A horse chariot, a coachman donning a long overcoat with hat and a grand mansion surrounded by huge trees – sounds like a perfect setting for a British drama series essaying the journey of a kingdom, ruler or queen. But at the same time, this sounds like a perfect setting for a horror story that would send chills down your spine. And then there’s the third kind – a horror meets detective story. Kahanikaar Sudhanshu Rai’s latest outing, ‘The Ghost Man’, is a perfect representation of the genre that is touched by very few storytellers. The Hindi story takes you to India’s northeast, which is a land of stunning scenic beauty.
The story is set in a remote area of Sikkim, located around 300 km from Gangtok and revolves around two woodcutters – Sibu and Rahman, who migrated to the region in search of employment a month ago. On one of their usual days, they are cutting trees in a forest when the weather takes a turn. Something strikes Sibu as he suggests they should make an early move towards the town, but the idea is brushed aside by Rahman, who reminds his friend of their employer’s instruction. When they start for their home, the weather gets worse, engulfed by dense fog, their surrounding turns pitch dark.And if you think this was the worse, you are gravely mistaken. Wandering in the dense forest, they lose their way, and when they encounter the fierce animals, appears the ‘kind’ coachman with a blank white face offering them help. Who is this coachman? Where does he take Sibu and Rahman to help them? What does Sibu’s brother tell him to run away over the call?The answers to these questions lie in the first part of the thrilling story of ‘The Ghost Man’. And the sequel will see popular fictional character Detective Boomrah unravel all the secrets.