“Khauf” (2025) delves into the haunting journey of Madhu, a trauma survivor seeking refuge in a women’s hostel in Delhi after a brutal assault. Hoping to find solace, she instead discovers that peace is a distant dream. The eerie aura of room 333 and the unsettling behavior of her hostel mates quickly unravel any sense of safety.
As inexplicable events unfold, the line between reality and nightmare begins to blur. Madhu finds herself entangled in a web of suppressed memories, sinister secrets, and a manipulative Hakim with dark intentions. The hostel transforms into a psychological and supernatural battleground, where nothing is as it seems.
Haunted by both her past and the growing presence of something otherworldly, Madhu must navigate a maze of fear and deception. With each episode, new layers of trauma, violence, and betrayal emerge, forcing her to confront not only the shadows lurking in the halls but also the darkness buried within her own soul.
This article contains spoilers.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 1, “Ladies Hostel” Recap:
Late at night in Delhi, Anu travels by bus from work to her hostel. The path is isolated, and as Anu nears the gate, a laser targets her. Panicked, Anu calls out to the guard. The laser disappears, and Anu hears movement near the trees. Thankfully, the guard opens the gate. Outside her room, Anu moves cautiously—the door is unlocked. As Anu enters, her hostel mates shout, “Surprise!” It’s Anu’s birthday. The reason Anu was delayed was that she was preparing to move out of the hostel soon. So, Anu had to get the keys from her landlord. However, Rima is unhappy that Anu and Lana are leaving the hostel.
What happens in Room 333?
Later, Nikki and Anu have a chat. Although Nikki tries to convince Anu to stay back, Nikki understands the threat Anu feels. Every day, Anu feels she won’t return alive to the hostel because of a stalker. Six months later, Madhu arrives in Delhi from Gwalior. At the railway station, Madhu’s boyfriend Arun picks her up and takes her to his shared flat. While Madhu is showering, Arun finds medicine in her bag but says nothing. During an intimate moment, Madhu sees visions of masked men and pulls away, visibly shaken. Later, Arun comforts her, acknowledging her trauma. The next day, Madhu attends an interview arranged by her friend Bela.
Afterward, Bela mentions her fiancé, Nakul, has found a hostel within Madhu’s budget. From afar, Madhu sees Nakul and feels a strange familiarity. Later, Madhu and Arun visit the hostel and meet Warden Gracie, who insists on several documents before renting a room. After viewing room 333, Madhu likes it and wants to move in. Since Madhu has no local guardian, she asks Arun to get the documents through his doctor clients. Eventually, a doctor, Shohini, helps. Meanwhile, three girls enter room 333 and play with an Ouija board. Despite Svetlana’s warning, they proceed and soon face bizarre experiences like loud bangs, candles going off, and a scorpion appearing on the wall suddenly.
Is Madhu welcome in her new hostel?
That night, Gracie meets Inspector Ilu Mishra, who is upset because her son Jeeva ran away after being released from prison. The only lead is Jeeva’s prison friend, Babban. The next morning, the girls on the 333 floor warn Gracie not to let anyone stay in room 333, but Gracie does not listen. Meanwhile, Gracie calls Rima’s husband to take her home, as she’s 8 months pregnant, though Rima refuses to leave. The next day, Madhu moves in; her purse, placed on an old trunk, mysteriously falls by itself.
Mishra speaks to Babban, who is under arrest. Babban reveals that he and Jeeva work for Hakim. At the clinic, Hakim gives Bhalla (politician) courage-inducing medicine; Bhalla then promises Babban’s release the next day. Later, when Mishra questions Hakim about Jeeva, Hakim explains that Jeeva used to find rare herbs for his medicines, but hasn’t seen Jeeva in months.
When asked about his treatments, Hakim says all physical ailments stem from the soul, and he possesses the power to heal at the soul level. At the hostel, Madhu introduces herself to Rima and Svetlana, who ask her to leave immediately. In her room, Madhu finds a mirror covered with newspaper, which Anu had put there, so Madhu tears it off.
