A poster of ‘Silent Screams’ documentary
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
The case of the 26-year-old veterinary doctor who was sexually assaulted and murdered in November 2019 is still fresh in the minds of people in Hyderabad and Telangana. The incident triggered nationwide outrage and in the days that followed, an alleged encounter killing of the four accused also sparked debates. For every such case that makes headlines, several others remain unnoticed. Silent Screams: The Lost Girls of Telangana, a 57-minute true crime documentary streaming on Sun Nxt, presents three such cases. Beyond the collection of facts and the police procedures, the documentary shows the emotional turmoil of the families of the victims.
Silent Screams begins with a voiceover by actor-musician Shruti Haasan. The lines written by producer Pranav Pingle Reddy encapsulates the vulnerability of women as they go about their daily lives, carrying the unseen weight inherited from the generations before them.
The documentary is the work of Hyderabad-based Mirage Media, which earlier produced Occupied, a war documentary that explored Palestinian art and cultural resistance, and Qubool Hai? a web series on child marriages in Hyderabad.
Produced by Pranav Pingle Reddy, Silent Screams is directed by Arvind Menon, who edited Occupied and Qubool Hai? In a mix of English, Telugu and Hindi, the film documents, through the lens of empathy, stories of atrocities against women in Asifabad, Warangal and Nalgonda districts of Telangana.
The three cases from rural Telangana are juxtaposed against the 2019 case in Hyderabad, drawing viewers’ attention to violence against women across social and economic strata.
“Silent Screams involved three years of research,” says Pranav. After Occupied, he wanted to present stories closer to his roots, in Telangana. The research team that included Arvind Achanta, Vibhu Yadati, Hemanth Kumar, Prabhu Kumar Lakumala, Yeshwant Mocherla, Lalitha Priya Alamuri, Sam Menuhin and Srikanth, spoke to journalists, police officials and social workers, compiling more than 100 stories. “It was tough to choose which stories to narrate,” recalls Pranav.
The team chose stories that they felt would resonate with viewers from any part of the country. “Once the families were convinced that we were not out to sensationalise their cases, they were forthcoming to share their stories. The police were also open to answering tough questions,” he adds.
One story involves nine murders after which a young woman is left to face the realities of life without her family. The film team traced her to Delhi, and was moved by her willingness to recount her story. “When people trust us, it is our responsibility to put forth their stories with conviction,” says Pranav. A common thread across these cases was the misuse of the trust and goodwill the victims and families had placed in those around them.
Since Mirage Media also works on commercial projects for corporate entities, from time to time, the production house invested the earnings from those projects towards the documentary. “Whenever funds come in, we would work on post production. We were determined to complete the documentary even if it did not seem lucrative to digital platforms at first. In the long run when we make profits, we plan to share it with the families of the victims,” Pranav explains.
Shruti Haasan coming on board has helped the documentary get noticed after it began streaming recently. Pranav says, “Her voice has helped amplify the stories of several women and their families who are silently screaming for justice. We hope this film would encourage others to narrate lesser-known stories.”
(Silent Screams: The Lost Girls of Telangana streams on Sun Nxt. It will also be screened as part of the Hyderabad Literary Festival 2026 on January 26; 3.45pm, at District 150, Sattva Knowledge City.)
Published – January 21, 2026 03:40 pm IST
