Getting the transcript…
By Story Baatli · 487 caption lines · Watch on YouTube
Man, Sonu, the bell for home time sounds so sweet today. Just grab your bag and run toward the playground. Let's drink some water from the hand pump first. My throat is parched. Did you guys hear about what happened yesterday evening? What thing? Did someone spread a new rumor again? There was a sound from the locked room behind the school. The same room with the rusted lock? Yes, the teacher forbids us from going there.
But what is actually in that room? Probably just some old, broken benches. Then who makes the tapping sounds inside in the evening? Guddu, have you heard something too? I didn't just hear it. I heard the sound myself. Are you telling the truth or trying to scare us? My notebook was left at school yesterday. That's when I heard a child's laughter from the locked room. A child's laughter in the evening?
First, there was laughter. Then someone slowly started dragging a table. Stop it, brother, I'm getting goosebumps already. Some kid must have hidden inside to play a prank. But that room's window is also bricked shut. And there's so much dust on the lock that it hasn't opened for months. My elder sister also studied in this school. Does she know anything about this room? She said it used to be the school's music room. A music room? Then why was it closed? She didn't tell me that either. She just went silent. Meaning, there is definitely something wrong with the story.
What are you five whispering about standing here? Nothing, teacher, we were just heading home. Then go straight home, don't wander in the back area. See, we didn't even mention the room. Still, the teacher forbade us from going to the back. Now I want to know the truth even more. Munna, don't do anything stupid. It's not stupid; we'll just look from outside and come back. During the day, it's fine. I'm not coming in the evening. Coward, you were acting so brave yesterday. There's a difference between bravery and facing a ghost. Let's go home for now, we'll plan tomorrow.
It's decided, everyone will stay in the playground after school tomorrow. If I get late, Mom will scold me. We'll just look for 10 minutes and then straight home. Don't make it half an hour while saying just 10 minutes. And no one will go alone. Everyone will stay together. Fine. Tomorrow the mystery will be revealed. Munna, what did you bring in your tiffin today? Aloo paratha. But why isn't your attention on the food?
Honestly, I've been thinking about that locked room since morning. I asked Didi again. What did they say? They shared an old story. What kind of incident? Tell me quickly. Once, preparations were underway for the annual event. During that time, all the instruments in the room suddenly broke. How could they break on their own? No one knows. But the room was locked after that. We saw it. I told you something wasn't right there. Maybe termites or the ceiling falling broke the items. Yes, not every old story needs a ghost. But what about the laughing sound?
What is being discussed in the back? Everyone focus here. Sorry, sir. We won't talk now. Munna, tonight is for sure, right? Keep quiet. Let this math period finish first. Why are the clock hands moving so slowly today? Because we are all waiting for the bell . The bell rang. Now I am actually scared . Let all the kids leave the school first. We will pretend we are playing marbles in the ground. Look, the last rickshaw has left with the kids. The teachers are leaving the staff room too. Let's just sit in the field for a while. I have five marbles.
Start the game. You're thinking of a game at a time like this? The watchman uncle shouldn't get suspicious. Hey kids, haven't you gone home yet? Uncle, just the last round is going on. Leave quickly. I have to lock the back gate. If the back gate is locked, how will we get out? The front small door stays open. Your whole plan seems dangerous to me already. Ramdeen uncle went to the other side of the veranda. Now is the chance. Let's move to the back slowly. No one will run. Stay completely quiet. Why does the air feel so cold as soon as we got here?
There are more trees in the back, that's why it's cool. Or maybe the guests in the room are waiting for us. Stop the jokes. I'm already scared. Look ahead, that's the same old room. How are these black marks under the door? Maybe rainwater seeps inside. To me, these look like footprints. Quiet, did you hear something? I only hear the sound of the trees. No, something moved inside. Oh yes, the knocking sound came again. That's it, let's go. I don't want to know anything . Wait, let's first find out where the sound is coming from.
Don't touch the door. The lock is very old. I'm just giving it a light push to see. Munna, be careful, the door might break . Oh, someone knocked from inside again. I told you someone is inside. But if they are inside, how will they get out? I see a small hole in this wall. Where? Let me see too. It's completely dark inside. I can't see a thing. I have a small flashlight. I brought it from Dad's cupboard.