Thankfully, Madhu lands a job. In the office, Madhu sees Bela and Nakul making out. At lunch, Bela reveals that Nakul is from Delhi, not Gwalior (where Madhu is from). That night, Madhu hears loud bangs, so she tells the other girls that this is not enough to scare her. However, the girls warn it’s only the beginning. In a nightmare, Madhu relives a masked assault—her attacker is named Nakul. When Madhu wakes up and looks out the window, she does not realize a shadow is behind her.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 2, “Stalker” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback. It is Madhu’s seniors’ farewell day. Although Arun is in Delhi, he visits Madhu in Gwalior every month/year. Away from the crowd, Arun and Madhu start making out when three boys in masks attack Arun and drag Madhu away. Currently, Madhu arrives at Nakul’s office and asks for Nakul’s details, such as his address. Since that information is confidential, the receptionist refuses to give it. So, Madhu says she is from the insurance company. Unfortunately, Nakul is already in office. When the receptionist calls Nakul, Madhu escapes through the fire exit.
In the hostel, Lana eats an apple but can’t keep it down due to a slit/bruise on her neck. Elsewhere, Gracie tries to revive an old car for Rima, who is eight months pregnant and won’t leave the hostel. Suddenly, the trunk opens, and the car reverses into a pile of stones. However, Gracie brushes it off as an accident. Over tea, Mishra wonders if something went wrong in room 333. Though Gracie blames the girls’ grief over Anu’s death, Mishra insists she call Hakim to inspect the room.
What happened to Madhu when she was in college?
Elsewhere, Madhu helps Shohini at her clinic. After a while, Shohini’s daughter Kiara, invites Madhu to hang out. While watching a horror film, they discuss fears—Kiara says fear keeps one alert and careful. Later, Madhu tells Shohini about the hostel girls’ odd behavior, especially how Anu’s friends can’t leave the hostel. At the hostel, Hakim arrives and says a girl died in room 333, and a spirit is troubling others. If not vacated, the spirit will soon affect Madhu too.
Hearing this, Gracie asks Hakim to leave, stating Anu died in an accident, not in the room. That night, Hakim urges Lana to flee the hostel, but she feels choked when she tries. Then, Hakim gives Lana a medicine that’s both a boon and a bane. Meanwhile, Arun and Madhu fight, but after some convincing, Madhu stays with Arun. At night, Arun confesses that the farewell night haunts him, though his love for Madhu remains the same. In Mishra’s house, Gracie finds a dead scorpion in a bottle under the sink.
The next day, Madhu reveals to Shohini that she was sexually assaulted by three men, one possibly a former tuition classmate. Though Shohini urges Madhu to report it, Madhu hesitates, afraid of reliving the incident. Still, Madhu is reliving that trauma daily. In the last scene, Madhu is in front of Nakul’s house.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 3, “Venom” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback: Babban manages a store as Deepa buys jewelry and is led to a house by Jeeva. Inside, Deepa sees scorpion-like creatures in bottles and a stairway to the cellar. When Deepa enters the basement, she sees a man. Afraid, Deepa runs but is unable to escape. In the present, Madhu confronts Nakul about the farewell party, but he claims he’s from Delhi. It seems Bela told Nakul about Madhu’s assault case. Convinced she’s mistaken, Madhu leaves. At the hostel, Madhu befriends the other girls.
Elsewhere, Mishra meets Hakim, accusing him of poisoning patients, partly due to a scorpion found in her house. To prove his innocence, Hakim drinks his own medicine in front of Mishra. A couple receiving treatment gives Mishra more details, revealing that Hakim sometimes cuts patients’ arms as part of his cure. Recalling a past case involving slitting/burning victims, Mishra reopens it. Meanwhile, Hakim enters the cellar where an unconscious Deepa lies. There, Hakim slits her hand and tries to absorb her soul.
