There are some stories in the history of Raj Comics that do not just remain an adventure, but become a big “event”. “Clamor(Kolahal)” is also one of them. This is not just a story of the pairing of Nagraj and Dhruv, but a story where the entire Raj Comics Universe is seen standing together.
‘Kolahal’ is an important link in Raj Comics’ much talked-about ‘Dracula Series’. This special issue takes the events of the previous episodes (Dracula’s Attack, Nagraj and Dracula, The End of Dracula) and gives them the form of a Mahagatha.
The importance of this comic also increases because it is the last chapter of the ‘Dracula Series’. Only Nagraj or Dhruv were not enough to defeat Dracula, who is counted among the most dangerous and powerful villains of Raj Comics. For this reason, an entire team takes the field here—Nagraj, Dhruv, Parmanu, Shakti, Inspector Steel, and Lori. It gives a somewhat Indian “Avengers” feel, where every character joins the story with his or her own special strength.
Katha Saar (Plot Summary)
The story starts with a very serious and exciting situation. In previous special issues, Nagraj and Dhruv together destroyed Dracula’s mortal body by throwing it into a volcano. But as is often the case with big villains, the body may die, not the soul.
A large part of the story takes place in the Mortal World, the world between Earth and the afterlife. This is where Dracula’s spirit arrives. But there he is not welcomed by his old loyalists; instead, there is rebellion against him. Gunah, a phantom who had previously betrayed Dracula, is now trying to make himself the hero of the Mortal World. Gunah feels that Dracula is now weakened, as his body is destroyed and his servants are reduced.
This part is quite psychological. Gunah tries to mentally break Dracula by chaining him and showing him the fear of a torture device like the ‘Rotating Pillar’. The vanity of Gunah is clearly visible; he looks at Dracula as if a child is hitting a stone in a bottle. But Dracula, a centuries-old vampire, proves that his fears were never limited to his body. He accepts Gunah’s challenge, and this confrontation takes the story in a new direction.
Dracula slowly rekindles his terror there, defeats Gunah, and becomes king of the Mortal World. His purpose is very clear—to return to Earth, to regain his body, and to enslave the entire world with ghosts.
Meanwhile, another important character comes up—Bordello. Bordello is an ancient and extremely powerful spirit, with a centuries-old relationship of enmity with Dracula. He wants to stop Dracula, but even he begins to weaken in front of Dracula’s growing strength.
On the other hand, the situation on Earth also changes rapidly. Under the sea, a stir begins in the volcano where Dracula’s body fell. This twist is extremely interesting, where the author shows how body and soul are interconnected. As the volcano erupts and Dracula’s body emerges with lava, his soul in the Mortal World begins to gain new power as well. This scene clearly makes readers realize that “the reign of terror and sin” is not over yet.
Dracula’s phantom servants begin to create huge chaos on Earth, especially in the metropolis and Rajnagar. They capture the bodies of innocent people, and devastation spreads all around. Nagraj and Dhruv try to fight this invisible enemy, but quickly come to understand that physical strength is ineffective against spirits.
Then Lori, a woman with tantric and mystical powers, comes to their aid. Lori is the link that is able to tell Nagraj and Dhruv the right way to travel to the Mortal World and fight ghosts.
Dracula needs a new body to return to Earth. He recreates his body with the lava of the volcano. This scene shows the tremendous imagination of Anupam Sinha—a monster made of lava, which gradually takes the form of Dracula.
But that’s not enough to get Dracula’s full strength back. He takes over Sheena’s (Parmanu’s friend and girlfriend) body. Now the biggest moral crisis arises in front of Parmanu. He has to eliminate Dracula, but doing so could cost Sheena her life. It is from here that the story reaches an emotional and tense turn.
Character Analysis
Dracula (The Antagonist)
Dracula is the real focal point of this comic, and in a way, he is also the biggest highlight of the story. The author has not just portrayed him as a common monster, but as a proud, cunning, and extremely sharp-minded strategist. His willpower is so strong that even after reaching the Mortal World, it does not break. Despite being in chains, his dialogue—“The spirits’ tails move in front of Dracula, not his tongue!”—clearly shows his confidence and fear-inducing personality.
