Haunting secrets in the hills: Bishhal Paull unveils ‘The Liar Among Us’

Filmmaker, visual storyteller, and writer Bishhal Paull makes his literary debut with ‘The Liar Among Us’ (Bloomsbury Publishing), a fast-paced thriller set in a Sikkim boarding school where secrets fester, shadows whisper, and truth itself could prove fatal. Soon to be adapted into a major motion picture, the novel is a chilling blend of mystery, suspense, and supernatural intrigue—perfect for readers who love page-turners that blur the line between reality and the unknown.

Set in the misty hills of Sikkim, ‘The Liar Among Us’ follows the students of Valorhouse International, a school that hides secrets refusing to stay buried. One freshman’s curiosity sets off a chain of terrifying events where every lie costs more than the truth. Drawing from his experience in filmmaking, media, and politics, Paull brings cinematic depth and sharp psychological insight to his storytelling.

In an exclusive conversation, Bishhal Paull delves into fear, fiction, and the unseen forces that shape his debut novel.

“Fear, for me, is memory pretending to be prophecy,” Paull reflects when asked about his personal definition of fear. “When something from your past convinces you that it’ll happen again. Nothing can be scarier than that.”

If Valorhouse were to host a Halloween night, Paull imagines a scene straight from his own creation. “Oh, absolute chaos,” he laughs. “The school would probably turn its own myths into reality — Baka in the dorm mirrors, Sudrika’s chants echoing in the fog, and one of the missing students suddenly showing up for roll call. But it would be fun. I’d love to attend.”

When asked what scares him more—the supernatural or the human mind—Paull doesn’t hesitate. “Definitely the human mind. Ghosts have rules. Our brain doesn’t.”

The theme of self-deception runs deep in ‘The Liar Among Us’, and Paull admits it’s the kind of horror that lingers. “A hundred percent. The moment you start lying to yourself, you stop knowing what’s real. That’s true horror, when the monsters start looking like you.”

If he could adapt one moment from his book into a Halloweenshort film, it would be the aquatic centre scene. “Yuvi’s night swim where apparitions appear and something begins to pull him underwater — gives me the chills every time.”

The novel’s haunting setting draws power from Sikkim’s landscape. “I picked Sikkim for a very specific reason,” he teases. “In Labak, Sikkim, it feels like the mountains are keeping secrets they’ll never tell you.” And if he could invite one fictional character to spend Halloween at Valorhouse? “Probably Wednesday Addams. She’d fit right in, call everyone out on their nonsense, and still ace every paranormal test in class.”

(‘The Liar Among Us’ by Bishhal Paull, published by Bloomsbury India, released on 14 October 2025. Priced at ₹399.)