The trailer may have given the impression that Ghoul is a scare-fest peopled by demons and djinns, but the three-episode series that’s currently screaming on Netflix is more. Much more. 

Set in a dystopian future where sectarian violence has reached a head and a military clampdown is in effect, Ghoul is a riveting watch that shocks and fascinates in equal measure. Relying largely on atmospherics, this Patrick Graham directorial has Radhika Apte and Manav Kaul leading the cast, and breaks new ground in story, style and structure. A t2 report card.   

THE SETTING: 9/10

“The near future” are the first words that appear on the screen. Ghoul (pronounced: ghul) is set in a dystopian world where the country has changed. Violence abounds and citizens are suspicious of each other. “Terrorists are among us. Be vigilant,” scream the road signs. “Intellectuals” are hunted by the state and either executed or forcibly enrolled in a programme referred to as “waapsi”, to recondition them into “ideal citizens”. Books are considered sacrilegious and burnt, “secular” is a bad word and “protection squads” man the city day and night. Country is now considered above everything else, even family.  

Loaded with political overtones, what’s scary about the world Ghoul builds is that very little of it feels like the distant future. The ones persecuted almost only belong to a particular religion. At one point, a man is pulled up on the road and asked if he’s carrying beef in his car. It’s not tough to join the dots.

Most of the action takes place in a dark and dank military facility called Meghdoot 31 where members of a protection squad torture suspected terrorists in inhuman conditions. The lights are dim, shadows loom large on the walls and the atmosphere is always one of foreboding. The makers have said that they deliberately shot in a “leaky, damp, and horrible smelling place” for 14 hours a day for a month. 

Every frame of Ghoul (Jay Oza is the man behind the camera) brings that alive — you smell the stench, you recoil at the sight of blood splashed on the walls and you are scared even before the spooks come on. The colour palette —  mostly in grey, green and brown — adds to the setting.

THE PLOT: 9/10 

A dreaded terrorist is captured and brought to Meghdoot 31. The soldiers at the Guantanamo Bay-styled detention centre are tasked with making him confess to his crimes. However, very soon, the interrogating officers realise that what they are dealing with isn’t human. As the soldiers start turning against each other and bodies pile up, they encounter a demonic presence — a shape-shifting ghoul — that preys as much on the guilt of the soldiers as it does on their flesh. As the minutes tick by and people start dropping dead, the big question for everyone is — who is the real ghoul? Is it the one killing them, or is it they themselves who have preyed on many innocents? 

With many parts of it reminding us of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Purge — both set in a dystopian future — Ghoul has an engaging plot, with the supernatural elements, that actually kick in well and truly in the last episode, never really feeling like mumbo-jumbo.

THE PLAYERS: 8/10 

Nida Rahim (Radhika Apte) is an interrogating officer fresh out of the academy who even turns in her father to the authorities for possessing seditious material, but given her religion, is still unable to prove her loyalty to her country.

She’s been handpicked to interrogate the terrorist mastermind Ali Saeed by her superior Sunil DaCunha, a decorated army man, who is fighting his own demons, most of them brought on by his guilt over the crimes committed in the detention centre. 

The third major player is Major Laxmi Das, a tough-as-nails officer who is convinced that Nida’s religion will come in the way of her duty. 

The side players are integral to the plot, whether they are the imprisoned suspected terrorists or the soldiers at the facility. 

While Nida and Da Cunha’s backstories are satisfyingly sketched out, Ghoul fails in spelling out the motivations of Das, who turns out to be one of its most compelling characters. 

The structure & narrative: 9/10 
Initially intended as a stand-alone film, Ghoul thrills from the start, with director Graham building up the feeling of dread bit by bit. The jump scares are limited, but the violence is gut-wrenching. So much so, I had to pause and play large sections of episode 3 because the grisly scenes — severed heads to brains plastered on the walls — make the stomach churn. The last 30 minutes will have you on the edge, with a last shot that sets the tone for Season 2. 
A special mention for Nitin Baid’s crisp editing that keeps the tension alive, and the chilling background music scored by Benedict Taylor and Naren Chandavarkar.

THE PERFORMANCES: 9/10

Radhika Apte’s portrayal of Nida is an extension of her tense heroine prototype fighting to prove herself from Sacred Games. Radhika is unafraid to go deglam and lets her eyes do all the talking, though the performance comes off as a little showy sometimes. 

In contrast, Tumhari Sulu man Manav Kaul brings alive DaCunha’s ambiguous personality. Ratnabali Bhattacharjee shines as Laxmi Das, scoring with her glowering walk and talk — “nightmares mujhe relax kar dete hain”, she lets out with a steely smile at one point. The pick of the lot is Mahesh Balraj as Ali Saeed, who hardly has a line of dialogue, but those eyes — as a ghoul and even when not —  will chill you to the bone. 

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