Debapriya Bhattacharya
Being a historically rich and culturally diverse country, the horror genre of Indian movies has the opportunity to cover an extensive range of themes. Filmmakers draw inspiration from an endless trove of mythology, local legends, and contemporary anxieties, representing them in scores of languages on screen. From atmospheric slow burns to intense scares, psychological thrills to dark humor, the movies span various styles and settings. The streaming giant Netflix, with its exhaustive list of Indian horror films on the streaming catalog, brings together stories from different parts of the country in an attempt to satiate the viewing tastes of all audiences. If you’re looking for streaming options in the genre, the following list is the perfect place to start.
14. Chandramukhi 2 (2023)
Directed by P. Vasu, ‘Chandramukhi 2’ is a sequel to the 2005 film ‘Chandramukhi,’ which introduced the vengeful spirit of a dancer who seeks revenge on the descendants of the lustful king who beheaded her. Following the events of the first film, where the haunting incidents were explained as works of a person suffering from a mental disorder, ‘Chandramukhi 2’ deals with the ghost herself, who gets released from her entrapment by the descendants of the king’s family. In an effort to lock her away for a second time, the spirit of the king gets awakened, and the ancient feud rages once again, at great peril to those alive. While the Tamil film delivers on the scares, it also manages to inculcate drama and comedy within the narrative. Watch ‘Chanframukhi 2’ here.
13. Aaviri (2019)
Helmed by Ravi Babu, ‘Aaviri’ follows spouses Raj (Ravi) and Leena (Neha Chauhan), who move into a palatial house with their younger daughter Munni (Baby Sri Muktha). The couple recently lost their elder daughter because of Raj’s negligence, and Munni claims to see the spirit of her sister accompanying them to the new house. The spirit incessantly attempts to drive Munni away from her parents, and eventually succeeds as Raj and Leena fail to locate her one day. Desperate to get their daughter back, Raj confronts the buried secrets of his past. You can catch the Telugu-language movie on Netflix.
12. Kaali Khuhi (2020)
‘Kaali Khuhi’ by Terrie Samundra revolves around Shivangi (Riva Arora), a 10-year-old girl who accompanies her parents to her ancestral home upon hearing of her grandmother’s failing health. Mysterious incidents start to take place once they reach their destination, with other villagers warning them that the area is cursed with evil. Shivangi sees a strange girl around her home, whom nobody else can perceive. As the dark rituals that the villagers have followed in the past come to light, it becomes essential for the child to become the brave savior that the community has long awaited. You can watch the Hindi-language film exploring dark magic and ancient curses here.
11. Kaatteri (2022)
Deekay’s ‘Kaatteri’ centers around a group of kidnappers, Gajja (Karunakaran), Kaliyurunda (Ravi Mariya), and Sankar (Kutty Gopi), who seek to escape their employer Naina (John Vijay). Under the advice of their friend Kiran’s (Vaibhav) newly wedded wife, Shwetha (Sonam Bajwa), the group ends up in the village of Kolaatipuram. Home of the titular Kaatteri or Forest Vampire, the village has immense treasure hidden underground and was the site of a deadly tragedy in 1968. The Tamil film dives into the theme of haunted and isolated villages in the Indian setting. Watch the movie here.
10. Roohi (2021)
Directed by Hardik Mehta, ‘Roohi’ opens with Bhawra Pandey (Rajkummar Rao) and Kattanni Qureshi (Varun Sharma) abducting a young girl, Roohi (Janhvi Kapoor), as part of a marriage custom in their village. However, they soon realize that she is possessed by Mudiyapairi, a demon with feet turned backward. The person who gave them the contract for the kidnapping postpones the wedding, forcing the duo into hiding with the abductee. With time, Bhawra falls in love with Roohi, while Kattanni falls for the demon, Afza. The Hindi-language film interweaves contemporary humor with demonic folklore, making ‘Roohi’ an entertaining watch. Catch up with the film on Netflix.
9. Ghost Stories (2020)
‘Ghost Stories’ is an anthology film comprising four short segments helmed by as many directors. Zoya Akhtar directed the first part, which follows a young nurse, Sameera, as she arrives at a desolate house to take care of a bedridden elderly lady, Mrs. Malik. The latter insists that her son is present in the next room, even though it is visibly empty. The second part, by Anurag Kashyap, focuses on Neha, a pregnant woman who obsessively babysits her late sister’s child, Ansh. Dibakar Banerjee directed the third segment, which tells the story of a young man facing zombie-like creatures while visiting the remote village of Bees-ghara. The final part is a Karan Johar directorial, which chronicles Ira’s marriage to Dhruv, a handsome and affluent young man who converses with his deceased grandmother. Watch the complete Hindi film on Netflix.
8. Asvins (2023)
Marking the directorial debut of Tarun Teja, ‘Asvins’ tells the story of a group of youngsters staying in an isolated mansion in Kent to investigate paranormal activity. The mansion once belonged to an acclaimed archaeologist, Aarthi Rajagopalan (Vimala Raman). During their stay, the group starts to hear voices in their heads, and faces off against an unknown entity threatening their lives. The only way to keep everyone alive is for Arjun (Vasanth Ravi) to reunite the two idols of Ashwini Kumars, the Hindu twin gods of medicine and health. The Hindi film explores the subject of mythology while deftly building up jump scares. Watch ‘Asvins’ here.
