Ghoul Review

The title of the show is in reference to a devil-like figure that can be called upon by trading one’s soul. Ghoul reminds one of their deadliest sins and makes them face their guilt and the end is never pleasant. Ghoul is set during an Orwellian time. The Indian society has changed drastically and the line between loving one’s country and following the government’s order has disappear.Student leaders, opposition leaders or anyone who questions rules are taken in until they start nodding their head in agreement with the establishment. If they don’t agree, they don’t survive.Amid all of this, we meet our central character Nida Rahim (Radhika Apte) who desperately seeks social approval. She considers her religion a crutch and to prove her loyalty for her country, she won’t hesitate in geting her father arrested.Nida is posted at Meghdoot 31, the covert detention center where the story of Ghoul plays out. The detention center has a mysterious energy, the kind that makes the hair at the back of your neck stand up. This is where the drama gets spooky. Nida’s colleagues are used to nightmares.

Ghoul is a horror drama but the show tackles social change vis a vis religion in an effective and dramatic way. We see Apte’s Nida being discriminated against right from the start but the drama highlights the issue even more when Manav Kaul’s Dacunha, a Christian character, is sidelined by his Hindu subordinates. The religious complexity might get misunderstood by those who can’t read the subtext of the narrative, but writer and director Patrick Graham tries to effectively communicate the sensitive subject.

Overall, Ghoul is an interesting watch. I wish there was more to it, but a short and crisp series is better than a dragged on show.