predators, the show became predatorial in its own way.
Zodiac Killer Project is a quasi-documentary filmed in a conditional mood: a feature as it might have been but couldn't be. Director Charlie Shackleton had set out to adapt The Zodiac Killer Cover-Up, a 2012 book by ex-cop Lyndon Lafferty. Just as he was locked in research and scouting locations, the negotiation for securing the rights fell through. Thereupon he decided to make a film about an unmaking, his abortive bid to hop on the true crime bandwagon. Much of the film comprises long static shots of unpeopled streets, buildings and homes, accompanied by Shackleton's sometimes wistful, sometimes tongue-in-cheek descriptions of how he would have recreated milestone scenes from the book in these nondescript locations. As the camera slow zooms in on the locations, their emptiness invites us to envision the ghosts of a past when the Zodiac Killer haunted San Francisco and the ghosts of a documentary that almost got made. The opening scene takes us to a highway rest stop where Lafferty came face-to-face with the man he suspected to be the killer. So that it doesn't feel like we are watching a podcast remodelled for the screen Shackleton adds insert shots and 'evocative B-roll': bullet casings dropping, blood pooling on the floor, overhead lights swinging in the interrogation room. For an illustration of how he might have gone about assembling the title sequence and dramatizing events, he pulls in footage from series like The Jinx and Making a Murderer.
Shackleton is quite forthcoming about the deceptions of true crime. He shows us a library that would have been recast as a police station. He admits to the liberties he would have taken and the facts he would have withheld to make Lafferty's conclusions more persuasive. Lafferty claimed to have unmasked the Zodiac Killer. But the evidence he laid out was circumstantial. And as his book title suggests, he accused local officials of stymying his investigation. Shackleton confesses he himself doesn't buy Lafferty's claims but it wouldn't have stopped him from selling the same as highly credible to the viewers for the purposes of making engaging true crime. There is a sense of playfulness and bitterness to Shackleton's narration. We hear a filmmaker reluctant to probe his own ready indulgence in the deceptions of a genre he is eager to anatomise. We hear a fan more amused than alarmed by the mechanics. We hear someone whose desire for closure becomes a comment on our own denied by cold cases.
Last year, Canadian filmmaker Pascal Plante interrogated our cultural fixation on serial killers and true crime with an entirely different approach in Red Rooms. Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy) is a model by day and hacker by night obsessed with the case of Ludovic Chevalier, a man accused of killing three young women on camera and livestreaming the crimes on the dark web. On the days of trial proceedings, she forgoes the luxuries of her Montreal high-rise to sleep in a back alley near the courthouse, just so she can secure herself a seat in the gallery. Gariépy is sphinx-like as Kelly-Anne. Her dispassionate poker face crystallises her ambivalence. It is impossible to gauge her motives beyond a restless need for certainty that pushes the curious to play detective. It is hard to read her moral compass, or if she even has one. If she is alone, it feels like a choice. It is disconcerting to watch her so airily dart back and forth between playing hold 'em online and bidding on a snuff film of a 13-year-old girl (definitive evidence linking Chevalier to the crimes). Parasocial mania reaches a fever pitch when Kelly-Anne turns up to court, dressed in a school uniform like the victim. She gazes fixedly at Chevalier seated in his glass booth as if willing him to return the gaze.
Early into the trial, Kelly-Anne befriends Clémentine (Laurie Babin), a Chevalier groupie convinced of his innocence. When Clémentine learns Kelly-Anne has access to two of his alleged snuff films, she insists upon watching them. Plante holds the camera on the two women staring at the screen, faces aglow in the blood red of the kill room. The horror is relegated off screen. All we hear are piercing screams of agony. Clémentine, sickened, breaks down in tears, the reality of Chevalier being guilty catching up with her naive delusion. Kelly-Ann, unruffled, looks on with the numbed expression of someone who has presumably seen the video several times before. The two make for parallel but contrasting portraits of pathological fixation.
Ostensibly a fan of Arthurian tales, Kelly-Anne calls her jailbroken AI assistant Guenièvre and goes by the online handle 'Lady of Shalott,' named for the noblewoman cursed to only see the outside world reflected in a mirror. The Tennyson poem she inspired speaks to Kelly-Anne's own condition: alone, confined to a tower and engaging with the world through (digital) mirrors. Red Rooms adds a wrinkle to the true crime genre by situating us both behind and front of the camera to confront how easily we are lured in by the promise of voyeuristic opportunity. We as consumers are bystanders shielding our eyes while still peering through the fingers at the scene of a fatal car crash, our reptilian fear instinct and our deep-rooted curiosity caught in a tense parley. We observe from a safe remove while staying unobserved. We wish to be anonymous yet belong. We suit true crime up in academic garb, style it with artistic flourishes, call it victim-centred, all so we feel less queasy about consuming trauma repackaged as entertainment.
