Those who follow popular culture know that the rise of terror is no accident. It reflects social and cultural unease, and horror stories thrive in uncertain times by externalizing fear. with sinners in theaters and fear On OTT, Aadhyam Theater opened its eighth season with the premiere of Vikrant Pawar last week untoldBut Kamani Auditorium in New Delhi.

Over the course of 90 minutes, one realizes just how powerful and perhaps an underestimated way to experience fear on stage. Unlike movies, where cameras and editing control what you see and artificially create tension, live theater, when presented well, makes its scares feel immediate and unexpected.

Hindi adaptation of Suzanne Hill the woman in Black, which was famously adapted for the West End by Stephen Mallatrat, untold It unfolds as a meta-psychological thriller, with strong supernatural elements. It is the story of Sandipan Chauhan (Gopal Dutt), a middle-aged lawyer who is burdened with a terrible secret from his past, which he could never uncover or escape. Desperate to face this untold (unspoken) truth, he seeks the help of a young, rational theater actor, played by Rohit Chaudhary, who has also adapted the play.

There is tension in the performance and atmosphere Untold.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

What begins as a collaborative rehearsal, where Sandipan tries to transform his real-life difficulties into a stage performance, gradually draws both the characters and the audience into painful memories of an encounter with a malevolent spirit.

Sandipan repeats a routine professional task – he travels to the misty and marshy Sundarbans to dispose of the property of a dead woman, Fatima Ilyas. As the ‘performance’ progresses, Sandipan’s memories reveal a disturbing encounter with a mysterious, gaunt man. This leads to a tragic tale of loss, unresolved maternal grief and vengeance.

As the young actor delves deeper into the narrative, the line between memory and reality becomes increasingly blurred, while a supernatural curse linked to Sandipan’s past begins to manifest in the present – ​​showing that some truths cannot be stopped or extinguished simply by telling them. The play tests the limits of rationality and confronts the conspiracy of silence.

Vikrant, known for bringing Disney beauty and the Beast On the Indian stage, the original’s minimal two-actor format, clever use of sound, set design, lighting and audience imagination is followed to create mood and menace without ornate spectacle. Be it a train or a pony and trap ride, Vikrant along with his beloved dog Tara leads us into the horrifying mystery that awaits us.

The adaptation does not examine the curse nor does it delve deeply into Indian experiences of trauma and silence, and as a result, it misses the opportunity to engage more intensely with socio-political, cultural concerns and beliefs. However, the performances and atmospheric tension remain entertaining.

Actor Gopal Dutt departs from his familiar screen persona to convey layered trauma, a father’s regret and growing fear. Sandipan’s suspicion definitely turns into fear, creating credible tension. Chemistry is everything in a two-actor act. The drama works because their interactions make the supernatural feel invasive. The meta-layer, where one character directs another and the ghost tells his story through them, creates a shift in power dynamics; Humor is turning to horror and emotional weakness is taking over you.

Together, they remind us that the most terrifying experiences are the ones we ourselves stage.

(Ankahi will be staged on 18th and 19th April at NCPA, Mumbai)