Netflix Indian original Mrs. Serial Killer - It's not great but It's not torture either

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etflix India has divided opinion with its latest 0riginal, Mrs. Serial Killer.

Following other local creations, such as Bhram, Jamtara, and Ghoul, Mrs. Serial Killer was released on May 1. The Netflix movie was written and directed by Shirish Kunder and produced by his wife, Farah Khan.

Jacqueline Fernandez takes the lead as Sona Mukherjee, alongside Manoj Bajpayee playing husband Mrityunjoy Mukherjee. The story starts with Sona talking to her husband via video call (appropriate given the time the movie was released). During the call, she reveals she's pregnant.

After the video chat ends, police inspector Imran Shahid (played by Mohit Raina) visits Sona. He informs her that he's been dispatched to collect evidence against her husband in a serial killer case. Sona protests, accusing Imran of making false accusations in a bid to get back at Mrityunjoy. Why? Because Imran and Sona used to be a couple and now she thinks he's out for revenge. We then learn that six women have been killed and each one was pregnant. The dismembered bodies create a harrowing image and the implication is that Sona could be next.

Murders, Pregnancy and Plot Twists

Mrityunjoy gets arrested and that's when the fun starts. Sona, on advice from her lawyer, kills a pregnant neighbor, Anushka Tiwari (played by Zayn Marie). The police are satisfied that Mrityunjoy can't be the serial killer because he was behind bars at the time of the murder. It later transpires that Sona didn't actually kill Anushka. Instead, she held her captive and pretended an unclaimed dead body was Anushka. With a tangled web weaved, a series of suspense-thrilled scenes take viewers on a journey that can only end in one way: violence. Eventually, we learn who the serial killer is, but not before the lead actors almost meet their makers.

The serial killer genre is one that's been popular for decades. From literary classics like Brett Easton Ellis's American Psycho, to modern shows like Mind Hunter, we have an enduring love for the deranged. For Grant Cook of Canterbury University, the genre is an "ideal form to interact with popular cultural narratives." In essence, trends and attitudes of the time can be explored through the subversive interplay between fiction and non-fiction. Of course, we can see the serial killer genre in almost all forms of entertainment. Outside of books, TV shows, and movies, games have also embraced their murderous culture. For example, the board game Cluedo can be seen as a tip of the hat to serial killers.

Killer Entertainment

However, in today's world of technology, there are more explicit references to the genre. RTG's Jack the Ripper slot game is a prime example of how gore and entertainment can exist in unison. Once you load up the game, the five reels get splattered with blood. With that, you know Jack is on the loose and that only adds to the air of suspense. Indeed, online slots are filled with uncertainty by their very nature. Because you never know what's going to happen or which symbols will line up, there's always an element of being on the edge of your seat. The Jack the Ripper title takes this a step further. Random appearances from the crazed murderer combine with surprise payouts topping six-figure sums. The end result is a rollercoaster of trepidation and excitement.

It's a similar story with video game hits like Last Year: The Nightmare. Developed by Elastic Games and available on Steam, Last Year pits you and four classmates against a serial killer. The object of the game is simple: survive. The serial killer, known as the Fiend, has the ability to engage "predator mode," which basically means they can set unexpected traps to make your life harder. Like the Jack the Ripper slot, Last Year is macabre and scary but entertaining. It seems that there's something in us that loves the suspense and subversive nature of serial killer stories told in an engaging and entertaining way. Unfortunately, a lot of viewers don't seem to think Mrs. Serial Killer has done that.

Mrs. Serial Killer Splits Opinion

A week after its release on Netflix India, the movie had a rating of just 3.3 out of 10. To be fair to Netflix India, and those involved in the project, that score was up from the 2.8 just a few days earlier. At that time, The Quint's Pankhuri Shukla said it "deserves an award for The Most Complicated Yet Purposeless Plot In The History of Indian Cinema." We won't go that far.

Is it as entertaining and other recent offerings from Netflix India like its stand-up series featuring Amit and Kanan Gill? Probably not. However, Mrs. Serial Killer does tap into a popular trope that creative types have used to thrill audiences for years. Yes, it probably does miss the mark, however, it still plays on our passion for suspense and subversive drama. So, on that count, it's far from a torturous watch.

✔️ Netflix Indian original Mrs. Serial Killer - It's not great but It's not torture either

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