Prahlad Srihari is a film and pop culture writer. He lives in Bangalore.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
31 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Samay Raina's show India's Got Latent resurfaces on YouTube after controversy, fans ask for new content
Four months after coming under fire, Samay Raina's popular YouTube show India's Got Latent has made a discreet comeback, albeit on a different channel. The sudden return has left fans buzzing with speculation about the comeback of the show. Also read: Samay Raina wishes he had cut out unwanted stuff from India's Got Latent, reveals when the show will be back Samay Raina was mired in controversy after the release of an episode of his show, India's Got Latent, earlier this year. The show faced a major backlash earlier this year after YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia made a controversial comment to a contestant involving their parents, sparking widespread outrage and legal action. Multiple FIRs were filed against Ranveer, Samay Raina, Apoorva Mukhija, and Ashish Chanchlani, leading to the show being taken down. Following the incident, Samay took down all episodes from his official channel and issued a statement expressing his distress. 'Everything that is happening has been too much for me to handle. I have removed all India's Got Latent videos from my channel. My only objective was to make people laugh and have a good time," he wrote. Now, months later, the show's segments have resurfaced online, but not on the original channel. Instead, they've appeared on a new page called India's Got Latent Clips, which has recently become active. The revived clips include content from public and members-only episodes, with over 500 videos currently available for viewing. The page has 522 videos and around 493K subscribers. In fact, several fans noted that the page was private till now and was recently made public. The revived clips include content from public and members-only episodes, with over 500 videos currently available for viewing. Fans excited The return of the show's clips on social media sparked excitement among fans, with many wondering if new content is on the horizon and if the show will make a full comeback soon. Remarks such as '2025 is the year of comeback," 'Best comeback everrr," and 'Finallyyyyyyyy… comeback ho hi gaya Latent ka" flooded the comment sections. "Please come back Samay Raina," a fan wrote on the newest video on the channel. "Wasn't this page closed? Or is it just me who thought it was closed?" remarked a fan, with another viewer writing, "So these videos are enabled again now? Yay!" What do we know about the India's Got Latent row The controversy surrounding Samay Raina's show erupted following the filing of an FIR against multiple individuals, including Apoorva Mukhija, YouTubers Ashish Chanchlani, Ranveer Allahbadia, Samay himself, and others involved in the India's Got Latent show. The action was based on accusations that they promoted obscenity and engaged in sexually explicit conversations during the YouTube show, which was accessible to the public. The show faced intense criticism after Ranveer made 'sex with parents' comments that many felt were insensitive, sparking widespread outrage. The video went viral, and social media users strongly condemned his remarks, leading to a fierce backlash online.
Time of India
44 minutes ago
- Time of India
YouTube's NFL coverage winning over Gen Z viewers, claims CEO Neal Mohan
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel YouTube's NFL coverage is proving to be a hit with Gen Z viewers, according to CEO Neal Mohan . Speaking about the platform's growing role in sports streaming, Mohan said broadcasting NFL games on YouTube is helping the league connect with a younger, digital-first highlights, livestreams, and exclusive content tailored for mobile consumption, the NFL's presence on YouTube has become a key part of its outreach noted that Gen Z fans are engaging with the sport in new ways - through shorts, creator reactions, and interactive content - making YouTube an essential bridge between the league and its next generation of a recent conversation with Ankler Media founder Janice Min, Mohan said that the NFL's presence on YouTube enables games to exist alongside a wide array of creator-driven sports content - the very type of material that younger audiences actively seek out on the platform."We actually aged down the NFL's audience on our platform," claimed YouTube secured the rights to NFL Sunday Ticket , it didn't just make the service more accessible to those previously limited by DirecTV - it also created a gateway to a younger Sunday Ticket remains a premium subscription mainly appealing to die-hard fans, YouTube's broader platform reach offers the NFL a chance to engage new CEO further highlighted that the upcoming Week One matchup between the Chiefs and Chargers in Sao Paulo, Brazil, set to stream for free globally on September 5, marks a major milestone. By removing paywalls and broadcasting to a worldwide audience, the NFL hopes to draw in a fresh, younger fan base.
