Amazon Prime Video made a global announcement of its first Indian true crime documentary titled Dancing On The Grave, an investigative series that reportedly revolves around the murder of Shakereh Khaleeli, which happened during the 90s in Bengaluru. The show, produced by India Today Originals Production, is written and directed by Patrick Graham, and co-written by Kanishka Singh Deo. It is expected to premiere in India and 240 other countries on April 21.
In a press release, Amazon Prime said that the show has been made with the help of archival footage, news clippings, interviews, and dramatisations. Dancing On The Grave delves into the murder of Shakereh Khaleeli, a well-known, wealthy heiress, and the granddaughter of the Diwan of Mysore. The four-part series will investigate the murder through interviews of key persons involved in the events. It also reportedly features the version of the perpetrator as well.
Aparna Purohit, Head of India Originals Prime Video said, “The making of this docu-series has been an incredibly enriching journey which entailed detailed and painstaking research and documentation. Sometimes, facts are stranger than fiction. And documentaries provide a window into the social fabric, ethos, and mindsets of people; they can be stimulating and thought-provoking.”
Speaking about the India Today archives that were used in the making of this documentary, Chandni Ahlawat Dabas, India Today’s Business Head for Originals and Special Projects said, “The India Today Archives is a treasure trove of data, documents, facts, and figures. When the team came upon the material available on this case, our team was convinced that this was a story that needed to be told. This led to all-consuming research that had the team literally knocking on doors in far-flung places across the nation. Over 22,000 pages on the case were read in detail, interviews of over 57 people were conducted, adding to more than 300 hours, and travel was undertaken across the length and breadth of the country to bring together the unknown facts about the case,” she said.