Bollywood films have always been characterized by music, romance, action, drama, and dance. Between these lively and wholesome entertainers, there have been a few movies that stood out a lot for their unique themes. One of these themes is Horror, which doesn’t have a consistent presence in Bollywood. Once in a while, a Bollywood director plans to make a Horror film.
Despite that, there is a list of several Horror bollywood movies about ghosts, Psychos, the living dead, and everything in between! Weighing upon the level of scary experiences that they offer, we have listed the top 8 Horror Bollywood Films that would scare your soul out to the fullest.
Let’s go!
1. Tumbbad
A quality that makes Tumbbad unique from the other films mentioned in the list is an element of Indian myth. You get to see beautiful screenplays of solid characters with dark and isolated locations.
Everything begins with a mythological story about a goddess who created the universe. The plot is based in the village of Tumbbad, where a family builds a shrine for Hastar.
He is a monster who should not be worshipped. But, the family makes repeated attempts to get the cursed wealth from that monster. So, they have to face severe and problematic consequences for this act.
It took several years to be made and which gives an unmatched scary experience revolving around gods, greed, and gore. The film has a flavor of Indian History and myth that is refreshing, with solid performances and high-quality graphics that keep us engaged.
2. Bulbul
After Indian Myth, we have a horror film based on social ill-practices titled Bulbul. It focuses on the social evil of Child marriage in Indian society that remains a problem in many other societies.
The plot is about a Child bride who grows into a mystifying woman and takes over her household, ruling it. She hides her deep and painful past from others. On the other hand, there is a continuous murder of men in the village that is said to be done by a ‘Chudail’ (Demoness).
Overall, the film is set in the 18th century in Bengal under British India, and the screenplay rightly takes you back in time. It is based on the idea of aristocratic Bengali women who harbored the idea of freedom from the ill-treatment against them.
The cast has delivered a fantastic performance with compelling cinematography. On the film poster, the red glow of the blood moon and the night sequences in Bulbull will surely give you goosebumps. Plus, the essence of complex relationships with dysfunctional families makes it a must-watch.
3. Bhoot Part 1: The Haunted Ship
Ships and deep oceans are among the favorite subjects in a Horror Film. The ingredients of personal loss and regrets take you on a ride of emotions. While the horror and ghosts consistently will increase your heartbeat every few minutes.
The film, set in 2012, is about a big, deserted, sad, uncrewed ship called ‘Sea-Bird’ going ashore the Juhu Beach. Years later, a shipping officer Prithvi is dealing with the loss of his family. While recovering from his psychotic depression, he is assigned to investigate that ship, taking him on a ride of Horror adventures.
It is a spooky film with solid acting and chilly scenes. In addition, the tale of trauma and tragedy with precise direction makes it a decent watch.
4. Pari
Pari is an ‘Intelligent’ Horror film with a spooky atmosphere and an exciting storyline. Alongside, there is a combination of top-notch sound design and acting that gives Pari a place on this list.
In the plot, a kind man tries to help Rukhsana. She is chained in a hut, seeming to be a victim of crime or abuse. But, things change when he realizes that things are not simple and there is more to it.
It is a perfect Indie thriller with an outstanding acting performance by Anushka Sharma as the lead, who carries the film on her shoulders.
Pari is not a regular commercial Horror film because it has an eerie silence and scary yet pleasing music. The flavor of the film slowly grips you, which makes it one of the best Horror films that bollywood ever produced.
5. Stree
Are you looking for a humorous Horror Film? If so, you must watch Street, an entertaining and experimental comedy. It successfully creates an eerie atmosphere based in a small town in India.
The town of Chanderi lives in a common fear for Stree. She is considered to be the spirit of a woman who attacks and takes the men of the town away during the night. Later, Vicky, with his friends, decides to find the reality behind it.
Apart from the haunting scenes, the film has an underlying theme of making the men experience the physical and mental trauma that society daily gives to women. It tries to replicate the fear and suffocation of women for men.
Some scenes aren’t that scary. But the good performances and funny dialogue make it a good watch.
6. Chhorii
An underrated horror bollywood movie is Chhorii starring Nusrat Bharucha. The film has Horror imagery with scary music that will keep you on your toes.
The story is about Hemant and Sakshi, a married couple. Due to some reasons, they are compelled to move out of their home. So, they later seek refuge in a remote and isolated house. But, things take an ugly turn when Sakshi begins to experience supernatural events which threaten her life.
The film has some alarming scenes that are not meant to be watched by the weak-hearted. Apart from that, the excellent sound design and cinematography make it a decent Horror film to watch over the weekend.
7. Durgamati: The myth
Embroiled in politics and conspiracies, Duragmati is an entertaining Horror Film with a roller coaster of happenings.
It begins with a government official who seeks justice for a man who is involved in a conspiracy. When she tries to prove herself innocent, she gets possessed by a ghost leading to a series of events.
It is a remake of a Telugu film set in a big haunted house and complimenting music. The story keeps you engrossed throughout the duration and leaves you with an intense climax.
8. Raaz
Raaz is the first film in the Raaz series, with four films produced by Vishesh Films. It turned out to be one of the most commercially successful Horror films made in Bollywood.
The film is about a couple, Aditya and Sanjana, who have marital problems. So, they decide to shift to Ooty to give another chance to their marriage. But things turn ugly when a ghost starts to haunt their new home.
Later, Sanjana finds that her husband is part of this ghostly plan, and she decides to run away. But, later, multiple mysteries follow in the plot. Raaz was the second-highest-grossing film of the year and an unofficial adaptation of the Hollywood film What Lies Beneath.
Wrapping Up,
The concepts of ghosts, demons, the afterlife, with living and dead have long been a part of Human Society. These bollywood Horror films make you relive the experience of these concepts on your screens. Indian Cinema has always been rich in making diverse films, and this list of horror bollywood films is no less varied, with some fantastic films that will always give you a good watching experience.
Also Read: 10 Short Horror Movies To Keep You Up The Whole Night