The best Indian horror movies present big scares with an emphasis on myths from that part of the world. The horror genre transcends borders and languages, and each distinct society worldwide has its own mythologies and horror stories, many of which often revolve around their respective belief systems and cultures. While America and the United Kingdom have created some of the greatest horror movies ever made, India also has a strong pedigree of horror titles that can stand toe-to-toe with anything from Western culture.
- Heartbeat Season 1 Episode 15 Release Date and Time, Countdown, When Is It Coming Out?
- Foundation Season 2 Episode 10 Release Date and Time, Countdown, When Is It Coming Out?
- Dabeme Music Awards 2024 Winner, What is Dabeme Music Awards?
- Alicia Keys Religion What Religion is Alicia Keys? Is Alicia Keys a Christian?
- Percy Jackson and The Olympians Season 1 Episode 7 Ending Explained, Release Date, Plot, Cast, Where to Watch, and Trailer
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
India is known for its massive movie industry which turns out big spectacles rivaling Hollywood blockbuster productions with great international hits like RRR. So it is not surprising that they have also produced many notable horror films as well, using many of the same concepts seen in Hollywood, like demonic possession and ghost stories. India knows how to craft a solid horror film, and there are a ton of excellent titles out there for movie buffs willing to find them.
Related 10 Best American Remakes Of International Horror Movies, Ranked According To Rotten Tomatoes
With a remake of Goodnight Mommy streaming now, fans may be wondering which American remakes of foreign horror films got the best reviews.
20 Bees Saal Baad (1962)
A Vengeful Spirit Seeks Out The Men In A Family
✕ Remove Ads
Bees Saal Baad loosely adapts the Bengali movie Jighansa from a decade earlier for a Hindi-speaking audience. That movie was also an adaptation though, combining elements of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, one of the most popular Sherlock Holmes stories, with Nishithini Bivishika, a novel by Hemendra Kumar Roy.
The movie’s story sees a wealthy man sexually assault a girl in the local village. After dying by suicide, her spirit returns for vengeance on the man and his entire family line. Each generation, her spirit kills the men in his family, and when the wealthy man’s grandson falls in love and inherits the property, he has to decide whether to move in and risk his own life or try to make a new life far away. The psychological thriller was incredibly popular, nominated for seven Filmfare Awards and winning four.
Bees Saal Baad was the highest-grossing Indian movie of 1962.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
The Filmfare Awards recognize excellence in Hindi-language movies in India.
19 Raaz (2002)
A Woman Must Save Her Marriage From A Supernatural Mystery
Like a lot of Indian horror movies, Raaz takes a more supernatural approach to its story. Though it’s not officially an adaptation of the American movie, it shares a lot of commonalities with What Lies Beneath.
The movie sees a married couple hoping a move to a brand new home will help them start over and repair their crumbling relationship. When the house they move into appears to be haunted, however, the wife has to figure out just what secrets her husband has been hiding to save them from the malicious spirit.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
The movie was nominated for six Filmfare Awards. Raaz helped to establish Bipasha Basu as Bollywood’s resident scream queen. She later starred in several more horror films, like Aatma, Creature 3D, and Alone. The movie also spawned three sequels, which, at the time, was rare for Indian horror movies.
18 Kohraa (1964)
A Hindi-Language Adaptation Of A Classic
Kohraa adapts the Daphne Du Maurier novel, Rebecca, written in 1938, but also gives some supernatural elements to the story. While the novel has been adapted in many forms, it doesn’t always feature the supernatural.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Here, a newlywed discovers that the ghost of her husband’s first wife still haunts their home. Of course, she only discovers this after they have moved into his mansion, and he leaves for a business trip. When she is haunted, she decides to begin her own investigation into how his first wife died, and she begins to uncover several secrets about those around her.
Though the movie is initially slow-moving, that’s not unlike Rebecca or every adaptation of it since. It takes a little time to settle into the story and get the viewer to the secrets. Kohraa was nominated for two Filmfare Awards with Lalita Pawar, who plays the housekeeper, winning one of those for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.
Taylor Swift’s “Tolerate It” is also inspired by
Rebecca
.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
17 Darna Mana Hai (2003)
A Roadtrip With Scary Tales
It was initially met with a negative response from critics, but it’s since become a cult classic among Indian horror fans.