How did Madhu’s assailants find Madhu during the farewell party?
However, Hakim fails, and this time, Babban is done disposing of women for Hakim. The only way for Hakim to live is by taking in a tormented soul. At Shohini’s house, Kiara gives Madhu pepper spray. Once again, Madhu and Arun try to sleep together but fail. Elsewhere, Mishra finds Deepa’s parents and learns Jeeva was delivering medicines for Hakim and was involved in Deepa’s death. The hostel girls call Hakim to check room 333. Inside, the doors shut on their own. A ghost attacks Hakim, so he asks Lana to use Madhu as a medium.
The day Madhu starts seeing an entity in the mirror, she falls sick, then Lana calls Hakim. That night, Rima is friendly with Madhu. Along with Rima, Komal offers tea; it seems bitter to Madhu, but she drinks it. During Bela and Nakul’s engagement party, Madhu apologizes to Nakul. At the party, a drunk Nakul tries to get intimate with her despite Madhu’s discomfort. Later, Arun reveals he had sent a picture Madhu shared to his friends, one of whom forwarded it, leading the assailants to them. That night, Madhu wakes up to an entity over her. When awake, Madhu notices strange bruises on her ankle.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 4, “Fever” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback when Jeeva was working with Hakim. One day, Jeeva asks to learn Hakim’s black magic techniques as Jeeva wants to teach some girls a lesson. At home, Jeeva fights with Mishra, saying she is the reason Jeeva went to prison. However, Mishra wept as she did everything she could to save Jeeva and make sure Jeeva was not killed. At the hostel, Rima and Komal try to feed Madhu tea, but she refuses to drink. Later, Arun tries to talk to Madhu, but he is shocked to see Madhu’s state as she looks sick. Still, Madhu asks Arun to stay away from her.
At the office, Madhu confides in Nakul, who says encouraging words. Meanwhile, Nikki’s sister and mother arrive at the hostel. From there, they take Nikki outside the hostel to say they are cutting her off. They also get into a fight as Nikki’s mother never cared for Nikki, even when she was getting physically abused by her teachers. The minute Nikki leaves the hostel, her nose starts to bleed. Soon, Nikki is brought back to the hostel, and Nikki refuses to leave. Meanwhile, Madhu begins to gain some power from within that she cannot control. At Baban’s shop, Mishra asks who killed Deepa. However, Baban does not answer but says Jeeva was Hakim’s underling. If Baban is dragged to prison, he will also make sure Jeeva serves jail time.
What does the entity do to Madhu?
In a tunnel, Madhu uses pepper spray on a man who teases her. When the man starts calling Madhu names, she kills him. Now, Nakul invites Madhu to a party. At the party, Bela does not seem pleased to see Madhu there. When Nakul and Madhu are alone, Madhu kisses Nakul. Suddenly, Bela arrives, so Madhu leaves. As Madhu is going, two men call Nakul in the same way they had on the day of the assault. The men also look at Madhu suspiciously. Meanwhile, Bhalla crosses a line, so Hakim kills him. At the hostel, Madhu starts to see an entity.
When Rima and the others arrive, they tell Madhu about Anu and what happened to her. Later, Madhu also tells them about Nakul. Moreover, they mix something in Madhu’s soup before feeding her. Late at night, loud bangs are heard in Madhu’s room. However, Madhu thinks it’s the other girls pranking. Suddenly, Madhu sees the entity inside the room. The entity pulls Madhu inside and harms Madhu.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 5, “Possessed” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback to Anu’s depression after a breakup. At that time, Lana tries to support Anu, but Anu is seen levitating. In the present, the entire hostel gathers at Madhu’s door. When it opens, Gracie finds a possessed Madhu who faints. The next day, Madhu decides to leave the hostel. Warden Gracie calls Shohini, a psychiatrist and Madhu’s guardian in Delhi, who then takes Madhu home. Meanwhile, Hakim asks Lana to give medicine to Madhu when she returns, convinced that something in the hostel will draw her back. At Shohini’s house, Shohini treats Madhu’s ankle and assumes her visions are trauma-induced.