You turned out to be the most prepared of us all. I knew you guys would come unprepared. Shine the torch light into this hole. I can see an old wooden table in front. Something is shining on top of it. Maybe it's a mirror. I just saw that shining thing move. Everyone back up. Let's look one more time. There is nothing there now. Maybe the torch light just reflected back. I swear, something moved. Why is this wooden plank placed next to the door? Don't remove it. Maybe the wall is broken.
There might be a way inside behind it. We should stop right here. Let's just look from a distance. I know what your "just looking" means. Look. I see a small passage here. Yes, maybe it's an old window. Light is coming through the middle of it. There is a lot of dust visible inside. I'll look from here and tell you. Yes, no need to go inside. Munna, what do you see? Old drums, a harmonium, and wooden chairs? That means Pinky's sister was telling the truth. Wait. There are pictures on the back wall too. What kind of pictures?
Group photos of old school children. Now let me see, you've been at it for a long time. Be careful, the window's wood is weak. Hey, there's an old doll lying in the corner too. Why would there be a doll in the music room? Maybe it was used in some program. Or maybe some child left it here. Wait a minute. The doll's face is towards us. So what? You're the one who pointed the torch that way. But just a moment ago, its face was towards the wall. That's it, I'm leaving. You guys stay here.
Don't go alone. It's better to stay together right now. And it's starting to get dark too. Listen, this time the sound didn't come from the room. Yes, like someone walked on the back veranda . That means there is someone outside the room too. Maybe Ramdeen Uncle is looking for us. If he catches us, he'll complain at home. Let's hide behind this tree first . Who is there? Did I hear someone walking?
Munna, even breathe softly. My heartbeat is so fast, they'll hear it. It must be a cat, they've been roaming around a lot. They are heading back to the front. We should leave now too. But we still haven't found the real secret. It’s wise to head back before it gets dark. For the first time, Raju has read my mind. Alright. We'll ask the teacher tomorrow during the day. If we ask directly, he won't tell us anything.
Then we'll have to find out from an old student. My uncle also studied in this school. Ask him about it today. Yes, maybe he knows something. Expect to get scolded. But we need answers by tomorrow. Wow, you were running away just a moment ago. Now I want answers. My bravery returns on the way home. We'll meet under the Peepal tree tomorrow morning. Raju will tell us what his uncle said and then we'll decide what to do next. Raju, tell us quickly what your uncle said. First, he scolded me a lot. Forget the scolding, what did he say about the room?
Music classes used to be held there. Yes, we know that already. Later, the use of that room was stopped . I told you, it must be a ghost story. Listen to the whole story first. What happened to that child? That student's name was Mohan. What did he like? He loved playing the dholak. They closed the room just because of that? No. After he left, the sound of a dholak was heard every day. Now I am definitely not going near that room.
Where did Mohan go after leaving the school? Uncle said his father got transferred. That means nothing scary happened to him at all. Then who was playing the dholak? That's the part no one understood. Great. Now the mystery has deepened even more. Maybe Mohan left a toy behind or something moves in the wind. Let's go again in the evening and investigate properly. Did you guys learn nothing from yesterday evening?
We won't go inside today. We'll just record the sound. I've brought my brother's small cassette recorder. If they find out at home, you're done for. I'll put it back as soon as we're done. Today our entire detective squad is ready. School is out, the same time has come again. Hmm. The sky is even hazier today than yesterday. We'll finish quickly and head home immediately. Let's place the recorder right here by the door.
There's no cassette in it, right? Is there no song on the other side? It's completely blank. I have pressed the red button. Now everyone stay absolutely quiet. I can only hear the rustling of the trees. I can hear my heartbeat even louder than that. Quiet. There is a faint sound of a dholak coming from inside. Yes, the beat is gradually getting faster. But is there anyone inside the room? Have you heard about that old mansion? Yes, they say no one goes there at night.
Let’s go and see what is in there. Oh , the dholak stopped suddenly. Hmm, now I hear the sound of a child humming. The tune of our school’s old prayer. My sister used to sing this same tune. I don’t want to hear any old tunes. Let’s get out of here. Let me turn off the recorder first. Hurry up. I can hear footsteps in the veranda. Everyone head towards the grounds. Don’t run. Then what are you kids doing here?
Uncle, our ball had gone behind there. We were looking for the ball with this cassette recorder in hand. Uncle, please don’t be angry. We hear voices coming from that locked room. How many times have I told you to stay away from that place? But what is there that everyone is hiding? It is not necessary to know the secret of every old place. Uncle, we won’t stop going there without knowing the truth.