It’s not often that Indian horror movies take an anthology approach. In fact, it almost never happens. Darna Mana Hai is one of the first movies in India to take the anthology approach as well as actually cast different actors for all of the stories. In all, there are six different stories told in this movie.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
That’s because Darna Mana Hai centers on a group of friends telling one another scary stories. Seven friends go on a roadtrip together, but when their car breaks down in the middle of the night, the group decides to tell one another scary stories to keep one another entertained. It’s inspired by the American movie Campfire Tales, which uses the same idea, but only features three stories. It was initially met with a negative response from critics, but it’s since become a cult classic among Indian horror fans.
Despite being considered a box office failure, the movie got a sequel of sorts three years later, Darna Zaroori Hai. The movie features a whole new cast, new cinematographers for each segment, and new directors.
16 Kaun? (1999)
A Suspense Thriller About A Serial Killer On The Loose
Kaun? MysteryThriller
Kaun? (1999) is a psychological thriller directed by Ram Gopal Varma, featuring Urmila Matondkar, Manoj Bajpayee, and Sushant Singh. The story unfolds as a young woman, alone at home during a stormy night, encounters a series of unexpected visitors, leading to an intense and suspenseful unraveling of events.
Director Ram Gopal Varma Release Date February 26, 1999 Cast Urmila Matondkar , Manoj Bajpayee , Sushant Singh Runtime 90 Minutes Writers Anurag Kashyap
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Kaun? is a 1999 horror movie that is as much a psychological suspense thriller as it is a horror flick. The film stars Urmila Matondkar as an unnamed woman who is watching TV and seeing reports of a serial killer on the loose. That same day, she talks to her mother on the phone before a stranger comes to her home looking for the homeowner, whom she claims doesn’t live there. Soon, a second man shows up and says he is a police inspector, which leaves her alone with the two strangers.
Director Ram Gopal Verma plays a fun game of misdirection for much of the movie.
Kaun? has plenty of twists and turns, and director Ram Gopal Verma plays a fun game of misdirection for much of the movie. The film received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising its experimental nature, which draws viewers in and makes them question everything. It also delivers a powerful climax but leaves things open-ended and offers no answers for the purpose of the crimes. It has since gained cult classic status and stands the test of time.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
15 Raat (1992)
A Hindi Demonic Possession Movie
Raat Horror
Raat is a supernatural horror film directed by Ram Gopal Varma. Released in 1992, the film follows the Sharma family as they move into a new house, only to encounter bizarre and frightening occurrences. Revathi stars as Mini Sharma, who becomes increasingly affected by the eerie events. The film is noted for its atmospheric tension and compelling narrative within the Indian horror genre.
Director Ram Gopal Varma Release Date February 7, 1992 Cast Revathi , Rohini Hattangadi , Om Puri , Akash Khurana , Anant Nag , Chinna , Jaya Mathur , Master Atit Runtime 127 Minutes Writers Vinay Shukla , Uttej , Ram Gopal Varma
Raat is a demonic possession movie, but the art here is how the director, Ram Gopal Varma, doesn’t reveal this until halfway through the picture. Instead, it starts out almost as a family drama when the Sharma family moves into an old house with a reputation for being haunted. There are three clues early on, especially when a neighbor freaks out after meeting the daughter Mini. Soon, strange things start to happen, such as the death of their family cat, which leads to a duplicate cat showing up.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
When the deaths start to occur, there’s no doubt something is very wrong, and the scene where Mini’s friend Deepak sees her eyes turn blood-red remains a perfect horror moment. From this point on, the mystery is solved, and the exorcism is all that remains. Raat received critical praise, with pundits pointing out its technical proficiency as well as its success in ticking all the boxes horror fans would want from a movie. With great acting and plenty of scares, Raat remains a true classic.
