We’ve all been there—curled up on the couch, popcorn in hand, about to hit play on the latest crime thriller, knowing full well it’s going to take us into some pretty disturbing territory.
From Indian Predator to Delhi Crime 2 to Dahan to Paatal Lok to Tabbar to Sector 36, and the very recent “Kill,” (loved by masses post OTT release), these shows don’t just flirt with gore and violence—they embrace it, delivering chilling scenes that make us squirm, yet somehow, we can’t look away. What is it about these dark, gritty subjects that reel us in? Why are so many of us drawn to content that’s laced with blood, brutality, and a good dose of psychological torment?
Let’s be honest: part of it is sheer curiosity. There’s a reason psychologists call it “morbid curiosity”—that weird pull we feel toward things we should technically be avoiding. It’s the same reason we slow down when passing a car accident or clicking on those shocking headlines.
We’re wired to want to peek behind the curtain of life’s darker moments, not necessarily because we enjoy them but because we’re driven to understand them. Watching a grisly crime scene unfold on screen, in all its graphic detail, taps into that deep-seated need to explore what’s terrifying and taboo while staying safely on our side of the TV screen.
The pandemic ramped up this fascination. Lockdown was a strange time—life was uncertain, scary, and full of anxiety. Crime thrillers became a way to channel that tension. Shows that explored the darkest corners of human behaviour gave us an outlet for our fears. In a world turned upside down, the chaos of these shows felt almost… cathartic. It was like confronting danger head-on but without any real risk. You could sit in your living room and immerse yourself in these dangerous worlds, knowing full well that you’d walk away unscathed when the credits rolled.
Take Ken Ghosh’s Abhay, for instance, where he introduced viewers to characters that teetered on the edge of humanity—like cannibals.
The chilling thing? These weren’t fictional exaggerations.
Ghosh drew from real-life cases, reminding us that the horror on screen was a toned-down version of the atrocities people commit in the real world. And that’s a key part of what makes these shows so gripping—they’re not pure fantasy. There’s a realism that hooks us, making it all feel that much more intense.
But here’s where things get interesting. Not everyone enjoys this level of grit. For some, the gore crosses a line, making them tune out rather than lean in. It’s a psychological split—some viewers are wired to handle high-stakes, graphic scenes and even thrive on the tension, while others find it overwhelming. According to psychologists, those who love this content tend to have higher tolerance for stress and are more likely to process the imagery as an exciting challenge rather than something deeply disturbing. They’re not revelling in the violence itself, but in the adrenaline rush, the suspense, and the dark puzzle that needs solving.
For those on the other side, however, the cognitive dissonance—the clash between what we know is wrong and what we’re watching—becomes too much. For them, it’s not entertainment, but something morally uncomfortable. It’s this tug-of-war between fascination and repulsion that makes shows like Dahan and Indian Predator so divisive. Some love them for the complexity, others hate them for the intensity. Globally, franchises like Hostel, SAW, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Strangers, Wrong Turn, Halloween, Final Destination, have always been popular. In India too, the trend is catching fire.
At the end of the day, OTT platforms are cashing in on our collective curiosity, fear, and appetite for thrills. They’re pushing boundaries, yes, but they’re also mirroring a reality that’s darker than we might like to admit.
Filmmakers are walking a fine line, depicting horrors that exist in real life but tempering them enough to keep viewers coming back for more.
And as long as we’re captivated by the unknown—the grisly, the grotesque, the unsettling—it’s likely that these dark subjects will continue to dominate our watchlists.
So, next time you find yourself deep into a crime thriller, stomach churning, heart racing, and yet totally hooked, ask yourself: Is it the gore I’m here for? Or is it something deeper?
Something primal, something that makes me want to peek through my fingers and see how the dark side of the human psyche plays out?
Either way, these shows aren’t just entertainment. They’re a reflection of the parts of ourselves we’re both scared of and drawn to.