Abhishek sir.
Seems like he's still sleeping.
Abhishek sir.
Its afternoon. And you’re still sleeping.
I was scared out of my wits. I’ve been knocking on the door for a while.
If everyone wakes up at 6 am..
..then it's only natural to feel like its afternoon at 9.
Come in.
Your candles, sir.
How much?
Actually, he was asking for 50 rupees for half a dozen.
But I bought them for much cheaper.
How much?
48 rupees.
He didn’t have change so I bought a sweet instead.
Good for breakfast.
You call this breakfast.
It will taste nice with grams.
Sir, why don’t you buy another emergency light?
Yes. And then I can sell them.
Start my own business of selling emergency lights right in front of the office.
I can sell them.
You don’t like the job, do you?
Doesn’t matter, sir.
In fact, I applied for the army myself.
But I was rejected in the medical exams.
A person should always strive to do something better.
I failed.
But you have the talent.
You should try to do something better.
You must study ahead.
How can anyone study without electricity?
I’ve to keep half a dozen emergency lights prepared.
Light this, douse that..
I get only a couple of hours after office hours..
..which gets wasted in repeating the entire process over and over again.
Sir..
Today's Panchayat meeting is about Solar light.
Here, keep this.
It’s alright, sir. I already have some left over from last time.
I insist. This one’s fresh. And also soft.
It’s alright. I’ll get some from the market.
You won’t get such fresh vegetables from the market. Keep it.
Keep it. This way you will save some bucks.
No need to be shy.
See.. Prahlad isn’t shy at all. And you’re feeling shy.
Keep it.
Mr. Secretary.
All the ward members have arrived. Let’s start the meeting.
Did you put my chair in place?
I..
Everyone’s here, but you forgot to put my chair in place.
Hurry up.
You need a smack on the face.
Come on sit.
Yes.
Don't forget to take it this time.
Look at him.
Mr. Bhindeshwar..didn’t you have breakfast?
That’s your second helping. I’m keeping a watch.
I don’t see Mangal anywhere. Where is he?
He’s taking a leak.
Let him be.
Mr. Secretary. Please..
Shall we begin? - Yes.
Stay seated. No need to stand up.
I can hear you just as well.
Well..
As you all know, the Parliament has allotted funds..
..to install 13 solar lights in Phulera Village.
We know.
So at this meeting, we need to decide..
..the spots on which these lights will be installed.
We just need to decide on the 13th light..
..and the rest has been decided.
But sir, there are 13 lights in all.
I know there are 13 lights..
..but 12 spots have already been confirmed.
It's like this..10 ward members, one at Prahlad's place..
..and one at my place.
So that leaves only the 13th light. So let’s decide on that.
Go on.
So let’s decide on that.
Vikas.
Shall we install one outside your house?
Look at his smile.
No..
Bhindeshwar lives right in front of my home.
So if you install one at this place, that will be good enough for me.
Right, Bhindeshwar.
That was smart of him.
By the way, sir, if you have any spot in mind..
..then tell them now.
Don’t think too much, just say it.
The light gets charged during the day..
..and lasts all night.
Tell me.
You’ve seen the entire village.
Tell me..
Well, I was thinking..
Pradhan sir..
I was thinking..
..let’s install the 13th light near the haunted tree outside the village.
What say, people?
-Yes. -Absolutely. -Yes yes. -Agreed
We desperately need some kind of light out there.
What tree, Sir?
Vikas..Mr. Secretary’s been here for three weeks now.
And you haven’t shown him the haunted tree.
It's not worth it, sir.
That’s true.
You see, Mr. Secretary, there’s a haunted tree..
..on the eastern shore of our village.
After sundown when it’s dark, everyone’s scared of going there.
Never go there. Ever.
Pradhan sir
If we install a light there, it will do good to the villagers.
That’s true.
Mangal, that was an excellent suggestion.
I thought about it while taking a leak.
So, Mangal, you should take frequent leaks.
Absolutely.
In fact, carry a bucket with you.
So it's decided then, we'll install a light at the haunted tree..
Hear me. Keep that down.
There is a room. And it is a good room.
Now you complete all the legal formalities.
Okay. Get the 13th light installed pretty soon.
And another thing, Mr. Secretary.
The vegetables are a little mushy..
..it won’t take too long to cook.
And make a delicious meal out of it.
[Indistinct chatter]
Oh, God.
Where are the candles?
They won’t listen now, sir.
Why not?
They are installing 12 solar lights in front of their homes.
I have the right to think about my own interest.
The 13th solar light will be installed right here.
This matter is no longer under your control, sir.
What do you mean?
You want to know a secret, sir.