But when Madhu mentions that the other girls also have bruises, Shohini begins investigating. That night, Madhu is again possessed. Up for a midnight snack, Kiara sees a possessed Madhu telling her to go back to bed. The next morning, a normal Madhu wakes Kiara, leaving her confused. Meanwhile, Shohini visits the hostel and speaks with the girls.
An angry Lana, once in Delhi, had only Anu for support. After Anu’s breakup, she began hallucinating, prompting the girls to lock her in her room. One girl says the issues began even before Anu’s death, notably after a fight among third-floor girls. Now, Shohini urges Komal to step outside the hostel; initially, nothing happens, but a bruise appears on Komal’s face. So, Shohini concludes the girls are unknowingly self-harming.
Did Nakul sexually assault Madhu?
Later, Madhu meets Arun and suggests they break up, claiming the shared traumas will always haunt them. However, Arun wanted a fresh start without secrets, so he told Madhu the truth about the farewell day. They reconcile, even becoming physically intimate. Back at the hostel, Nikki pleads with Shohini to help her leave. Elsewhere, Hakim confesses to murdering women, with Jeeva helping dispose of the bodies. Meanwhile, Nakul picks up Madhu on her way to work. During the ride, Madhu is ready to report her assault case, prompting Nakul to confess he assaulted her in Gwalior and calls her a slut for flirting with many men at once.
Terrified, Madhu uses pepper spray. They end up in an isolated location, followed by Nakul’s friends. The group attempts to harm Madhu, but she escapes. One of them catches Madhu and injures her until she becomes possessed, killing both of Nakul’s friends. Seeing his dead friends, Nakul is afraid. At the police station, Mishra learns that Jeeva’s body was found. Although Jeeva had been declared a fugitive, another jurisdiction had found an unclaimed body six months earlier.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 6, “Trap” Recap:
The episode opens with Nikki wanting to leave the hostel. The other girls think Nikki has become unstable. Unfortunately, Nikki has seen the other girls poison Madhu and believes it is unfair for Madhu. Because Nikki is determined to leave, Gracie and Shohini are ready to help. There are loud bangs outside the door. On the other side, a possessed Madhu is standing in the shadows.
When Madhu starts to approach the girls, they lock their rooms shut. Meanwhile, Gracie and Mishra get into an argument. The argument is about Jeeva, as Gracie thinks Jeeva has always been a troublemaker, even troubling the hostel girls. Hearing this, Mishra gets mad and leaves. The next morning, Madhu wakes up in the corridor. Immediately, Madhu meets Arun and tells him about Nakul and her plan to kill them. Something about the timelines doesn’t match, so Madhu assumes she is hallucinating.
Will Madhu tell Bela about Nakul’s true nature?
Seeking answers, Madhu asks Lana, Rima, and Komal about room 333. They tell Madhu to visit Hakim as he can help. Along with finding the truth behind Jeeva’s death, the cops are looking for Bhalla, who is missing. At the hostel, Shohini suggests they put Nikki under sedation so she will be fine outside the hostel. The cops find Nakul’s friends’ bodies in the forest. Now, Madhu tries to get help from Hakim, who says someone is trapped in room 333. Additionally, Madhu is possessed by the same spirit.
Suddenly, Madhu feels something is wrong. When Madhu tries to escape, she can’t. Madhu is unconscious in the cellar. As Hakim tries to cut Madhu, there are cops above looking for him. The cops are there because of a lead that Bhalla was here for. The cops don’t find anything and are about to leave. By then, Madhu gains consciousness and tries to escape. Hearing a faint scream, Mishra heads towards the cellar.
