BHAY – The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery traces the extraordinary life and mysterious death of Gaurav Tiwari, India’s first paranormal investigator. Set across timelines, the series begins in 2006 when Gaurav (Karan Tacker), then a young man in Delhi, inadvertently becomes a medium during a party séance. What starts as a seemingly harmless incident soon alters the course of his life forever.
After a terrifying supernatural encounter saves him from a fatal plane crash during his pilot training in the UK, Gaurav is forced to confront the unexplained. Disbelieved by authorities and expelled from flying school, he returns to India and establishes the Indian Paranormal Society (IPS), along with Megha (Saloni Batra), Siddharth (Danish Sood), and Raj (Shubham Chaudhary). Over the years, the team investigates chilling cases across the country.
A decade later, Gaurav’s sudden and mysterious death raises unsettling questions. Author Irene Venkat (Kalki Koechlin) decides to document his life, only to uncover that his demise may be connected to one of IPS’s earlier investigations. What follows is a slow-burning unraveling of secrets, fear, and unfinished business.
Story & Screenplay
Based on the book Ghost Hunter Gaurav Tiwari: The Life and Legacy of India’s Foremost Paranormal Investigator, the series stands out for its grounded approach to horror. The narrative doesn’t rely on jump scares but instead builds intrigue through investigation, emotional stakes, and unanswered questions.
Arshad Syed’s screenplay shifts seamlessly between past and present, maintaining clarity despite its non-linear structure. The writing keeps the proceedings accessible and engaging, with conversational dialogues that feel organic rather than theatrical. The gradual revelation that a long-forgotten case may hold the key to Gaurav’s death is the show’s strongest narrative hook.
Direction & Atmosphere
Robbie Grewal’s direction is restrained yet effective. He avoids overindulgence and keeps the episode lengths tight, with the pilot being the longest and most impactful. The opening episode does an excellent job of drawing viewers into Gaurav’s journey and setting the paranormal tone.
Where the show truly succeeds is in its investigative tension rather than outright horror. Certain sequences create an eerie atmosphere, especially when the story connects past hauntings to present-day consequences. The finale, in particular, leaves a lasting impression and hints at the possibility of a continuation.
That said, the series doesn’t always succeed in being genuinely scary. Several ghostly manifestations feel underwhelming and occasionally border on the theatrical, diluting the intended fear factor.
Performances
Karan Tacker delivers a commanding performance as Gaurav Tiwari, effortlessly balancing vulnerability, conviction, and obsession. It is one of his strongest performances to date, following his recent acclaimed work in Special Ops 2 and Tanvi The Great. He anchors the series with quiet intensity.
Kalki Koechlin brings credibility and emotional depth to her role, while Saloni Batra makes a solid impression as a determined team member. Danish Sood and Shubham Chaudhary provide dependable support. Among the paranormal characters, Adarsh Marathe as Bachuaa stands out, delivering the most unsettling presence in the series.
Jay-Ho Verdict
BHAY – The Gaurav Tiwari Mystery is an engaging paranormal thriller driven by an unusual premise, a compelling investigative framework, and an outstanding central performance by Karan Tacker. While it falls short of delivering consistent scares, its emotional depth and narrative curiosity compensate for the lack of outright horror.
With stronger promotion and word-of-mouth support, the series has the potential to find a wider audience. For viewers interested in paranormal investigations rooted in realism rather than spectacle, BHAY is well worth the watch.
