'Rajbari, 23 Years Ago'
[owl hooting in distance]
[wings flapping]
[solemn music playing]
[lock breaks open]
'Entering The Mansion After 8 P.M. Is Prohibited'
[fuel splashing]
[fire crackling]
It is said,
she has been confined to this mansion for years
waiting for someone's drop of blood.
They're just stories.
Sir instructed us to set the mansion on fire.
- Let's finish the work soon and leave, okay? - Yes...
[spluttering] But I hope the mansion is vacant.
There's no one here.
[spluttering] She resides here.
Who?
Dak...
[anklets chiming]
[match lighting]
[eerie grunting]
[whooshing]
[eerie music playing]
[blows air]
[eerie vocalisation]
[gripping music playing]
[fire crackling]
[unsettling music playing]
[ominous music playing]
[music intensifies]
No!
Who are you?
I am
Dakini!
[blows air]
'Kolkata, 2025'
Take that to the prayer room quickly.
Hey, what's all this?
Special sweets to celebrate Ayaan's return from London.
No sugar, no ghee!
No sugar, no ghee...
Wow, that's great.
On that note, here's a reward.
[pleasant music playing]
This has neither cash nor a cheque.
Yes, just like your sweets.
No sugar, no ghee!
[all laugh]
Do you think Ayaan will have payesh after being in London for so long?
A kite might soar in the sky, but it's still tied to a string.
Ayaan might have left Kolkata,
but Kolkata is in his roots.
But, Mother, he must have changed a little bit.
There's a time difference of four hours between London and Kolkata.
[chuckles]
He might follow a different time zone
but his values are still intact.
That's why Ayaan is returning on Pohela Boishakh!
- Get payesh for him. - All right.
Ta-da!
- I knew this would happen. - [gasps]
- So, I made payesh with my own hands. - Hmm.
- Oh, wow! - My boy!
People say I'm Bengal's best chef!
Who says that?
[solemn music playing]
Um, uh...
I do, Uncle.
[all laugh]
[Bengali] Absolutely right!
[Bengali] Keep this.
[pious music playing]
Goddess, today is Pohela Boishakh.
It is a day to put the past behind us
and make a fresh start.
Goddess, I know
some stories are written in an ink so indelible
that they can't be erased.
But everything can be fixed by Your grace.
Please continue to bestow Your benign grace on my Ayaan.
Please, Goddess.
[conch blowing]
What happened?
It has been two hours since the flight landed.
Where is this boy? He isn't answering his phone.
Did you send the car on time?
- The driver... - Hello, Uncle.
Ayaan called.
He won't be coming home from the airport.
[tense music playing]
[Bengali] Where's he going then?
Rajbari.
[ululating]
[singing festive song]
[eerie music playing]
[vocalisation]
[mobile phone chiming]
'Ayaan, why aren't you answering your phone?'
[soft chuckle]
Sorry, Thakuma.
If I answer your call,
you'll forbid me from going to Rajbari.
[mobile phone chiming]
'Listen, I'm coming to get you.'
'But until then, no matter what happens,'
'you won't set foot in Rajbari.'
[eerie music playing]
Sorry again, Thakuma!
I must set foot there
if I want to erase the fear.
I'm off to Rajbari.
[loud thud]
[car door opening]
[unsettling music playing]
[joyous music playing]
[eerie music playing]
- Let's go! - Thakuma, that mansion is the last memory of Ayaan's mom!
[Bengali] Yes, Mother. Pablo is absolutely right.
When a son returns home, won't he first visit his mother?
Not his mother,
- she is waiting for him! - Mom!
- Let me go. - No one's waiting for anyone, Mom!
What are you saying, Arnab?
I sent Ayaan to London
so that he stays away from Rajbari, the curse and Dakini!
No, Mom.
I sent Ayaan to London
so that he stays away from your stories, fears
and superstitions.
It isn't faith that blinds you, Arnab, but arrogance!
You're arrogant about your beliefs and rationality!
That's why you're oblivious to the truth.
That curse and Dakini are both real!
Your wife, Ayaan's mother, lost her life to that Dakini!
My wife lost her life to her own superstitions.
I'm really glad
that Ayaan grew up away from this house and environment.
