Akeri, Sawantwadi: It-s population is 1,959. But Akeri, a small village that sits 525 km from Mumbai in coastal Konkan, today sees nearly 1,000 tourists a month, who stop to take pictures, eat and chat with the locals. This is thanks to the popular thriller series, Ratris Khel Chale, which is being shot at Shetkar Wada, a bungalow located at the entry of the village, a kilometre from the highway.

Once sleepy—most villagers are into farming or take on odd jobs as contract labour—Akeri made it to the map of popular imagination when the serial, which centres on paranormal activity in the bungalow, started airing on Zee Marathi in 2016. So, popular is the show that even on Google Maps, the 150-year-old Shetkar bungalow, appears in its screen name of Naikancha Wada. The bungalow is named after the show-s protagonist, Anna Naik.