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
Micro-drama startups are vying with Reels and Shorts for screen time
Manisha, a 37-year-old domestic worker, boards a local train every morning from Sion to Dadar in Mumbai—her short 10-minute ride serving as a sanctuary removed from the humdrum and chaos of the day. Like many urban Indians, her wait time is also her watch time. On her smartphone screen, between jostling elbows and station stops, she watches short-form videos—sometimes a quick reel, sometimes a bite-sized soap opera on YouTube. While Reels and Shorts dominate screen time during commutes and idle moments, the human pull towards compelling stories remains strong. 'These few minutes are mine, I don't have time for full shows," said Manisha. This behaviour—short bursts of downtime spent snacking content—is precisely what a new wave of Indian startups is trying to tap into. Micro-dramas, 2 to 3-minute serialized episodes packed with plot twists and emotional payoffs, are vying for eyeballs that would otherwise be doomscrolling through Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts. 'We want to borrow time from Instagram Reels or YouTube Shorts," says Kushal Singhal, founder of Flick TV, which recently raised $2.3 million in a funding round led by Stellaris Venture Partners. 'Storytelling was missing in snackable time. Everyone was consuming reels and shorts, but they weren't remembering them." A Flick TV series packs 50–60 micro-episodes, each 2–3-minute long—designed to fit into commute windows, tea breaks, or lunch lulls. Inspired by China's 3-7-21 content formula—scene changes every 3 seconds, hook every 7, and emotion shifts every 21—these bite-sized sagas aim to turn passive scrolling into active engagement. Also read | Instagram's 'Blend' lets friends share Reels; influencers see audience surge While 70% of India's video consumption now happens on mobile, attention spans have plunged. 'We're adapting storytelling to fit the new attention window," says Singhal. 'The audience hasn't disappeared—they've just changed formats." Unlike traditional user-generated content (UGC), these platforms focus on Professionally Generated Content (PGC) across genres like love, crime, heartbreak, and fantasy. The audience is largely commuters, shopkeepers, and housewives—people with 'wait time," not 'spare time." Another entrant, Bullet, co-founded by Azim Lalani and backed by Zee Entertainment, is going even deeper beyond metros to tier-2 and tier-3 towns. Bullet is preparing to launch in seven regional languages across India. 'This is the same audience that used to watch 30-minute soap operas—now they want that in two minutes," says Lalani. Each Bullet story spans 60–100 minutes, with serialised episodes running between 60 and 120 seconds. Moreover, Lalani emphasised their focus on culturally-resonant content. 'We don't want to show a lot of things which are not acceptable as Indian culture," he said. Read this | Shorts and reels make Netflix to Amazon Prime sweat Gamified mechanics let users unlock episodes via daily check-ins, referrals, and earned tokens. 'It's not just content—it's entertainment layered with game design, affordability, and personalization," Lalani explains. Monetisation remains a challenge Despite the promise that short videos hold, monetization remains the single biggest challenge for micro-drama platforms. 'Advertising is constrained by India's low cost per mille (CPMs), and subscriptions rarely work for short-form content. Micro-payments may hold promise—but they remain unproven at scale," says Ashish Pherwani, partner, media and entertainment at EY India. Advertising revenues alone may not be enough to sustain high-quality micro-drama production, he added. Bullet and Flick TV both plan to experiment with micro-payment models—users can unlock episodes individually or opt into flexible subscription packs. Brand integrations and narrative-based product placements are also being explored as alternative revenue streams. 'There's a belief that good content is platform-agnostic," says Pherwani. 'But short-form alone doesn't guarantee stickiness. You need compelling stories, not just format." Also read | Long-format content consumption growing on YouTube in India as connected TV penetration deepens Newer entrants are building with a tech-first and data-backed approach. 'The real moat is on the supply side: content velocity and hit rate," says Mayank Jain, principal at Stellaris Venture Partners, adding that this category won't be built on branded talent or stars—it'll be built on compelling storylines and high-volume original content. Bullet is already building a Customer Data Platform (CDP) from day one to track viewer behaviour, content preferences, and monetisation trends. 'Once you have this data, it will lead to better personalization and pricing strategies," says Lalani. Format is the wrapper, story is the core According to Tracxn data and Mint research, short-form video platforms in India are surging in 2025. Reel Saga, founded in 2024, has more than 50,000 downloads and raised $2.1M from Picus Capital. Flick TV crossed 50,00,000 downloads, while Reelies has downloads in excess of 500,000, more than 3,000 monthly content hours from 450,000 users, and viral hits like Contract Marriage with 3.5 million views. Kuku TV, launched by Kuku FM in 2025, crossed 5 million beta downloads, offering 2-min vertical dramas powered by its 45,00,000 million paying audio user base. However, industry veterans caution against chasing format fads. 'Micro-dramas are not new—we're just calling them something else," says Pherwani. 'What matters is the story. A strong IP should be adaptable to any format—film, audio, series, or short," he added. And read | Content studios turn to YouTube to launch new originals despite surge in premium streaming platforms But even as platforms fight for seconds of screen time, the goal remains simple: deliver emotional payoff in the least amount of time possible. As Lalani puts it, 'It's not spare time—it's wait time. And that's now becoming entertainment time."