The fire of revenge against Nagraj and Dhruv is continuously burning in his heart. He openly believes that two “ordinary humans” killed him three times, and this is what stings his ego the most. In the end, his struggle with Gunah becomes not just a fight, but a display of power, where it becomes clear how dangerous Dracula can be even without a body, as he makes the very chains that Gunah summoned to bind him dance at his command.
Gunah (The Rival Spirit)
The character of Gunah is that of a small but ambitious villain who wants to fill the vacuum of power left behind. His biggest enemy is himself—his pride. He makes the mistake of mistaking Dracula for weak and powerless, but cannot understand that Dracula’s true strength lies in his age-old cunning, experience, and the fear seated in people’s hearts. The depiction of Gunah in visual form also makes him special. He is shown as a blue phantom, wearing modern clothing such as a hat and coat, and because of this, he stands out from traditional ghosts.
Nagraj and Super Commando Dhruv
Although the focus of the entire comic is more on Dracula’s return, the presence of Nagraj and Dhruv still maintains balance in the story. Dhruv uses his intelligence and mind as always. He examines the situation and quickly understands that this battle cannot be won by force alone. On the other hand, Nagraj takes charge of the action. His powers unfold as a strong shield of the human world in the face of supernatural forces like Dracula.
Parmanu
In this comic, the role of Parmanu emerges as the most emotional. He is the one who suffers the most pain and stress due to Dracula’s possession of Sheena’s body. His anger, his helplessness, and his fear give a human touch to the story. When he warns Dracula—“If Sheena is even scratched, I will burn the world”—it becomes not just a threat, but the scream of his heart.
Shakti and Inspector Steel
The roles of both characters may be supporting, but their contribution to the story is important. Shakti’s spiritual and mystical powers come into play in fighting the apparitions, while Inspector Steel confronts material threats with his technical sense and modern means. Together, they strengthen the team.
Lori and Bordello
Lori and Bordello are the real key factors of this story. Lori connects readers to the world of occultism and mystical powers. Bordello, on the other hand, is an interesting and different kind of character—an evil that supports good to stop an even greater evil. This is what makes him special.
Art and Presentation
Anupam Sinha’s artwork has been the hallmark of Raj Comics, and his work in ‘Kolahal’ is seen at its peak. The depiction of the Mortal World in the opening pages of the comic is extremely impressive. The use of dark colors, strange and terrifying spirits, and the sight of the ‘Rotating Pillar’ genuinely send shivers down the spine.
The action scenes are created with great detail. The eruption of the volcano and the emergence of Dracula’s body through lava are truly worth watching. The panel layout is also quite dynamic, keeping the story in constant motion. Special attention has been paid to facial expressions—the rage on Dracula’s face, the fear on Gunah’s face, and the determination on the faces of the heroes are clearly visible. Dracula’s expressions on pages 5 and 6, in particular, appear extremely effective.
Dialogue and Writing
Jolly Sinha’s dialogues carry the same dramatic style that has been a hallmark of 90s Raj Comics. The dialogues here are not just meant to move the story forward, but also work to elevate the personalities of the characters.
This dialogue of Dracula—“Even if the feet of lies are small, the life of sin is very long”—clearly explains his way of thinking and philosophy. Gunah’s taunt—“You are happy like that child, Dracula, who breaks a bottle with a stone and starts considering himself a shooter”—is quite sharp and filled with sarcasm.
Narration has also been used at the right places and in the right quantity throughout the story. Lines such as—“The world which was called the world of death… a world located between the Earth and the next world…”—make it easier for new readers to understand the setting and the universe of the story.
Story Speed (Pacing) and Structure
‘Kolahal’ has a very balanced and thoughtfully maintained pace. The story never feels unnecessarily rushed or dull.
The initial 10–12 pages are dedicated solely to the clash between Dracula and Gunah. The purpose is clear—to remind readers once again how powerful and dangerous Dracula truly is. Here, the author shows no haste and takes full time to build the atmosphere.