You people are truly very stubborn. These four are the stubborn ones. I just want to go home. Meet me tomorrow morning; I will show you something. Uncle himself is going to show us something. That means he also knows about the voices in the room. Maybe tomorrow the whole secret will be revealed. Let’s listen to the recording first. Listen to it right here on the grounds. Not near the room. Okay. I’ll rewind the cassette and play it. Dhak-dhin, dhak-dhin. This is clearly the sound of a dholak recorded. And there is also the sound of someone humming in the background.
Turn the volume up a bit. " Give us strength of mind..." Turn it off. Hearing this is making me even more scared. We will play this recording for Ramdin Uncle tomorrow. Maybe he will recognize the voice. Go home for now. You kids actually came this morning? Uncle, you said you would show us something. Play that recording for me first. Even after so many years, the same voice. Uncle, do you recognize it?
I heard it back when I had just become the watchman. Didn't you go inside the room and check ? I did, but what I found was strange. Now don’t you start with scary stories too. Inside, an old dholak was moving on its own. Without anyone touching it. When I went close, I found a rope tied to the roof beam. Meaning, when the wind blew, the rope would move the dholak. I thought the same thing at first.
Then why didn't you open the room and fix everything? Because I never found the reason for the humming sound. You’ve seen it now. The story is still stuck on the ghost. Today after school, with the principal's permission, we will open the room. Can we really go inside? If you listen to me, you can come along . Today's math class feels longer than a lifetime. Even the numbers on the board look like the room to me.
Just a little longer, and then the truth will be revealed. I am asking for the last time. Should we go back? The door is now officially about to open. No one is going back after coming this close. Everyone stay back. The lock is very old. The key is turning. What a strange sound. It feels like the room itself is waking up. The lock has opened. Now I will push the door slowly. A whole cloud of dust came out.
Everything inside looks like it stopped 20 years ago. That’s the same drum we saw from the window. And there is that old doll in the corner too. Just don't anyone touch the doll. Look, a thin string goes from the drum to the ceiling. The breeze from the window crack moves the string. So the mystery of the drum sound is solved. But the child's laughter and song still remain. Maybe a string is singing that too. Let's check every corner of the room first.
There is something behind this wooden cupboard. Move it a little. I'll shine the torch. Hey, there's a small tape recorder behind it. How could such an old tape recorder work here? This wire near it goes up to the bell. Hm. The bell must swing in the wind and press the button. There is a cassette in the tape recorder too. Take it out and see what's written on it? It says "Annual Festival Practice." Meaning the humming and laughing sounds were from that cassette.
Perhaps the machine would start when contact was made. The sound we feared for all these years was an old recording. This cassette must have the same children who are in the photos. Look, names are also written on the back of the photo. Here is a name, Mohan Kumar. So this is the Mohan who used to play the drum. Yes, the same child sitting in front holding the drum. We turned the poor guy into a ghost in our whole story. But why was the room kept closed for so many years?
The roof was weak, so children were stopped from coming here. And slowly, the real reason was forgotten, and it became a rumor. So the school's biggest ghost story turned out to be false. I still don't trust that doll at all. If you want, you can say hello to her and leave. Don't joke. I will really do it. Look, there's a small string attached to its back too. The wind was pulling the string, that’s why the face turned.
So I really did see the doll turning yesterday. That’s great. Now, at least I’ll be able to sleep at night. Fear is often born from incomplete information. Uncle, can this room be reopened? The roof needs fixing, then the principal will decide. How wonderful it would be if music class started again. I will play the dholak just like Mohan. We should learn the rhythm first, or else everyone will run away. I will sit outside the room and clap.
So this is our detective squad. Sir, we came here without asking. We are sorry. You made a mistake, but you definitely uncovered an old secret. Sir, can the old photos be cleaned and put back up? Sure, school memories are not things to be thrown away, and the rumors about this room will end too. Sir, please keep that old cassette safe as well. We will keep it safe with the school's old belongings.
Just don’t let it play by itself in the evening. The back of the school doesn't look scary today. Until yesterday, the shadow of this tree looked scary. Once the truth is known, the place stays the same. The perspective changes . Still, this was the most fun mystery of our lives. It was fun for you. I was scared to death, but you came back with us every day. If I had gone alone, friends, I would have been more scared.
That is why childhood mischief is remembered with friends. Even many years later, we will surely remember this room. Come on, the bell has rung. Now let's really go home. Bring marbles tomorrow. This time we will really play. And if you find another closed room, don't tell me.