What is the impact of crime based shows on us?

We have Crime based shows like Crime Patrol, Gumraah, Savdhaan India. What sort of impact do they have on us?

The obvious answer here is, they make us aware of what is happening in the society. We live in a honky dory world of our own and such shows depict the harsh reality.

But are they actually showing us the reality?

There are cases which aren’t shown exactly how they took place and the scripts are sometimes changed to suit the Indian viewers. My friend who’s studying Criminal Psychology tells me that these shows are over dramatized and it would be better if they give us interviews of real people in order to make the stories more believable.

Not many are aware but there’s a channel called “ID” (Investigation Discovery) which offers documentary style programming of True Stories of an investigation, crime, and suspense. Since its an American show, it’s dubbed in Hindi for the Indian audience. They take interviews of real victims, their friends, relatives and make sure that their identity is hidden. Their shows are thought provoking and intriguing.

Coming back to the popular ones,

Crime Patrol is more close to reality than the other shows I mentioned above. It has played quite a role in improving the negative stereotype we have for our police. Not to forget it even enlightens the audience with the rights of the citizens and laws and regulations of our country.

Gumraah focuses on the youth, their very tagline “end of innocence” says that it showcases stories where the youth goes wrong.

Both these shows have made people aware of the situations they need to be careful about. They list down the situations where a crime could be avoided and if at any point of time they are faced with a similar situation, then they would know what step to take and how to act.

I cannot say the same for Savdhaan India though. The complaint I and many others have from this show is that it has turned more into a fiction show now and is very loosely based on true stories. There are some stories which start well but end very melodramatically, they are extremely exaggerated and sometimes sickening to watch.

What I am trying to say here is that crime based shows are sensitive and should be kept as close to reality as possible because they have a negative impact as well. They have the tendency to infuse sick mentalities in people and give them ideas. There are even cases registered where the perpetrators have said they got the ideas from shows like Crime Patrol and Savdhaan India.

The motive of such shows is to make people understand that criminals are not made, they are one among us. The cases depicted thus shouldn’t be sensationalized for the sake of TRPs. I would conclude like the host of Crime Patrol does; take care, stay safe and remember 'crime never pays'.


Written by Vipra Chadha
I don't know where I'm going but that's never stopped me before.