Best Hindi Horror Movies: From Ghosts to Ghouls That Define the Genre

Best Hindi Horror Movies deliver major scares while focusing on legends from the region. The horror genre goes beyond boundaries and languages, with every society having its own mythologies and horror tales that typically reflect their belief systems and cultures. Despite producing many of the greatest horror films, America and the United Kingdom, India also has a rich history of creating horror movies that rival those from the West.

1. Kaun?

Kaun? is a 1999 one of the Best Hindi Horror Movies that combines elements of psychological suspense with traditional horror themes. Urmila Matondkar stars as an unidentified woman who watches TV and follows news of a serial killer on the loose in the movie. On that very day, she speaks with her mother on the phone prior to a stranger arriving at her house inquiring about the homeowner who she insists does not reside there. Shortly after, another man arrives claiming to be a police inspector, leaving her in the company of two unfamiliar men.

2. Raat

Raat is a film about demonic possession, however, the director, Ram Gopal Varma, cleverly chooses to keep this hidden until the middle of the movie. Rather than that, it begins as more of a family-focused story as the Sharma family relocates to a haunted old house. Early in the story, there are three hints provided, particularly when a neighbor becomes alarmed after meeting Mini, the daughter. Before long, peculiar events begin to occur, like the passing of their family's cat, resulting in a second cat appearing.

Once the deaths begin happening, it becomes clear that something is seriously amiss. The part where Mini's friend Deepak witnesses her eyes changing to a blood-red color remains a standout moment in horror. From here onward, the enigma is deciphered, leaving only the exorcism to be done. Raal was lauded by critics for its technical skill and ability to meet all the expectations of horror fans. Raal is considered a true classic due to its excellent acting and abundance of frightening moments. Its storytelling makes it so different and one of the Best Hindi Horror Movies.

3. 9

9 is an entertaining blend of sci-fi and one of the Best Hindi Horror Movies, with added poignant moments focused on bonds between fathers and sons. The title "9" signifies the duration of time in which a comet passing by will disrupt all modern technology, such as electricity and phone service. The film centers around Dr. Albert Lewis, a widowed astrophysicist, and his distant relationship with his eight-year-old son Adam, whom he blames for his wife's death while giving birth. Albert's brother-in-law shares the same hatred towards Adam, thinking that the child is wicked.

As the father and son explore the approaching comet, a woman called Ava shows up and starts harassing Adam, but Albert suspects that his son's safety may be at risk. The movie 9 has impressive visual effects and cinematography, but its emotional core is the father-son bond. It's a creative science fiction thriller with emotional personal elements, featuring strong performances by Prithviraj Sukumaran and Master Alok.

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4. The House Next Door

One of the Best Hindi Horror Movies, The House Next Door contains numerous frightening moments that are able to surprise and disturb viewers. The narrative centers around Krish and Lakshmi, a neurosurgeon and his spouse, who become concerned when a defiant adolescent and her stepmother become their new neighbors. Krish and Lakshmi engage in a fight against the evil spirits haunting their home after a number of unsettling supernatural occurrences target the teenager.

Siddharth not just acted in The House Next Door as the brain surgeon, but he also collaborated on the script in order to team up with Andrea Jeremiah (his on-screen wife) in a horror movie directed by Milind Rau (of Kadhal 2 Kalyanam fame). The horror elements in The House Next Door were praised in Kollywood, leading to positive reviews. It's a captivating, traditional ghost tale, guaranteed to excite fans of supernatural horror.

5. Kothanodi

The 2015 film Kothanodi is adapted from Grand Mother's Tales, a beloved piece of Assamese literature first published in 1911. The book comprises folklore tales penned by Assamese poet, Lakshminath Bezbaroa. Adapting the book in Assam would have been very challenging due to its iconic reputation. However, with the help of skilled filmmaking and creative retellings of traditional tales, Kothanodi becomes a captivating movie to watch. The film's plot is derived from four of the book's tales (Tejimola, Champawati, Ou Kuwori, and Tawoir Xadhu).

The four fables are narrated through interconnected tales. A woman plans to murder her stepdaughter while her husband is away, but he meets a strange woman who delivers a miracle fruit. Yet another woman in a separate village organizes her daughter's wedding with tragic consequences, while a mother is determined to shield her child from her homicidal spouse. Although it is not a typical horror movie, Kothanodi still deals with challenging themes that are guaranteed to disturb and unsettle viewers. It is included in the list of Best Hindi Horror Movies.

6. Tumbbad

Tumbbad made its debut at the 75th Venice International Film Festival, marking it as the initial Indian film to be featured at the festival. This not only reflects the film's quality but also highlights the rise of Indian horror as a popular film genre beyond the country's borders. The legendary tale involves the people of Tumbbad, Maharashtra, disobeying the Goddess of Prosperity's command and facing a destructive curse. The film was widely praised, receiving eight nominations and winning three awards at the Filmfare Awards.

The filming of Tumbbad in 2012 was challenging for director Rahi Anil Barve, who was unsatisfied with the final product. He revised and filmed it again in 2015, and that is the version of the movie that fans can watch now. It is an outstanding Indian movie that draws from the nation's cultural heritage, displaying superb cinematography and terrifying moments, making it one of the Best Hindi Horror Movies from India.

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