14 Ek Thi Daayan (2013)
A Supernatural Thriller About A Vengeful Daayan
Ek Thi Daayan is a Hindi-language supernatural thriller based on the short story “Mobius Trips” by Mukul Sharma. The story follows Bejoy “Bobo” Charan Mathur, a successful magician in India who has been having hallucinations about his dead little sister, Misha. When he finally goes to a psychiatrist for help, he is put into regression hypnosis to go back to when he and Misha were children. It is here that he remembers that a daayan arrived in his life, sacrificed his little sister, and killed his father before he defeated it.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
This leads to the present day when the daayan returns for vengeance against Bobo and his wife and child. Ek Thi Daayan was a box office success and received positive critical reviews. Critics praised the acting and imagination of the story, and it finished with an 80% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It was also recognized during award season, with Konkona Sen Sharma earning a Best Supporting Actress nomination at the 59th Filmfare Awards.
13 Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)
A Horror-Comedy About A Ghost Exorcist
Bhool Bhulaiyaa Not RatedComedyHorrorMystery
Bhool Bhulaiyaa, directed by Priyadarshan, is a Bollywood psychological thriller revolving around an NRI couple, Siddharth (Shiney Ahuja) and Avni (Vidya Balan), who return to their ancestral palace in India, only to encounter inexplicable events. Siddharth seeks help from his friend, Dr. Aditya Shrivastav (Akshay Kumar), a psychiatrist with expertise in paranormal phenomena, to uncover the truth behind the mysterious happenings.
Director Priyadarshan Release Date October 12, 2007 Cast Akshay Kumar , Vidya Balan , Shiney Ahuja , Ameesha Patel , Manoj Joshi , Paresh Rawal , Rasika Joshi , Rajpal Naurang Yadav Runtime 159 Minutes Writers Neeraj Vora , Manisha Korde , Madhu Muttam , Ram Patil
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Bhool Bhulaiyaa is a horror-comedy starring Akshay Kumar about a psychologist named Dr. Aditya “Adi” Shrivastav. When married couple Avni S. Chaturvedi (Vidya Balan) and Siddharth Chaturvedi (Shiney Ahuja)) move into their new home, they learn it is haunted. That is when they call Dr. Adi to come and help them remove the spirits. The film takes a surprising turn when he decides to use psychiatry to exorcise the ghost from the home, with shocking results.
Much of the praise goes to Kumar’s performance as Dr. Adi.
Bhool Bhulaiyaa was a massive success at the box office, and one of the highest-grossing Indian movies in 2007. The film went on to develop into a cult classic in the years since its initial release. Much of the praise goes to Kumar’s performance as Dr. Adi thanks to his comic timing. Vidya Balan also received praise, winning Best Actress at the Anandalok Awards. Bhool Bhulaiyaa has become a cult classic since its release and even got a sequel that came out five years later with Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
12 Pizza (2012)
A Pizza Delivery Driver Encounters A Haunted Bungalow
Pizza HorrorThriller
Pizza is a Tamil-language horror thriller directed by Karthik Subbaraj, featuring Vijay Sethupathi as Michael, a pizza delivery boy whose life takes an unsettling turn during a delivery to a spooky house. The film blends supernatural elements with psychological tension, marked by strong performances and a gripping narrative.
Director Karthik Subbaraj Release Date October 19, 2012 Cast Vijay Sethupathi , Ramya Nambeeshan , Aadukalam Naren , Karunakaran , Jayakumar , Bobby Simha , Pooja Ramachandran , Veera Santhanam Runtime 127 Minutes Writers Prasath Ramar , Karthik Subbaraj
Released in 2012, Pizza is a Tamil-language horror thriller featuring a pizza delivery driver named Michael (Vijay Sethupathi) who doesn’t believe in the supernatural but is scared of anything paranormal. This doesn’t work out well for him since his girlfriend, an author named Anu, tells him he will soon realize the supernatural is real. Everything goes bad when he delivers pizza to a bungalow and comes across several dead bodies, with a slice of the pizza disappearing with each discovery.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
The film plays games with the viewer, marking Michael as an unreliable narrator and with the story only playing out as he is telling it. However, even when the truth unfolds, there is a twist at the end that leaves no bad deed unpunished. Thanks to its low budget, the film was a huge box office success and received mostly positive reviews, with praise going to Karthik Subbaraj as a first-time filmmaker. It won several awards, including Best Story at the 7th Vijay Awards.
11 Stree (2018)
A Horror Comedy About An Urban Legend Of A Witch Who Abducts Men
Stree Not RatedComedyHorror
Stree is a Hindi horror-comedy film set in a small town in India, where a witch named Stree starts abducting men during a festive season. The story follows Vicky, a tailor, who falls in love with a mysterious girl and gets entangled in the mystery of Stree’s disappearances.