Thankfully, Madhu is saved. However, Hakim says Jeeva died in room 333. One day, Mishra will call for Hakim, and he will show up. Saying that, Hakim escapes from another door. While Nikki is under observation, she dies. At the hospital, Arun asks Mishra to talk to the girls in the hostel as they sent Madhu to Hakim. On the news, Arun sees the deaths of Nakul’s friends. Now, Arun is scared for Madhu.
To be with Madhu, Bela has arrived. Outside, Nakul and Arun get into a fight. Because Madhu has killed Nakul’s friends, Nakul blackmails Arun. On the way, Madhu narrates the story of her assault to Bela, triggering Nakul every second. Before leaving, Madhu says her assailant’s name is Nakul Khanna. Meanwhile, Gracie asks Shohini to leave her and the girls alone, as the hostel has an eviction notice. The last place Jeeva’s phone was active was in the hostel. Now, Gracie asks the girls what happened on December 31st.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 7, “Happy New Year” Recap:
The episode begins with the girls narrating what happened six months prior. Many times, Jeeva would come to the girls’ hostel to do some odd jobs. It was also Anu and Lana’s last day in the hostel. The new house is on the same road as Anu’s boyfriend. Since it’s a farewell, the girls put their handprints on the wall using paint. Accidentally, Jeeva cuts his hand, so Anu tends to his wounds. Seeing Jeeva looking at the girls like a creep, Rima asks Jeeva to go away. From Jeeva’s pocket, a laser falls out. The girls are furious, as Jeeva seems to be the one troubling them every night. In anger, Rima slaps Jeeva.
The girls plan to have a New Year’s Party at Anu’s house, but Rima says she can’t make it as she needs to spend time with her daughter, Mini. After spending the day with her daughter, Rima fights with her husband and arrives at Anu’s house. Suddenly, Rima starts to cry as she forgets to give her daughter her hairband. The reason Rima is so upset is because of her husband, who has made a gynecologist appointment to find out the sex of the baby. If it’s a girl, then Kapil (Rima’s husband) will ask Rima to abort the child. Outside, Nikki, Lana, and Komal are buying momos. Some men eve-tease, but they recognize Komal—meanwhile, Mishra and Jeeva fight. So Jeeva asks Babban to meet him near the hostel.
How did Jeeva die?
The girls are partying when the momo shop boys arrive—one is the landlord’s son. They insist on joining, but when one recognizes Komal as a former sex worker, a fight breaks out. The landlord kicks Anu out. Unfortunately, Amit, Anu’s boyfriend, witnesses the chaos but walks away. The girls return to the hostel while Anu stays. Later, Amit lectures Anu about reputation, blaming her for associating with a sex worker—ironically, he’s now engaged to someone else. Meanwhile, Babban visits Jeeva but leaves when Jeeva insults the hostel girls. During a bonfire, Anu returns to the hostel, only to be disturbed again by Jeeva.
In anger, Anu challenges Jeeva to enter the hostel. Nikki goes to get smokes and bumps into Jeeva, who slaps her. Then, Jeeva kisses Anu on the terrace. A fight breaks out. When Jeeva threatens to rape them with a rod, Rima, enraged, burns Jeeva alive. Just then, Gracie and Mishra arrive, so the girls hide Jeeva, still alive, in Anu’s trunk. Though Jeeva cries for his mother, they shut the lid. After Gracie leaves, Anu hides in fear. Later, the girls dump Jeeva’s body in the river. In the final scene, Mishra begs Hakim to show her Jeeva—Hakim demands Madhu.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Episode 8, “The Reverie” Recap:
The episode opens with a flashback. After Jeeva’s murder, Anu is unable to stay in the hostel, so she decides to leave. However, Lana tries her best to convince Anu to stay, but she refuses. That night, Gracie drives Anu home. On the way, the car trunk opens, and Anu’s luggage falls. When Gracie exits the car to pick up the suitcase, Anu hears a voice asking her to return. When Anu looks in the mirror, she sees Jeeva. Afraid, Anu runs towards the forest. Suddenly, Anu sees Jeeva’s burned body, so she is scared. At the same time, a force pushes Anu, making her fall in front of a speeding truck, killing Anu instantly. Currently, Madhu lives with Arun. This night, Madhu is possessed. In her possessed state, Madhu belittles Arun for not helping Madhu.
