Indian ghost movie

Last updated

Indian ghost movies are popular not just in India but in the Middle East, Africa, South East Asia and other parts of the world. Generally the movies are based on the experiences of modern people who are unexpectedly exposed to ghosts. Some Indian ghost movies, such as the comedy horror film Chandramukhi , have been great hits, dubbed into several languages. [1] They usually draw on traditional Indian literature or folklore, but in some cases are remakes of Western movies, such as Anjaane , based on Alejandro Amenábar's ghost story The Others . [2]

Contents

Box office hits

The 1949 Mahal (Hindi : महल; Urdu : محل; English: The Mansion) was a groundbreaking Hindi language movie directed by Kamal Amrohi and starring Ashok Kumar and Madhubala, one of the earliest known Bollywood films dealing with reincarnation. Mahal became one of the biggest box office hits of 1949 in India. [3] According to a critic, the film connected Hindu reincarnation stories with the European gothic fiction. [4]

Chandramukhi (Tamil : சந்திரமுகி; Telugu : చంద్రముఖి; Hindi : चंद्रमुखी) (2005) is a horror, comedy and drama film directed by P. Vasu and produced by Ramkumar Ganesan. The soundtrack and background score for the film, which later became successful enough to be released as a separate album, was written by Vidyasagar. It was later dubbed into several languages, and became one of the highest grossing Tamil film ever. [1] Chandramukhi is a remake of the 2004 Kannada film Apthamitra , which was the highest grossing Kannada film in recent times. The movie tells of the experiences of a married couple who buy an ancient palace in Mysore that turns out to be haunted. [5] Apthamitra itself was a remake of the successful 1993 Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu directed by Fazil and written by Madhu Muttam. [6]

Common themes

The ghost movies often concern modern people unexpectedly involved in the ghostly results of past events. Bhoot (Hindi : भूत, English: Ghost) (2003) was directed by Ram Gopal Varma and starring Urmila Matondkar and Ajay Devgan. A couple takes an apartment that turns out to have a horrifying past. A series of inexplicable experiences drives the wife to near madness. Bhoot was perceived to be different from a typical Bollywood movie as it did not contain songs. [7] Krishna Cottage (2004) starring Sohail Khan, Natassha, and Ishaa Koppikar is a horror story that includes ghosts, death, reincarnation, and love, revolving around a fictional book "Kayi Unkahi Batein" (a few untold things) by Professor Siddharth Das (Rajendranath Zutshi). [8] A common form of ghost in South Indian horror movies are the interpretations of the White Lady, a female ghost characterized by white dresses (in this case, often sarees) and themes of tragedy and betrayal. The Ur-example of such work is the 1964 film, Bhargavi Nilayam.[ citation needed ]

Some have a more philosophical theme. In Hum Tum Aur Ghost , starring Arshad Warsi and Dia Mirza, the hero is a charming fashion photographer whose life is marred by the fact that he hears voices that nobody else can hear, which disrupts his social life. He becomes aware of his special ability to connect with the souls that haven't crossed over, and sets out on a journey where he assists three souls, in the process learning much about himself. [9]

Adaptations from Indian literature

Indian ghost movies are often based on Indian novels or short stories about ghosts. [10] Anandabhadram (Malayalam : അനന്തഭദ്രം) is a Malayalam film released in 2005 about ghosts, spirits, and black magic, based on the award-winning novel of the same name by Sunil Parameswaran. [11] It is the first Malayalam venture of Indian director Santosh Sivan [12] as well as of Bengali model/actress Riya Sen. [13] The story of Ananthabhadram is a fairy tale. Set in rural Kerala, the tale is dominated by black magicians, martial arts experts, sorcerers and seductresses. Sivan said "it was the story of Ananthabhadram that captivated me. The stories my grandmother used to tell me used to take me to a world of mystery. It was the same feeling when I heard this story and I have tried to capture that in my film." [14]

