Betaal
Betaal is a four-episode Indian horror-thriller miniseries created by Patrick Graham and released on Netflix on May 1, 2020.[1] The series depicts a paramilitary team dispatched to evict tribal villagers from a remote, cursed mountain site to facilitate highway construction, inadvertently awakening an undead British East India Company officer named Betaal and his zombie battalion from the 19th century.[1][2] Starring Viineet Kumar Singh as the conflicted commander Vikram Sirohi, Aahana Kumra as his wife, and featuring supporting roles by Suchitra Pillai and Jatin Goswami, it draws on betal folklore—a vampiric spirit from Indian mythology—to frame its zombie outbreak within colonial-era grievances and modern land disputes.[1][3] Produced by Blumhouse Television in association with Red Chillies Entertainment, Betaal marked an early attempt at blending high-production zombie horror with socio-political commentary in Indian streaming content.[4][5] While commended for its practical effects, atmospheric tension in initial episodes, and unflinching gore, the series faced widespread criticism for contrived plotting, expository dialogue, and underdeveloped characters, resulting in an IMDb user rating of 5.5/10 and Rotten Tomatoes critic score of 8%.[2][6][7] Reviewers noted that its allegorical nods to tribal displacement and corporate overreach often overshadowed the horror, leading to perceptions of heavy-handed messaging that undermined narrative coherence.[5][8]Overview
Premise and Synopsis
Betaal is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language zombie horror-thriller miniseries that depicts a supernatural conflict between contemporary Indian paramilitary forces and a reanimated 18th-century British East India Company battalion cursed to serve as undead warriors. The core premise revolves around an ancient malediction tied to colonial exploitation, wherein a buried platoon led by the tyrannical Lieutenant Colonel John Wei Jax rises from a mountain tunnel, transforming into relentless zombie redcoats intent on conquest. This unleashes chaos in a remote tribal village, forcing modern commandos to battle both the horde and internal threats amplified by the curse's possession effects.[1][9] The synopsis follows Assistant Commandant Vikram Sirohi and his counter-insurgency squad, deployed on May 1, 2020 (mirroring the series release date), to evict Adivasi villagers from the forested Nilja area near Betaal Mountain for a government highway project. Resistance from locals, who revere the mountain's shrine, escalates when excavation disturbs the entombed British soldiers, awakening Betaal—Wei Jax's spectral form—and his infected platoon of 200-year-old zombies clad in period uniforms. As the undead advance with archaic weaponry fused with supernatural resilience, the squad barricades in an abandoned barracks, grappling with dwindling ammunition, betrayals from curse-induced possessions, and the horde's inexorable siege. The narrative explores survival amid gore-laden assaults, drawing on folklore-inspired resurrection while critiquing displacement and historical grievances.[1][10][11]Release and Format
Betaal premiered exclusively on Netflix on May 24, 2020, with all four episodes released simultaneously for binge-watching.[1][9] The series is an Indian production in association with Blumhouse Television, distributed globally as a Netflix original.[9] The miniseries format features one season of four episodes, each running approximately 40 to 50 minutes, structured as a limited horror-thriller narrative without subsequent seasons announced.[1][2] It is presented in Hindi as the original language, with English subtitles and dubbing options available on the platform for international audiences.[2] The content carries a TV-MA rating due to violence, gore, and mature themes.[1]Cast and Characters
Principal Cast
The principal cast of Betaal features Vineet Kumar Singh in the lead role of Vikram "Vik" Sirohi, a Special Task Force officer tasked with combating the supernatural threat posed by undead British soldiers.[2] [12] Aahana Kumra portrays DC "Ahu" Ahluwalia, the district collector who becomes entangled in the conflict alongside Sirohi, representing civilian authority amid the crisis.[2] [13] Suchitra Pillai plays Commandant Tyagi, Sirohi's authoritative superior in the paramilitary force, whose decisions drive key tactical responses to the zombie battalion's advance.[2] [12]| Actor | Character | Role Description |
|---|---|---|
| Vineet Kumar Singh | Vikram "Vik" Sirohi | Lead protagonist; STF officer leading the defense against the undead.[2] [13] |
| Aahana Kumra | DC "Ahu" Ahluwalia | District magistrate coordinating evacuation and support efforts.[2] [12] |
| Suchitra Pillai | Commandant Tyagi | Commanding officer overseeing the military operation.[2] [13] |
Recurring and Supporting Roles
Jatin Goswami portrays Assad Akbar, a corporate executive advocating for the completion of the dam project amid the supernatural threat.[15] Siddharth Menon plays Nadir Haq, a supporting figure aligned with corporate interests in the conflict.[15] Manjiri Pupala appears as Puniya, a villager impacted by the events unfolding in the remote settlement.[16] Jitendra Joshi is cast as Ajay Mudhalvan, the local sarpanch who resists the displacement of his community.[17] The undead Pretas, representing the supernatural British colonial forces, are depicted by actors including Daanish Siddiqui and Kumar Sidhharth, with the latter appearing in all four episodes as a key Preta figure.[17] Additional supporting military personnel and villagers are portrayed by Yashwant Wasnik, Savita Bajaj, and others, contributing to the ensemble depicting the human and institutional responses to the crisis.[1][17]Episodes
Betaal features a single season consisting of four episodes, released simultaneously on Netflix on May 24, 2020.[2] [1] [9] The series was directed by Patrick Graham and Nikhil Mahajan.[18]| No. | Title | Original air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | "The Tunnel" | May 24, 2020 |
| 2 | "The Barracks" | May 24, 2020 |
| 3 | "The Battle" | May 24, 2020 |
| 4 | "The Colonel" | May 24, 2020 |