At first, Arun thinks Madhu has psychological issues but later realizes Madhu is possessed. A possessed Madhu demands that she return to the hostel, as Rima, Komal, and Lana are there. All the girls from the hostel leave except the trio and Sarla. Since Rima is due to give birth, Sarla stays as she is a nurse. The three girls try to leave the hostel, but Rima goes into labor.
As Sarla leaves to get something, she bumps into a possessed Madhu, who knocks Sarla down. The guard and warden tie up Madhu to the bed. Meanwhile, Mishra arrives and blames Gracie for being involved in Jeeva’s death. Even though Gracie explains what a terrible person Jeeva was, Mishra cannot digest it. Furthermore, Mishra thinks the girls should suffer because of Jeeva. Now, Lana calls Hakim, who asks Lana to feed Madhu the poison. Forcefully, Lana feeds Madhu the poison. Madhu fights Jeeva to take over her body.
Khauf (TV Series 2025) Ending Explained:
Since Jeeva can see all of Madhu’s fears and insecurities, he tries to tempt Madhu to get revenge by letting Jeeva take over her. Still, Madhu is fighting hard. By then, Mishra finds Madhu and realizes it’s Jeeva. On the stairs, Gracie sees Hakim and fights him. Unfortunately, Gracie falls down the stairs and dies. In another room, Lana helps deliver Rima’s baby – it’s a girl. Since Madhu is not letting Jeeva take over, Jeeva’s spirit leaves Madhu’s body and enters Hakim’s.
While exploding out of Madhu’s body, the whole place shook and also killed Mishra. Now, Madhu sees the three girls, but Lana comes charging, assuming Madhu is still possessed. After realizing Madhu is not possessed, they let her go. By then, a possessed Hakim arrives. The girls fight, but Hakim has become strong. Some inner power helps Madhu to chop off Hakim’s head and save the girls. Ambulance, cops, and Shohini arrive.
This time, Shohini tells the cops that if they had not killed Hakim, then he would have killed them all. One month later, Rima, Lana, and Komal hang out with Mini and the infant. The cops take a statement from Bela and Nakul. Bela brings up Madhu, saying she was stalking Nakul. Guilt and fear took over Nakul, who left the room. It is Nakul and Bela’s wedding day, and Nakul refuses to go down for the event. In his room, Nakul starts seeing a possessed Madhu. Suddenly, Nakul falls from his room to the ground, dying instantly. In the next scene, Arun is hospitalized, and Madhu is by his side. In the last shot, we see Madhu look into the camera, saying she consumed all the poison, yet she was able to defeat them all.
Jeeva and Nakul embody the deeply ingrained patriarchy and misogyny that women confront daily, though their portrayals are deliberately exaggerated to expose the extremities of such toxic mindsets. Enter Madhu: a symbol of resilience and resistance. As she battles not only these men but also the psychological and supernatural venom they inflict—both literally and metaphorically—her journey becomes one of reclamation and inner awakening. Even when Jeeva’s spirit transfers into Hakim, Madhu taps into a potent, mysterious force within herself, channeling it to fight back.
In the final scene, although Madhu carries poison in her veins, she gains the power to control it rather than be consumed by it. Nakul’s death leaves room for interpretation—was it Madhu’s supernatural vengeance, or did his own guilt and fear drive him to madness and self-destruction? The narrative, at its core, offers an empowering message of survival and strength. Yet, it also raises an important question: is retribution enough, or should the real fight be aimed at transforming the societal roots of misogyny? The haunting conclusion leaves the door ajar—hinting at the possibility of a second season and a deeper exploration of these themes.
