Episode 1 Review of ZEE5’s Parchhayee  

Looking for quality entertainment for an hour? Which pokes at your curiosity and tickles your desire to explore beautiful mountains?!

Then check out: Science is still searching for a definitive answer and trying to find the logic in the concept, there are people who work as Ghostbusters (have you seen the movie by the same name? That was another entertainer!) and those who have embraced the ideas of ghosts and claim to work with them too!

I have always wondered if Ghosts are for real and I wanted to see what the renowned writer Ruskin Bond thinks of them – Does he humanise them or demonise them? Does he lean towards the occult or veer off into the comical? How does one of my favourite authors treat the subject of ghosts?

Onto some trivia – check out these 7 things you didn’t know about Ghosts here.

Read on for my experience of watching Episode 1 of the newly launched show – Parchhayee.

About Episode 1 – A GHOST IN THE GARDEN

Now, Ruskin Bond as we all know is unmatched when it comes to storytelling, especially those set in our beloved mountains. I cannot express my absolute delight at the visuals right at the start of the episode – first two minutes, and I tell you I re-lived some of my favourite mountain moments!

HATS OFF to the Cinematographer, who has captured the essence of a small mountain town & the intertwined lives of its inhabitants.

Also, ZEE5 has managed a coup with the star cast! Can you imagine watching the lovely Farida Jalal & the pretty Sarah-Jane Dias on the small screen of my phone!  (P.S. I love Farida Jalal, I feel she is the absolute quintessential Grandmother!)

This is one series you can watch along with your family! There was nothing macabre, bloody or overtly disturbing in its picturization.

Veteran director VK Prakash has managed to create suspense and fear WITHOUT RELYING on the obvious techniques of scary music, creaky sounds and scenes set in the dark! Just for that, kudos to him.

I am quite charmed by the following aspects of the Episode –

• The Actors! The star cast is well selected and suited.
• 80% of the movie is set during the day time – and still, it managed to pique my curiosity and yes, scare me too!
• The opening scenes – oh those Blue mountain views!
• The Script – I love when suspense is built interspersed with humor.
  

I really loved this Dialogue – “Police ki nakaamyabi, bhoot ki kamyaabi toh nahi ho sakti na behen!” – delivered in the irrepressible style of Farida Jalal (yea, I am a bit of a fan!)

• The children add a delightful dimension
• The little town is picturesque (I wish I lived in a place like this town)
• Simple touches like the Sunlight filtering through the mountains, rooftops and the meandering mountain roads, and so many more.
• And finally, that it addresses an important and ongoing issue (avoiding spoilers) and how the culprit is sometimes (always?) the least expected!

My Verdict?

Absolute Paisa Vasool! Totally worth the Premium membership I purchased & the 45 minutes I spent watching it during the day.

I am looking forward to the next episode in the series (& yes, I will watch this too during the day time)

According to what I have heard, each episode in this series will be based on a ghost Story written by Ruskin Bond – Each story has been hand-picked by the team! I am curious to see who they will cast next and how they will picturise it!

P.S. I loved the pom-pom cap which Ricky wears – did you like it too? Know where I can get one for myself? In Purple of course! 😊

In short, I highly recommend you watch Parchhayee on ZEE5, you will surely love it.

Cheers!
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