If you’re a fan of horror films or shows, leading OTT platforms like Netflix offer some great terror-inducing content to enjoy. One such must-watch for horror lovers is the 2020 zombie-horror web series, Betaal, available for streaming on Netflix. But, do you dare to watch it alone?
Released on May 24, 2020, Betaal is a four-episode series set in a remote village. The village becomes the battleground for the zombie forces of an East India Company officer and the Counter Insurgency Police Department (CIPD), a fictional Indian force. Interestingly, the zombies in the series originate from the Indian Rebellion of 1957, led by Lt Col John Lynedoch. While the show received acclaim for its actors’ performances, mythology, and use of zombies, it was criticized for lacking in thriller themes and editing.
The series stars Vineet Kumar Singh and Aahana Kumra as the protagonists, supported by actors such as Suchitra Pillai, Jatin Goswami, Jitendra Joshi, and Siddharth Menon. Directed by Patrick Graham and Nikhil Mahajan, Betaal is produced by Gauri Khan and Gaurav Verma under production houses like Blumhouse Television, Red Chillies Entertainment, and S K Global Entertainment. The music is composed by Naren Chandavarkar and Benedict Taylor, while Shrinivas Achary and Tanay Satam handle the cinematography. Editing duties are shared by Abhijit Deshpande and Sangeeth Varghese.
Before Betaal, Red Chillies Entertainment, the production house behind the series, produced the 2019 web series Bard of Blood, also available on Netflix. Starring Emraan Hashmi as the lead, along with Vineet Kumar Singh, Sobhita Dhulipala, Kirti Kulhari, and others, Bard of Blood is directed by Ribhu Dasgupta and Jay Dev Banerjee. Produced by Shah Rukh Khan, Gauri Khan, and Gaurav Verma, the series’ music is composed by Gilad Benamram. Bard of Blood was released on September 27, 2019.