Paheli (Devanagari: पहेली, Nastaliq: پہیلی,; English: Riddle) (2005) was directed by Amol Palekar and produced by Gauri Khan, Sanjiv Chawla and Shahrukh Khan, who also plays the male lead. It is based on the short story written by Vijayadan Detha and tells the story of a wife (Rani Mukerji) who is left by her husband (Shahrukh Khan) and visited by a ghost, disguised as her husband, who is in love with her and takes her husband's place. [15] Duvidha (1973) was directed by Mani Kaul and was critically acclaimed and won Best Film at the 1974 Filmfare Awards. The film is based on a story by Vijayadan Detha which relates a popular folktale from Rajasthan about merchant's son whose relationship with his young bride is thwarted by his work and a ghost who falls in love with her, resulting in the ghost soon impersonating the husband. [16]

Shodh (1981) is based on the book Steaming Rice and a Ghost Story by Sunil Gangopadhyay. Surendra (Om Puri), having been exiled from his village in youth and established himself in the city, comes back to the news of his father's demise, reportedly at the hands of a phantom. He announces a prize for anyone who succeeds in showing him a ghost, which attracts the greed of the poor hungry peasants, resulting in the accusations of innocent people as haunted and even murders with the hope of producing a ghost. [17]

Adaptations from Western sources

Some Bollywood ghost movies are adapted from Western sources, with varying degrees of success. The 2003 Saaya (Hindi : साया; Urdu : سایا; translation: Shadow) is a direct lift of the 2002 Hollywood film Dragonfly. Raaz (Hindi : राज़, Urdu : راز translation: Secret) (2002) directed by Vikram Bhatt, is an unofficial Bollywood adaptation of the 2000 film What Lies Beneath . [18] The film is based on the story of a couple who have moved to Ooty to save their failing marriage. However, what they find in their new home is more than they expected when a ghost starts haunting the place. Sanjana suddenly finds that her husband is part of the ghostly conspiracy, which she must fix in order to escape. [19]

Anjaane (2005) starred Manisha Koirala, Sanjay Kapoor, Tejasvini Kolhapure and Helen. The film was based on Alejandro Amenábar's ghost story The Others starring Nicole Kidman. The film was criticized for being a copycat of the American version and the acting of Koirala was described by reviewers as "uninterested" and "mechanical". [2] Bhoothnath (Devanagari: भूतनाथ; translation: "Lord of Ghosts") directed by Vivek Sharma and produced by Ravi Chopra, is an adaptation of the Oscar Wilde short story "The Canterville Ghost". [20] The story is about the relationship between a deceased old man (played by Amitabh Bachchan) and a boy named Banku. [21]

Influence on Western movies

Some Hollywood movies refer to Bollywood ghost movies. For example, the 2001 movie Ghost World by Terry Zwigoff includes a clip from the 1965 hit Gumnaam by Raja Nawathe, which tells of a group of travelers in an isolated hotel who are murdered one by one. Gumnaam itself borrows from Agatha Christie's detective fiction novel And Then There Were None . [22]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Chandramukhi</i> 2005 film by P. Vasu

Chandramukhi is a 2005 Indian Tamil-language psychological horror comedy film written and directed by P. Vasu. It is a remake of Vasu's Kannada film Apthamitra (2004) which itself is based on the Malayalam film Manichitrathazhu (1993).The film stars Rajinikanth, Prabhu and Jyothika along with an ensemble supporting cast, including Vadivelu, Nayanthara, Nassar and Sheela. It revolves around a woman who suffers from dissociative identity disorder that affects a family, and a psychiatrist who intends to solve the case while risking his life.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amol Palekar</span> Indian actor, director and singer (born 1944)

Amol Palekar is an Indian actor, director and producer of Hindi and Marathi cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Urmila Matondkar</span> Indian actress (born 1974)

Urmila Matondkar is an Indian actress and politician. Known for her work primarily in Hindi films, in addition to Telugu, Malayalam, Marathi and Tamil films, she has received numerous accolades, including the Filmfare Award and the Nandi Award. Having established a distinctive on-screen persona, she is known for her acting skills, style statements and dancing skills.