See more : Who are Linda Evangelista Parents? Meet Tomaso Evangelista and Marisa Evangelista
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Director Amar Kaushik Release Date August 31, 2018 Writers Raj Nidimoru , Krishna D.K. , Sumit Arora , Pawan Sony Cast Rajkummar Rao , Shraddha Kapoor , Pankaj Tripathi , Aparshakti Khurana , Abhishek Banerjee , Vijay Raaz Runtime 128 Minutes
Horror and comedy is a fun mix when done effectively, and Stree is one movie that nails the blend. This Indian horror movie is based on a popular urban legend called Nale Ba (which stands for “come tomorrow”). The legend has people painting this word on the walls of their homes to keep out evil spirits. Stree features a village where a witch has been haunting it for years while abducting men, while the main story follows a young man who falls for a girl only to begin suspecting she might be the witch herself.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
The movie provides an ideal balance of laughs and scares while also providing a lot of heart to the unique and inventive story, helping it to stand out in a crowded pack. Stree received mostly positive reviews, with praise for its direction, screenplay, the social message at the tale’s core, and for its quirky humor. Director Amar Kaushik won Best Debut Director at the Filmfare Awards and at the Zee Cine Awards.
10 Pari (2018)
A Movie About A Girl With Demonic Blood Who Becomes Pregnant
Pari PGAdventureAnimationComedyFamilyFantasy
Pari is a Bengali supernatural horror film directed by Prosit Roy. The story follows Arnab and his wife, who start experiencing supernatural occurrences after they adopt a mysterious woman named Rukhsana. As the strange events escalate, Arnab delves deeper into Rukhsana’s mysterious past, uncovering a dark and sinister truth.
See more : Who are Linda Evangelista Parents? Meet Tomaso Evangelista and Marisa Evangelista
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Director Bibo Bergeron Release Date October 12, 2011 Cast vanessa paradis , Matthieu Chedid , Gad Elmaleh , François Cluzet , Ludivine Sagnier Runtime 90 Minutes Writers Stéphane Kazandjian , Bibo Bergeron
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
A great directorial debut from Kolkata-born Prosit Roy, Pari is a supernatural horror movie about a strange woman named Rukhsana, who may not be of this world. Containing elements of demonic horror, Pari concerns a satanic cult called Auladhchakra that sexually assaults and impregnates kidnapped women with the offspring of an Islamic mythological demon named Ifrit. Even more disturbing, there is a group that seeks out the impregnated women and holds them captive until the baby is born so they can kill them, decapitate them, and seal them in glass jars.
The story then follows the daughter of a woman who escaped the group’s clutches and is now pregnant herself. It’s certainly a bizarre and troubling tale, but a unique one in the horror genre, and the movie also features an excellent lead performance from Anushka Sharma as Rukhsana. The Ifrit is a real myth in Islamic culture, compared with the jinn as demons of the underworld, bringing some real mythology into the tale. It’s worth watching for anyone looking for a good demon-based horror film.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
9 9 (2019)
A Father & Son Encounter Horrors During The Passing Of A Comet
9 Science FictionThrillerMysteryHorror
9 is a 2019 computer-animated post-apocalyptic horror film written and directed by Shane Acker. The film takes place in a post-apocalyptic world where nine rag dolls, each imbued with a piece of human soul, must band together to survive in a world filled with terrifying machines and uncover the truth about their existence.
Director Januse Mohammed Release Date February 7, 2019 Cast Prithviraj Sukumaran , Alok , Wamiqa Gabbi , Prakash Raj , Mamta Mohandas Runtime 159 Minutes Writers Januse Mohammed
A fun mix of science fiction and horror, 9 also contains some touching elements regarding father-son relationships. The “9” title refers to the number of days that a passing comet will disrupt all forms of modern technology, including electricity and phone service. The movie follows Dr. Albert Lewis, a widowed astrophysicist, and his eight-year-old son Adam, whom he has a distant relationship with because he blames the boy for his wife’s death during childbirth. Albert’s brother-in-law also hates Adam, believing the child is evil.