Yesterday I overheard the Pradhan and Deputy Pradha talking.
They want to install the 13th solar light near the haunted tree..
..only to gather votes at the next elections.
Claiming that they saved the villagers from the terror of the haunted tree.
Politics, sir. Politics.
There must be a way to change their decision.
Of course, there is a way.
If you can get rid of the ghosts from the haunted tree..
..then there’s no need of a light.
What’s wrong, sir?
Nothing. Keep yourself free tonight.
Khusboo..
If I don’t return home then you can marry someone else.
We were destined only till here.
And I’ve kept 25 silver coins in the room upstairs.
You can sell them to pay for your expenses.
You’ll be absolutely fine.
How can you say that, sir?
What?
I can’t jump off the motorcycle.
I’m not wearing a helmet.
Yes..
I know I should have, but I forgot.
Is that the one?
Unfortunately, when death is near, the mind stops working.
Hang up now.
Is that the tree?
Yes, that’s the one.
Don't take it any further...
..or else I'll jump off.
Stop. Stop. Stop.
Hail lord Hanuman.
Come on, what’s wrong?
I am not going an inch ahead, come what may.
You can suspend me if you want.
Give me the torch.
Use the light on your mobile. I have only one.
Abhishek sir, please don’t touch the trees.
Putting his life at stake for a stupid light.
Abhishek sir.
What happened?
It's a nice tree.
Hasn’t done anything.
The ghost is not some child who we can tell..
..to sing and dance for uncle.
Does he sing and dance.
What are you saying, sir?
How can a ghost sing and dance?
It chases you.
What does it do?
It chases after whoever comes this way.
How can a huge tree like this chase after anyone?
Haven’t you read science.
Even America believes in science.
But that doesn’t mean they don’t believe in ghosts.
I’ve seen on TV..
..that a new family comes to live in the house.
And their children get possessed by a ghost.
Then they call a Christian priest to exorcise the ghosts.
He keeps chanting Hallelujah..
When was the last time this tree chased after anyone?
It hasn’t scared anyone in the last couple of years.
Why?
Maybe doesn’t want to.
I mean it comes after people once in a couple of years.
But people are always scared of it.
I mean the villagers are so afraid of it..
..that they run to clear this space.
That’s how the Pradhan’s wife Manju Devi slipped on the slope twice.
Abhishek sir.
If you’re thinking, then let’s go think someplace else.
So tell me who did this tree scare the last time?
I don't know, I’ll have to find out.
Then find out.
"Stuck between the rock.."
"..and a hard place."
"Mind your feet..the floor’s slippery."
It was around 8 pm.
No.. 8:30.
You see, sir.
It’s been 3-years, so I am missing out on the details.
Doesn’t matter. Time is not important, tell me what happened.
Yes..
So I was passing by the tree..
No..I was coming home..
Just continue with the story, uncle.
So as soon as I came near the tree..
..I heard a rustling sound from behind.
And I knew..the tree’s coming after me.
So I braced myself and ran for my life..
..and didn’t stop until I didn’t reach home.
Did you bother to turn around and take a look?
I had no reason to turn around and look, sir.
A couple of years ago, when the tree scared brother Naval Kishore..
..he heard a similar rustling sound.
"Throw the dice.."
It wasn’t a rustling, I heard a crackling sound.
A crackling sound is louder than a rustling sound.
Imagine..if a tree that huge is chasing after you..
..will it make a rustling sound or a crackling sound?
Did you bother to turn around and see whether the tree is running?
I didn’t take a look, but I heard a sound.
It came after Jatayu before me.
He heard the same sound.
It wasn't a rustling or crackling sound.
But it sounded like a loud thud.
Imagine..if a tree that huge is chasing after you..
..it will sound like a thud, won’t it?
Did you bother to turn around and take a look?
I had heard rumours before, so I didn’t dare to.
What had you heard?
If you look the tree in the eye..
..it will chase you all the way to your home.
Has it happened to you?
It would if I had turned around and looked him in the eye?
Because whoever it chased before me, met with the same fate.
No, no, I never made such claims.
The lane to my home is so narrow..
..that the tree can never fit in.
Did you see the tree running?
I didn't see it with my own eyes?
Who did it chase before you?
Before me..
I guess Pramod.
Hop on.
Why do you get off at every stop?
"Throw the dice.."
I didn't turn around and take a look.
Because if you look behind while running..
..there’s always a chance that you might fall.
And it won’t be right to fall down at such an occasion.
Why don’t you meet the Teacher?
He was the first one who the tree scared.
14-years-ago.
"The sea runs deep, and the shore’s afar."
There's only one Teacher.