And let me tell you, Mom,
Ayaan doesn't have an iota of belief in such things.
I don't have the time to argue.
Whether anyone joins me or not,
I am going to stop my grandson
from setting foot in Rajbari.
- Mom... - We'll accompany you, Mom.
Not to stop Ayaan,
but to celebrate Pohela Boishakh with him.
Then hurry up, Arnab,
or Dakini might get to Ayaan before we do.
[eerie groan]
[seatbelt clicking]
[radio static]
[unsettling music playing]
[radio playing intermittently]
[beeping]
[car door opening]
[car door closing]
[music playing]
[unsettling tune playing]
Ayaan!
[disconcerting music playing]
Greetings, Uncle.
You are Ayaan, right?
Uncle, please open the gate.
Forgive me, Ayaan,
but ma'am instructed me not to let you inside the mansion.
Thakuma!
Uncle!
This is my mother's house.
That obviously makes it my house. Open up.
Forgive me, Ayaan.
I can't open the gate for you.
But, Uncle...
Fine.
[music playing]
[music continues]
[clanking]
[soft thud]
[wind whooshing]
[Bengali nostalgic song playing]
- 'Mom! - Hmm?'
'How did you know I was hiding there?'
'Because I'm your mother,'
'and mothers'
'know everything.'
[song fades out]
[Bengali] Please forgive me, Ayaan.
I can't let you go inside the mansion.
What time is it?
I don't know.
Then find out, Uncle.
Until now, you were a guard.
From today...
From today, you're the watchman of this place!
[music playing]
Why can't I go inside?
I told you. This is my mother's house.
Ayaan, you can't go inside.
Dakini is in there.
[disconcerting music playing]
I absolutely loathe such stories.
This isn't a story, it's the truth.
And preventing you from going in is my duty.
If this is your duty, then I hereby relieve you.
You're fired.
[sad music playing]
[leaves rustling]
[solemn music playing]
[door creaks open]
[wind whooshing]
[soft suspenseful music playing]
[leaves rustling]
- [raven thuds] - [screaming]
Ayaan has set foot in Rajbari.
Watch over my Ayaan, Goddess.
Please protect him.
[match lighting]
[light-hearted music playing]
This is Meera Ghosh from customer care.
Did you complain that your new phone was hanging?
I've been asking you to switch it off and on for so long.
I'm sure it'll work.
When will you ever say something logical?
Illogical statements also have logic to them, sir.
'As in?'
Oftentimes, being too practical makes life difficult.
If someone says the paint is fresh, we still touch it.
Why? Have some faith!
Sometimes, what meets the eye is in fact the truth.
So, a person isn't supposed to apply logic!
You can, but leave a little room for magic too.
Apart from logic, faith is equally important to live life.
Please just try switching your phone off and restarting it, sir.
My phone is fixed.
'Thank you!'
Say "thank you" and "sorry" to your wife.
Happy Pohela Boishakh!
This is Meera Ghosh from customer care.
[leaves rustling, wind whooshing]
[nostalgic Bengali song playing]
'Ayaan!'
'How did you know where I was?'
'A mother knows everything.'
[song continues playing]
[Bengali] How do I look, Mom?
[Bengali] Good, right?
I told you
I'd come and see you
as soon as I returned.
Look!
I kept my promise.
[nostalgic Bengali song continues]
This house is your last memory, Mom,
and I won't rest until I clear these rumours about it
this Pohela Boishakh.
I'll organise a feast just like you used to!
'I won't rest until I clear these rumours about it'
'this Pohela Boishakh.'
[clanking]
Come on, Ishani. It's time for the 'aarti'.
Isha...
Where is Ishani?
[laughter in distance]
Oi!
Don't touch the holy offering!
Why not?
Girls are considered the Goddess' incarnate.
And I'm a goddess too.
And you don't stop the goddess, you make an offering to her.
I'll make you an offering! Eat this!
[music playing]
[screaming]
Mother Meera!
[soft dramatic music playing]
Obligations don't just broaden relationships,
but people too.
So, I took on the role of a mother apart from a sister.
And I hope you know what happens if someone raises their hand
to a child in its mother's presence!
[spluttering] I was just trying to scare her.