Related The 15 Best Bollywood Movies On Netflix
Netflix has a great selection of Bollywood movies and for anyone who is looking for a new one to watch, here are some great picks.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
While the father and son are investigating the oncoming comet, a woman named Ava arrives and begins to torment Adam, but not everything is as it seems, as Albert realizes his son’s life might be in danger. 9 is well shot and filled with some good visual effects work, but the real heart of the story lies in the father-son relationship. It’s an inventive sci-fi horror movie with some affecting personal drama that is well-acted by leads Prithviraj Sukumaran and Master Alok.
8 1920 (2008)
A New Couple Moves Into An Old Manor Only To Find It Haunted
1920 HorrorMysteryThriller
1920 is a horror film directed by Vikram Bhatt, set in 1920 India during the British colonial era. The story revolves around an Indian aristocrat, Arjun Rathod, who moves to a mansion in the countryside with his wife, Lisa, only to discover that the mansion is haunted by malevolent spirits. As events unfold, Arjun uncovers the dark history of the mansion and the tragedy that befell its former occupants.
Director Vikram Bhatt Release Date September 12, 2008 Cast Rajneesh Duggal , Adah Sharma , Raj Zutshi , Vipin Sharma , Anjori Alagh Runtime 143 Minutes Writers Vikram Bhatt , Dheeraj Rattan
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Some of the best period horror movies include haunted houses, and 1920 belongs to this subgenre. Released in 2008, the film concerns a married couple who live inside a haunted house. Arjun is a Hindu man who marries a half-caste British Indian woman and his family tries to kill her to stop the marriage. Arjun abandons his religious beliefs and his family before taking a job as an architect remodeling a stately old manor home. While there, they learn it is haunted and something in it wants his wife.
The film runs at a long 140 minutes, which is more than enough time to squeeze in a lot of great supernatural-based scares and some interesting character dynamics revolving around marriage. 1920 was a huge success in its native India and spawned a franchise that now encompasses four movies, speaking to its palatability as a mainstream horror film.
7 The House Next Door (2017)
A Troubled Teenager Moves In Next Door To A Struggling Married Couple
The House Next Door HorrorThriller
The House Next Door is a 2017 horror film that revolves around a family’s new home, which becomes a hub for supernatural occurrences. As strange events unfold, the family discovers that their new residence was previously the site of a brutal murder, leading to a terrifying confrontation with malevolent forces.
See more : Who are Linda Evangelista Parents? Meet Tomaso Evangelista and Marisa Evangelista
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Director Milind Rau Release Date November 2, 2017 Cast Siddharth , Andrea Jeremiah , Atul Kulkarni , Anisha Victor , Suresh Runtime 136 Minutes Writers Milind Rau , Siddharth
✕ Remove Ads
The House Next Door is an Indian horror film with many effective scares that can both startle and unsettle. The story follows Krish and Lakshmi, a brain surgeon and his wife, who grow troubled once a rebellious teenager and her stepmother move in next door. A series of disturbing paranormal events accost the teenager, resulting in a battle between good and evil as Krish and Lakshmi attempt to rid their house of the spirits.
Siddharth not only starred in The House Next Door as the brain surgeon, but he co-wrote the script with the intention of working with Andrea Jeremiah (who played his wife) in a horror film directed by Milind Rau (Kadhal 2 Kalyanam). The House Next Door received positive reviews with praise going to its use of horror in the Kollywood movie scene. It’s an engrossing, old-fashioned ghost story, and is sure to thrill anyone who enjoys good paranormal-based horror.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
6 Kothanodi (2015)
A Story Of Mothers & Children Based On Indigenous Folk Tales
Kothanodi FantasyHorrorMystery
Kothanodi is an Assamese-language drama film directed by Bhaskar Hazarika. Released in 2015, the film is an adaptation of four folk tales from Assam, woven together to create a narrative that explores themes of love, loss, and redemption. The story follows four women from different walks of life, each struggling with their own personal demons, as they navigate the complexities of rural life in Assam.