7. Boomika (2021)
‘Boomika’ by Rathindran R. Prasad follows Gautham and Gayathri, two architects who visit a deserted compound in the scenic hills of Ooty, along with their families. Soon, they begin to witness paranormal events, being completely cut off from the outside world. Gautham informs the group that the compound they are staying in used to be Mount Roseyard School, where a young girl died under mysterious circumstances over a decade ago. The area has been prone to inexplicable deadly disasters since, and has been abandoned by the locals. As they scramble to stay alive through the night, the spirit of the young girl returns with a vengeance. The Tamil film claims to be an eco-horror thriller, drawing attention to the destructive actions of mankind on the biosphere. Watch ‘Boomika’ here.
6. Kumari (2022)
Helmed by Nirmal Sahadev, ‘Kumari’ chronicles the legend of two demi-gods, Chathan and Gari Devan, who remain confined to the mountains and under the land, respectively, on Earth. When the wealthy landlord of an unnamed village earns the wrath of Chathan by killing a child who was his friend, he seeks to protect his family and community by calling upon Gari Devan and undertaking a great personal sacrifice. Twelve generations later, when the family is to face the wrath of the demi-gods once again, the landlords’ descendants are prepared to do anything to hold on to their power. Catch the Malayalam film dealing with folk legends on Netflix.
5. Shaitaan (2024)
Vikas Bahl’s Hindi film ‘Shaitaan’ revolves around a family staying at a farmhouse in the wilderness, whose vacation is disrupted by a stranger seeking assistance. Vanraj Kashyap, an enigmatic traveller, tells the family’s patriarch, Kabir Rishi, that he needs to charge his phone. Despite hesitating initially, Kabir invites him inside, where he is staying with his wife, Jyoti, and their children, Janhvi and Dhruv. However, the family is soon terrified as Janhvi starts behaving oddly, and Vanraj refuses to leave. He announces himself as a practitioner of dark magic, who wishes to take a hypnotically manipulated Jahnvi away with him. Despite his helplessness in front of supernatural forces, Kabir refuses to give up on his daughter. Catch the film here.
4. Bulbbul (2020)
Set in a nineteenth-century village in the Bengal Presidency during British rule in India, ‘Bulbbul’ follows the titular character (Tripti Dimri), who gets married off to a rich lord at the age of five. She becomes close to her husband’s younger brother Satya (Avinash Tiwary), who is nearer her age, and the two spend their days entertaining each other with stories of the witch. Soon, Satya is sent off to London, where he stays for twenty years.
Upon Satya’s return, he finds that Bulbbul has taken over the responsibilities of the household and the village from his brother, who has left the village. A kind and just lady, Bulbbul acts as a protector of the women and children in her care. The village has also seen horrific killings in recent years, which have been attributed to the witch. Intrigued, Satya decides to investigate the murders. Catch the Hindi film on Netflix.
3. Game Over (2019)
Directed by Ashwin Saravanan, ‘Game Over’ focuses on Swapna (Taapsee Pannu), a young woman who lives by herself with her housemaid, Kalamma (Vinodhini Vaidyanathan). A talented game developer, Swapna is an assault survivor and suffers from PTSD from dark places. When she is targeted by a serial killer who is going around, Swapna finds the tattoo of game life on her wrist has tripled, giving her three chances to outwit the killer, even after being killed. In order to survive the ordeal, she is also forced to confront her greatest fears. Shot simultaneously in Tamil and Telugu, watch ‘Game Over’ here.
2. Virupaksha (2023)
‘Virupaksha’ by Karthik Varma Dandu follows Surya (Sai Dharam Tej), who returns to his ancestral village to witness a local festival. However, eerie deaths result in the festival being cancelled and the village being cordoned off. Twelve years before Surya’s visit, the villagers had killed a couple accused of practicing the dark art. They now believe that the curse of the deceased seeks to destroy the village. Falling in love with the village head’s daughter, Nandini (Samyuktha), he decides to stay back and fight to protect the village against the destructive forces. Watch the Telugu film on Netflix.
1. Bhool Bhulaiyaa (2007)
Helmed by Priyadarshan, ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ revolves around a palace in Varanasi, where the former royal family believes the ghost of a Bengali dancer, Manjulika, resides. However, returning from the US with his newly wedded wife Avni (Vidya Balan), heir to the throne Siddharth Chaturvedi (Shiney Ahuja) refuses to pay heed to superstitious rabble. Ignoring the warning of elders, he renovates the palace and takes up residence there, as everyone prepares for his sister’s wedding. However, sinister incidents soon begin to unfold, and Siddharth calls upon his friend, psychiatrist Aditya Shrivastava (Akshay Kumar), for help. The Hindi-language psychological horror comedy has gained cult status since its release. Watch ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’ here.
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