Ghoul: "Netflix India summons the Demon"

After the overwhelming critical and commercial success of Sacred Games, Netflix India and Radhika Apte are back with India's first Netflix horror series. Before I get into the review however, full disclosure: "Horror movies or TV shows have never been my cup of tea. Not because I don't enjoy them but because I am terrified of them. All that has started to change slightly over the past few years as I have begun giving the genre a second chance with titles like 'The Quiet Place (2018)' and 'It (2017)' finding a place on my watch-list."

Set in a totalitarian near-future version of India, 'Ghoul' follows military officer Nida Rahim (Radhika Apte) as she is plucked out of her training program (to be an Interrogation Officer) and sent to a top secret military facility to help interrogate a high profile albeit mysterious prisoner. However, things begin to go wrong as soon as he arrives and the military personnel at the base soon discover that there is more to their captive than meets the eye.

Despite bearing the tag of "India's first Netflix Horror series", 'Ghoul' starts off as a social commentary, offering the viewers with a dystopian take on India in the near-future where minorities are labelled as terrorists and their ideologies and philosophies classified as sacrilegious. In this regard, the series continues to skirt the line between political agenda and artistic liberty throughout at least 2 out of it's 3 episodes but manages to accomplish the commendable task of being subtle enough to not incite the displeasure of any community or religious group while also weaving themes such as prejudice and discrimination into it's narrative.

It is with the arrival of the most wanted terrorist known as Ali Saeed Al Yacoub (Mahesh Balraj) that things take a turn for the sinister. From the torrential rain to the ominous bolt of lighting that appears over the characters head on making his debut before the audience, the mood and the subtle hints to Ali Saeed's true nature are set up quiet cleverly to tease the audience before the more major plot points are allowed to unfold. Bleak visuals of the prison section of the military facility, its inmates and macabre interrogation room, aid in whetting the viewers appetite for the gory, thrilling and eerie scenes to follow.

However, as compact and tightly woven as the narrative is (the ambitious 3 episode structure proving advantageous), on a purely Horror standpoint 'Ghoul' clearly ranks above most Bollywood attempts in the genre but fails to generate a sense of genuine fear among the viewers barring a couple of well crafted scenes. Nevertheless, this in no way hinders the show's gripping and riveting story arc that offers up some truly thrilling sequences with some hair raising visuals sprinkled throughout.

The acting remains solid throughout with Radhika Apte, Manav Kaul and Ratnabali Bhattacharjee shining the brightest in their roles as Nida Rahim, Colonel Sunil Dacunha and Laxmi Das respectively. The dynamic between the characters of Rahim and Das is one of the lesser plot-lines of the show but does a fine job highlighting the social discrimination and dissension among the group's ranks.

The plot twists and turns towards the end with some unforeseen revelations and the climax leaves the viewers with a sufficient food for thought. Overall 'Ghoul' proves to be a gripping watch that adeptly blends elements of horror, thriller and a monster feature to produce a mini-series that can be enjoyed by both the Horror film buffs as well as the more easily startled among us (like me).

As Netflix India and Radhika Apte motor on with one ground-breaking series after another, India waits with bated breath to find out what this streaming powerhouse brings them next (maybe with a different female lead this time? PS: Radhika Apte is amazing at what she does but too much of a good thing can hurt you).

Verdict - 3/5 Demons

Downside - Length and lack of scares

Similar to - Not much I can think of really

#Netflix #India #Horror #Thriller #RadhikaApte #Drama #ManavKaul