She defiled the holy offering.
[sad music playing]
She has the mind of a child.
If you don't see God in children,
no matter how pious you are,
you won't get its fruit.
She is a child, but you're a grown-up!
And you know perfectly well
what exactly your mother was!
[unsettling music playing]
You don't even need to touch it.
Your mere shadows are enough to defile the holy offering!
People like you can't partake in the 'puja'.
Now, leave.
Leave! I said, leave!
[poignant music playing]
[Ishani sobbing]
Stop crying.
Everything's all right, Ishu.
[sobbing]
Shush.
He spoke ill about Mom.
Should we go and punch him on the nose?
- [sobbing] - No.
Ishu, listen to me. Listen.
Regardless of what they say about Mom,
we know how she was, right?
- Hmm? - [sobbing] Yes.
It's a matter of a few days.
My job is coming along great.
I'll save some more money.
Then you, Dad and I will go and live in Kolkata.
And will we punch him on the nose before we leave?
[chuckles] Hmm.
Promise?
Promise.
Okay. Now, close your eyes.
[pleasant music playing]
Open them.
[chuckles]
Holy offering!
[pleasant music continues]
But I didn't meet the Goddess.
How many times have I told you?
The Goddess doesn't live in 'pandals'.
Where does She reside?
- Here! - In here!
[chuckles]
[light-hearted music playing]
Dad, you're home early!
Ayaan is here.
He fired me from the job.
[soft dramatic music playing]
A feast!
Here!
In this haunted mansion!
Yes!
Sir!
We're certain that a...
[upbeat music playing]
Uh, well,
we're not that certain either.
You're here and nothing happened to you.
So...
It must be a rumour, sir.
It is a rumour!
Please don't worry.
I'll bring everyone to the feast.
[upbeat music playing]
Thank you.
- Come on, Debu. - Let's go.
[eerie vocalisation]
Let it be, Meera. They are big people.
If they really were big, they wouldn't have stooped so low!
They are organising a feast for the villagers.
He snatched your job and you're concerned about a feast!
Stay here.
I'll teach Mr. London a lesson!
Meera!
[tense music playing]
[bell dings]
[leaves rustling]
[clanking]
[unsettling music playing]
[clanking]
[nail clanking]
[suspenseful music playing]
[clinking]
- [clinking] - [unsettling music playing]
[unsettling music continues]
[drapes flapping]
[suspenseful music playing]
[door creaks open]
[door creaks shut]
[eerie music playing]
[unsettling music peaks]
[eerie vocalisation]
[howling]
[bones cracking]
[eerie music intensifies]
[eerie vocalisation]
[whooshing]
[soft music playing]
[unsettling music peaks]
Please come in, have a seat.
I'll set a plate for you too.
I'm not here to eat but to talk.
I'm sorry?
Talk about what?
Haven't you returned to this mansion after twenty years?
And the mansion is just as you left it, right?
Were you guarding it?
No, there's a watchman.
No, there was one!
You fired him this afternoon.
Who are you?
Meera Ghosh from customer care.
Excuse me?
The man you fired is my father.
My sister always says,
"Father has not two, but three daughters."
"You're the first, I'm the second and the third one's this mansion."
My father looked after this mansion
for twenty years like his own daughter.
And you fired him the moment you arrived.
Why is there so much melodrama in this country?
Not melodrama, this is emotion,
which you seem to have forgotten back in London!
No wonder you didn't feel an iota of remorse
when firing a poor old man.
I'm quiet only because you're in my home.
And your house still stands
only because my dad looked after it for twenty years!
Even the monkeys in our village don't snatch fruits from old people,
but you snatched someone's job.
Congratulations!
You're worse than the monkeys of our village!
Mr. London!
Excuse me!
At least, listen to why I fired your father.
[poignant music playing]
You must have heard stories about the dakini that lives here.
I want rational and logical people here,
not illogical people who keep talking about lores!
Illogical statements have a logic of their own, sir.
Show some faith along with logic
or life will be very hard to live!
[nail clanking]
[car door opening and closing]
[grating]
[gate clanking]
[loud crash]
[eerie vocalisation]
My king, you have arrived!
[eerie laugh]
I am
Dakini!