Director Bhaskar Hazarika Release Date October 10, 2015 Cast Seema Biswas , Adil Hussain , Zerifa Wahid , Urmila Mahanta , Kapil Bora Runtime 120 Minutes Writers Bhaskar Hazarika
2015’s Kothanodi is based on Grand Mother’s Tales, a very popular piece of Assamese literature that has been enjoyed since its publication in 1911. The book is a collection of folklore stories written by Assamese poet, Lakshminath Bezbaroa. It would have proved quite difficult to adapt the book, given its legendary status in Assam. But through some good filmmaking and inventive re-imaginings of the classic stories, Kothanodi proves an enticing watch. The movie’s story is based on four of the book’s fables (Tejimola, Champawati, Ou Kuwori, and Tawoir Xadhu).
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
The four fables are told in interconnected stories. A woman wants to kill her stepdaughter while her husband is on a trip, and he encounters a mysterious woman who gives birth to an outenga. Another woman in a different village plans her daughter’s wedding with disastrous results and a final mother wants to protect her child from her murderous husband. While not a straightforward horror film, Kothanodi nevertheless contains some very difficult subject matter that is sure to disturb and unsettle.
5 Aamis (Ravening) (2019)
A Couple Soon Develops A Taste For Human Flesh
Ravening HorrorDramaScience Fiction
Ravening is a 2019 film that tells the story of a group of friends who embark on a hiking trip in the Scottish Highlands. As they venture deeper into the wilderness, they discover a mysterious and sinister presence lurking in the shadows, threatening to disrupt their adventure.
Director Robin Aubert Release Date September 23, 2017 Cast Marc-Andre Grondin , Monia Chokri , Charlotte St-Martin , Micheline Lanctôt , Marie-Ginette Guay Runtime 104 Minutes Writers Robin Aubert
Aamis, whose English title is Ravening, debuted at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019, garnering some very strong reviews. The story follows a content pediatrician named Nirmali, who meets a Ph.D. student studying Indian eating habits. The two quickly form a bond and soon begin experimenting with different types of meat. Before long, Nirmali develops an obsession with trying human meat, which leads to a horrifying conclusion as their secret desires soon become public.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
It’s a grotesque storyline that will satiate even the most critical horror fan, drawing inspiration from the extreme movies of the ’80s that were banned for their violence and depraved subject matter. While the ending left something to be desired for some critics, it still received mostly positive reviews for the disturbing story and the movie’s direction. Bhaskar Hazarika won the Best Director Award at the Singapore South Asian International Film Festival.
4 Mahal (1949)
Bollywood’s First Horror Movie
Mahal RomanceHorrorDrama
Mahal is a 1949 Indian Hindi-language fantasy horror film directed by Kamal Amrohi, starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala. The film tells the story of a young lawyer who falls in love with a ghost haunting an old mansion, leading to a series of supernatural events.
Director Kamal Amrohi Release Date October 19, 1949 Cast Madhubala , Ashok Kumar , Vijayalakshmi , Kanu Roy , M. Kumar Runtime 165 Minutes Writers Kamal Amrohi
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Often credited as Bollywood’s first horror movie, Mahal is worth watching simply for its historical importance. Released in 1949, it stars Ashok Kumar as Hari Shankar, a man who experiences visions and bizarre occurrences inside his new, abandoned palace. He begins to see visions of a mysterious woman who claims that she was his lover in a precious life. Mahal draws on themes of reincarnation while presenting a tantalizing mystery that is filled with both scares and tempting questions.
Mahal was enormously popular in its native India, turning gothic horror into a popular genre and making Madhubala a Hindi cinema icon. It ended up as a national hit when it was released, proving that suspenseful horror films had a place in India, and the critical reaction was overwhelmingly positive as the years wore on, improving as years passed and it became a cult classic. Mahal remained Madhubala’s highest-grossing movie for six years after its release as he continued to rise up the ranks of stardom.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
3 Bhoot (2003)
A Demonic Possession Movie
Bhoot Horror
Bhoot is a Hindi horror film directed by Ram Gopal Varma. The film follows Vishal, who moves into a new apartment with his wife, Swati. However, their joy is short-lived as strange and terrifying events begin to occur, leading them to uncover the dark history of their apartment and the vengeful spirit that dwells within.