"Your boat’s too small, but your courage is big."
"Think of an idea, come up with a plan."
"Only with your wits can you cross this sea."
"When things.."
"When things don’t get solved the right way.."
"..then its time to change your way."
Place your bets.
Sir.
I am sure this teacher hasn’t seen anything either.
It’s just baseless rumours.
And I’ll prove it to the village.
Hello, sir.
Yes..I did turn around and take a look.
The tree was floating in midair.
And it was quietly following me.
Not a sound, not even a peek.
Just pin drop silence.
Watching the tree floating in air..scared me out of my wits.
I was parched.
I couldn’t move.
The tree stopped right next to me.
I was so scared that I wet my pants.
Then there was darkness in front of my eyes.
When I woke up, the tree was in its place.
And before the tree could harm me, I got up and ran towards the village.
You can call it a rumour if you like.
Or believe in it if you want.
But this is what happened?
Time for my coaching classes.
I’ll take your leave.
How’s the school doing, sir?
Doing well.
Why?
Nothing.. There’s a new District Megistrate in the area.
She is a little strict.
I often meet her on official business.
And she keeps asking me about the school in the village.
Then why tell me?
Next time when I meet her, I’ll tell her that school’s doing good..
..but the Science teacher sees ghosts.
I’ll narrate your story to her as you told me.
She might find it interesting as well.
I wonder how she will react.
I'll know only after I tell her.
Let’s take a trip to the city tomorrow. - Of course.
Don't be afraid. She might be strict, but she is harmless.
Yes.
Well..I’ve given him a warning.
But I don’t think it was much effective.
Maybe he was really chased by a tree.
Ghosts are real.
My aunt was once possessed by a ghost.
Uncle used to tease her calling her a witch.
But the witch doctor confirmed that she really is a witch.
Maybe..
Wait a minute. Someone’s knocking on the door.
Who could it be at this hour?
Take a look from the window first.
Don’t be crazy.
I'll call you back in a minute.
Mr. Secretary.
Please don’t tell the DM..
..otherwise I’ll be suspended.
Then tell me the entire truth.
Well, everything I said was true..
..but I left out one small part.
What?
That night..
..for the first and last time, I smoked weed.
And I was out of my mind.
It seemed like the tree was following me.
Believe me, sir.
It will seem like..
I ran in the direction of the village..
..and narrated the entire incident to someone on the way..
..and the rumour spread overnight.
Then why didn’t you explain the next day that you were high!
High?
I mean you were intoxicated.
How could I tell anyone, sir?
I was new on the job.
If anyone had complained, I would’ve lost my job.
Sir..
Mr. Secretary.
Do you have any idea?
Thanks to you the villagers have been fearing that tree for 14-years.
14-years..
Haunted tree!
Please don’t tell the DM madam, or I’ll get suspended.
Why?
So the villagers can keep fearing that tree for 14-more-years.
Huh!
Smoked weed..
Slowly..
- Don't beat me. - Stop it. Stop it.
Calm down. - How can we calm down, Mr. Secretary?
It's his fault that my husband speeds up his motorcycle..
..while passing-by the tree and I fell off twice.
First time I suffered a bruised knee.
Next time my expensive sari got torn.
Why won’t I hit him?
I've told you a thousand times to hold on to my waist.
Stay back. And relax.
The poor soul has admitted his mistake.
Sir..you can beat me all you want, but don’t let the villagers find out.
Go on. I won’t tell anyone.
You're too much.
Leave.
So Sir, if we don’t tell the villagers..
..then how will they stop fearing the tree?
There is one way.
Mr. Secretary has come up with an idea.
Tell them..
To get rid of their fear..
..the Pradhan will sleep under the tree for three nights.
But the elections..
And in the next elections, you can use this as publicity..
..that the Pradhan put his life at stake to get rid of the ghost.
Master stroke.
Why do you people keep talking about politics all day?
I don't understand anything.
Sir, we don’t need the solar night near the haunted tree anymore.
So where do we install the 13th light?
I was saying..
Let's get it installed in front of our house.
Do you have a problem..
..if there are two solar lights in front of the Pradhan’s home?
There is a problem.
What problem?
I mean the villagers might..
I was thinking, sir, let’s install the 13th light in front of the office.
That will be great.
It becomes pitch dark whenever there’s a power cut.
I mean it's scary.
In front of the Panchayat office.
Yes.
That's a great idea. Why didn’t you say this before?
Give him a whack.
He's being a wise guy these days.
Okay, Mr. Secretary.
Get done with the legal formalities..
..and install the 13th light in front of the office.
Yes, sir.
And he will dig the pit.
Great idea.