Dark Mysteries Review: Spine Chilling Depiction Of The Nation's Unearthed Paranormal Activities

Director: Chandramouli Basu and Radhika Chandrashekhar

Dark Mysteries: Anjaan Kahaniyaan presented by discovery+ narrates the occurrences of unearthed mysteries revolving around paranormal activities, reincarnation, possessions, curses and other phenomena from the heartland of India. Backed up by the detailed research and excerpts from the actual victims, this documentary series leaves no stone unturned to deliver a brutally honest depiction. Each episode delves deep into these mysterious and frightening mysteries while keeping you on the edge of your seats.

Dark Mysteries: Anjaan Kahaniyaan presents real-life cases of reincarnations from the interiors of Punjab and Haryana wherein two kids from different parts of the land recall incidents from their previous life. Not only that, but it also shows them reuniting with their previous birth's family. From the actual interviews of the now-adult protagonists to their family members, the episode deals with the aftermath of reincarnation and being in a curve between your present and the past life.

Then the show throws light on the speculated paranormal activities in the Avaran Island in Dal Lake, Kashmir and Uttarakhand's Lambi Dehar mines. With accounts from a real-life paranormal investigator to the locals, one cannot help but wonder whether these places really have vengeful spirits and dark entities thriving. Dark Mysteries then showed the aftereffect of some powerful curse in Rajasthan's Kuldhara village and Karnataka's Thallikadu area.

One wonders whether the aftermath of these curses especially the sand dunes in Thallikadu and no heir being born to the royal family of Mysore is due to a vengeful curse or has a scientific meaning attached to it. Dark Mysteries also showcases the horrifying episode on sorceries and curses in West Bengal's Purulia district. The real retellings by the victims about their trauma might rattle one's bones. The show then shows real-life cases of possessions in Bihar and cases of black magic on victims from Aligarh and Delhi.

The script by Chandramouli Basu and Radhika Chandrashekhar is well researched and adds the required emotion, depth as well as a macabre vibe to the episodes. The cinematography by Kartik Thapliyal and Omkar Pathak is refined and adds to the intense mood of the episodes especially the hauntings in Dal Lake, Kashmir. The episodes have been narrated by Rob Middleton who does a convincing job. However, there could've been some more detailed excerpts about these mysteries being either counter questioned or trying to be unearthed. It appears to be monotone sometimes with recurring episodes.

However, watch this one for an honest effort by discovery+ to explore this intriguing and fascinating subject. This promises to be a visual delight for horror genre fans and conspiracy theorists. We give Dark Mysteries: Anjaan Kahaniyaan 3.5 out of 5 stars.