See more : Who are Linda Evangelista Parents? Meet Tomaso Evangelista and Marisa Evangelista
Where to Watch
- stream
- rent
- buy
Not available
Not available
Not available
*Availability in US Director Ram Gopal Varma Release Date May 30, 2003 Cast Ajay Devgan , Urmila Matondkar , Nana Patekar , Rekha , Fardeen Khan Runtime 113 Minutes Writers Lalit Marathe
Taking enormous influence from The Exorcist, Bhoot is a worthwhile addition to the malevolent demonic possession subgenre. This film is about a married couple, Vishal and Swati, who move into a haunted apartment and begin to experience severe repercussions in the form of Swati’s possession. Bhoot contains some solid possession-based scares and is led by a great performance from Urmila Matondkar (playing Swati), who won a Bollywood Movie Award and Filmfare Award for Best Actress. Her unnerving performance is bound to give any viewer chills.
Bhoot also won the Bollywood Movie Award for Best Director (Ram Gopal Varma). The movie was also so popular that it received a sequel called Bhoot Returns in 2012. There have been new Bhoot films coming out since 2020, but these are not part of the original franchise as Dharma Productions purchased the rights to the name to tell some new stories.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
2 13B: Fear Has A New Address (2009)
A Man Watches His Family’s Future On A Telenovela
13B: Fear Has A New Address RMysteryHorror
13B: Fear Has A New Address is a 2009 Indian horror film directed by Vikram K. Kumar. The story follows Manohar, a young man who moves into a new apartment, 13B, with his family, only to discover that their lives are being mirrored and threatened by a supernatural force transmitted through their television set.
Director Vikram Kumar Release Date March 6, 2009 Cast R. Madhavan , Neetu Chandra , Sachin Khedekar , Ravi Babu , Murli Sharma Runtime 137 Minutes Writers Vikram Kumar
Aside from the rather silly name, 13B: Fear Has a New Address (whose original title is Yavarum Nalam) is a fun, low-budget Indian film. It looks fantastic despite its obvious lack of money, working wonders with inventive camera angles and beautiful framing. Madhavan also proves a capable leading actor, portraying a man who watches the future of his family through a telenovela that is playing exclusively on his television set. He soon learns the terrifying secret that a family was butchered in his new apartment years before.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
It mixes elements of J-horror with a unique storyline, resulting in an original horror film that is both horrifying and intellectually challenging, as the twist ending proves that things rarely end well in these supernatural stories. 13B: Fear Has a New Address received mixed reviews, but it was a huge success at the box office when released as the Tamil version — as opposed to the much less successful Hindi version.
1 Tumbbad (2018)
A Village Goes Against The Goddess Of Prosperity & Suffer For It
Tumbbad FantasyHorror
Tumbbad is a horror drama film exploring the story of Vinayak Rao, a man who returns to his ancestral village in search of a mythical treasure. As Vinayak delves deeper into the mystery, he uncovers a dark conspiracy connected to the village’s ancient temple and the demonic entity that resides within.
Director Rahi Anil Barve Release Date October 12, 2018 Cast Sohum Shah , Mohammad Samad , Harsh K. , Jyoti Malshe , Dhundiraj Prabhakar Jogalekar Runtime 113 Minutes Writers Adesh Prasad , Anand Gandhi , Mitesh Shah , Rahi Anil Barve
Tumbbad received its premiere at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, making it the first Indian movie to show at that particular festival. It speaks not only to the quality of the film but also to the emergence of Indian horror as a popular genre of film outside the continent. The mythical story concerns the residents of Tumbbad, Maharashtra, who go against the orders of the Goddess of Prosperity and suffer a devastating curse. It went on to achieve critical success, with eight nominations and three wins at the Filmfare Awards.
See more : Thalainagaram 2 Movie Release Date and Time 2023, Countdown, Cast, Trailer, and More!
✕ Remove Ads
You are watching: 20 Best Indian Horror Movies Of All Time, Ranked
Tumbbad also wasn’t an easy film shoot, as director Rahi Anil Barve made it in 2012, but he wasn’t happy with what he saw at the editing stage. He went back and re-wrote and re-shot it in 2015, and that is the movie that fans can see today. It’s a great Indian film with its roots in the country’s tradition that shows off some truly exceptional cinematography and bone-chilling scares, and it’s one of the country’s greatest horror exports.
Source: https://dinhtienhoang.edu.vn
Category: Entertainment