As Dracula returns to Earth, the tone of the story shifts and chaos begins to spread everywhere. Nagraj and Dhruv enter the narrative at this point. From here, the story gradually moves out of horror and into full-fledged superhero action.
The final confrontation is not limited to physical combat alone; it becomes a race against time. The challenge before the heroes is that Dracula must be stopped before he can fully regenerate and regain his complete strength. This element makes the climax far more intense and exciting.
Key Features of the Story (Highlights)
The magic of a team-up always thrills readers, and ‘Kolahal’ makes excellent use of this formula. Here, every hero gets a chance to shine. An interesting combination of science and magic can be seen in the story. Dhruv and Parmanu take the side of science, while Nagraj, Shakti, and Lori represent magic and spirituality. The balance between these two currents makes the story stronger.
The scope of the story spreading to Romania gives it a kind of ‘global adventure’ feel, making its background look even bigger and more impressive. Along with this, the sub-plot of Parmanu and Sheena adds emotional depth to the story, due to which it is not limited to just action and fights.
Critical Analysis
Positive Side (Positives):
The biggest strength of this comic is that full importance has been given to the villain. In Indian comics, villains are often present just to be defeated, but here Dracula is portrayed with complete seriousness and respect. He creates fear, wins, and dominates the story at many points, due to which he emerges as a truly strong opponent.
The continuity level is also quite good. The comic is strongly connected to the previous stories. Nagraj and Dhruv mentioning that Dracula was given “death three times” instantly brings back memories for old readers. A dark, scary, and mysterious atmosphere prevails throughout the comic, which is a major reason for its success.
Downside (Negatives):
There are also some shortcomings that cannot be ignored. This story may feel a bit difficult for new readers. If someone has not read the earlier parts of the Dracula series, they may have trouble understanding many references, although the author does try to explain things at intervals.
Questions also arise at certain points from a scientific perspective. In some places, the combination of science and magic may feel slightly odd. For example, it is not scientifically possible for a body to repeatedly form and perish inside a volcano, but such things can be accepted within the fantasy world of comics.
Themes
‘Kolahal’ is not just a simple fight-driven story; several deeper themes are hidden within it. The conflict between Gunah and Dracula is essentially a battle for power. After Dracula’s fall, Gunah himself wants to become king. This clearly shows that in a world of evil, there is no loyalty—only the worship of power.
Dracula’s entire motive is to take revenge on those who betrayed him after considering him weak. His dialogue—“All became traitors… I will punish you all!”—brings out his thirst for vengeance very effectively.
The concept of the Mortal World, where souls wander due to unfulfilled desires, adds philosophical depth to the story and elevates it beyond a straightforward action comic.
Conclusion
Raj Comics special issue ‘Kolahal’ is a complete entertainment package. It can be considered a fine example of the golden age of Hindi comics. It contains everything a reader expects—two major superheroes, a terrifying and almost immortal villain, magic, action, and drama.
The combination of Anupam Sinha’s artwork and Jolly Sinha’s writing works wonderfully here. The depth and fear with which Dracula’s character is presented prevent this comic from remaining just a children’s story and elevate it closer to the level of a graphic novel. ‘Kolahal’ is the chapter where the stakes are the highest in this entire mega-narrative spanning more than 1500 pages.
If you are fond of superhero stories and enjoy Indian comics where good and evil clash on an epic scale, ‘Kolahal’ is an indispensable read. It not only creates noise, but also unleashes a storm of excitement in the hearts of readers.
Last Word:
‘Kolahal’ proves that a villain like Dracula never really dies; he only waits for the right time to return. And when he does return, the heroes are forced to go beyond all their limits. The pairing of Nagraj and Dhruv and the terror of Dracula—this combination never disappoints.
Why Read?
- If you want to see an ‘Avengers’-style Indian team-up.
- If you want to know the conclusion of Dracula’s story.
- If you want to enjoy the excellent artwork of Anupam Sinha.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
