It highlights YRF's iconic films and their influence on Bollywood
If you’ve just finished streaming Dining With The Kapoors, you’re likely still savouring the warmth of Bollywood’s first family coming together to celebrate the centenary of the legendary Raj Kapoor.
Released recently on Netflix, this intimate special peels back the curtain on the Kapoor clan, blending their legendary love for food with nostalgic anecdotes that define Indian cinema history.
From Ranbir’s candid confessions to Neetu’s matriarchal grace, the show offers a rare, unscripted seat at their dinner table.
However, if this taste of reality has left you hungry for more compelling stories from India, Netflix is rich with options.
Here are seven other essential documentaries that range from entertainment to gripping true crime investigations.
Indian Predator: The Butcher Of Delhi
If Dining With The Kapoors showcased the warmth of celebrity family life, this docuseries exposes the city’s darkest underbelly.
Indian Predator: The Butcher of Delhi chronicles the chilling case of Chandrakant Jha, a serial killer active in the capital from 2003 to 2007.
Known for leaving decapitated bodies near Tihar Jail, accompanied by mocking notes to the police, the series provides a gritty examination of his crimes and warped motivations.
Directed by Ayesha Sood, it features unprecedented insights from law enforcement and forensic experts who worked the case.
It serves as a stark, gripping reminder of the complexities within India’s law and order machinery.
The Romantics
For those who loved the cinematic nostalgia of Dining With The Kapoors, this series is the ultimate companion piece.
The Romantics is a four-part docuseries that explores the legacy of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra and his production house, Yash Raj Films (YRF).
Directed by Smriti Mundhra, who was also the executive producer of Indian Matchmaking, it features interviews with over 35 prominent icons, including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and the elusive Aditya Chopra.
It highlights YRF’s iconic films and their influence on Bollywood, particularly in shaping the definition of romance for generations of Indians.
Curry & Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case
This documentary film explores a horrifying betrayal within a family unit.
Curry & Cyanide: The Jolly Joseph Case delves into the Koodathayi cyanide killings, a saga that shocked the nation, where six family members died mysteriously between 2002 and 2016.
The narrative centres on Jolly Joseph, a woman accused of poisoning her relatives, including her husband and in-laws, with cyanide-laced food to inherit property and marry her lover.
Director Christo Tomy masterfully paces the investigation, using archival footage and interviews to unravel a web of lies that hid in plain sight for over a decade.
Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous
For viewers fascinated by the pressures of stardom, this documentary offers a raw, unfiltered counterpart.
Yo Yo Honey Singh: Famous explores the tumultuous life of the Indian rapper and music producer who revolutionised the Desi hip-hop scene.
Directed by Mozez Singh, the film charts Yo Yo Honey Singh’s meteoric rise to fame and his subsequent, sudden disappearance from the public eye.
It provides an intimate look at his struggles with bipolar disorder and his journey toward a comeback, featuring candid interviews with his family and industry peers that humanise a figure often viewed solely through his stage persona.
The Elephant Whisperers
If you’re looking for a documentary that is less intense, The Elephant Whisperers is an Oscar-winning gem that is perfect.
This visually stunning documentary by Kartiki Gonsalves follows Bomman and Bellie, an indigenous couple in the Mudumalai Tiger Reserve.
The film documents their life as they care for Raghu, an orphaned baby elephant, forming a family unit that transcends species barriers.
Praised for its heartfelt portrayal of coexistence and dedication, it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards, marking a historic milestone for Indian storytellers on the global stage.
House Of Secrets: The Burari Deaths
While the Kapoors represent a family bound by love and tradition, the Chundawats of Burari represent a family bound by a tragic, shared delusion.
House of Secrets: The Burari Deaths offers a chilling exploration of one of India’s most unsettling real-life mysteries, where 11 family members were found dead in their Delhi home in 2018.
Created by Leena Yadav, the three-part series treats the sensational subject with sensitivity, examining the sociological and psychological factors that led to the event.
It is a haunting watch that questions the secrets families keep and the destructive power of unchecked patriarchal influence.
The Roshans
Released earlier in 2025, this docuseries serves as a direct parallel to Dining With The Kapoors, focusing on another Bollywood family dynasty.
The Roshans explores the multi-generational legacy of the Roshan family in Bollywood, highlighting the artistic journeys of Roshan Lal Nagrath, his sons Rakesh and Rajesh, and his grandson Hrithik Roshan.
Through archival footage and personal interviews, it maps their evolution across music, filmmaking, and acting.
It is an inspiring chronicle of resilience and talent, showing how one family navigated the highs and lows of the unpredictable entertainment business to leave an indelible mark.
Whether you are looking to stay within the glitzy realm of Bollywood dynasties or wish to pivot to the gripping reality of true crime, Indian non-fiction content is currently experiencing a golden age.
Shows like Dining With The Kapoors and The Roshans celebrate the legacy and nostalgia of Indian cinema, while House of Secrets and Indian Predator prove that truth is often stranger than fiction.
So if you’re looking for a binge-worthy documentary, add these titles to your watchlist.
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