<i>Paheli</i> (2005 film) 2005 film

Paheli is a 2005 Indian Hindi-language fantasy film directed by Amol Palekar and produced by Juhi Chawla, Aziz Mirza, Sanjiv Chawla, and Shah Rukh Khan, who also portrays the male lead. The film tells the story of a wife whose husband (Khan) goes on a business trip and is visited by a ghost, disguised as her husband, who is in love with her and takes her husband's place. The supporting cast includes Anupam Kher, Amitabh Bachchan, Juhi Chawla and Suniel Shetty. Based on the Rajasthani short story "Duvidha" by Vijayadan Detha, it is a remake of the 1973 Hindi film Duvidha by Mani Kaul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Helen (actress)</span> Indian actress and dancer of Anglo-Burmese descent

Helen Ann Richardson Khan, known mononymously as Helen, is an Indian actress and dancer. She has appeared in over 1000 films, making her a prolific performer in Hindi cinema. She is known for her supporting, character roles and guest appearances in a career spanning 70 years.

<i>Bhoot</i> (film) 2003 Indian film

Bhoot (transl. Ghost) is a 2003 Indian Hindi-language supernatural horror film directed by Ram Gopal Varma and stars an ensemble cast of Ajay Devgn, Urmila Matondkar, Nana Patekar, Rekha, Fardeen Khan and Tanuja. It is the second horror film made by Ram Gopal Verma after Raat. The film was perceived to be different from a typical Hindi film as it did not feature the songs composed for it. The film was later dubbed in Telugu as 12 Va Anthasthu and remade in Tamil as Shock.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">P. Vasu</span> Indian film director, writer, and actor

Vasudevan Peethambaram, known professionally as P. Vasu, is an Indian director, screenwriter and actor who works predominantly in Tamil and Kannada films, apart from a few Telugu, Hindi, and Malayalam language films. In a career spanning three decades, Vasu has directed over 65 films to his credit.

<i>Mahal</i> (1949 film) 1949 film

Mahal (transl. "Mansion") is a 1949 Indian Hindi-language psychological supernatural horror film produced by Savak Vacha and Ashok Kumar under the banner of Bombay Talkies, and directed by Kamal Amrohi as his directorial debut. The film centres on a screenplay written by Amrohi, while its music is composed by Khemchand Prakash. Cited as Bollywood's first horror film, it revolves around an aristocrat who moves into an ancient mansion, where he gets visions of a mysterious lady (Madhubala) claiming to be his lover in their previous lives.

<i>Anandabhadram</i> 2005 Indian film

Anandabhadram is a 2005 Indian Malayalam-language romantic dark fantasy horror film based on the novel of the same name by Sunil Parameshwaran, and directed by Santosh Sivan. The story concerns ghosts, spirits, and black magic. The film stars Manoj K. Jayan as the central character, with Prithviraj Sukumaran and Kavya Madhavan in the titular roles. While Kalabhavan Mani, Biju Menon, Riya Sen, Revathy, Kalasala Babu, Cochin Haneefa and Nedumudi Venu plays other pivotal roles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vijaydan Detha</span> Rajasthani folklorist and writer (1926 – 2013)

Vijaydan Detha, also known as Bijji, was a noted Indian writer of Rajasthani literature. He was a recipient of several awards including the Padma Shri and the Sahitya Akademi Award.

<i>Strangers</i> (2007 Hindi film) 2007 Indian film

Strangers is a 2007 Indian Hindi-language thriller film directed by Aanand L. Rai and starring Jimmy Sheirgill, Kay Kay Menon, Nandana Sen, and Sonali Kulkarni. It is an adaptation of the 1951 Alfred Hitchcock film Strangers on a Train, which was based on the 1950 novel Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghosts in Bengali culture</span>

Ghosts are an important and integral part of the folklore of the socio-cultural fabric of the geographical and ethno-linguistic region of Bengal which presently consists of Bangladesh and the Indian states of West Bengal and Tripura. Bengali folktales and Bengali cultural identity are intertwined in such a way that ghosts depicted reflect the culture it sets in. Fairy tales, both old and new, often use the concept of ghosts. References to ghosts are often found in modern-day Bengali literature, cinema, radio and television media. There are also alleged haunted sites in the region. The common word for ghosts in Bengali is bhoot or bhut. This word has an alternative meaning: 'past' in Bengali. Also, the word Pret is used in Bengali to mean ghost. In Bengal, ghosts are believed to be the unsatisfied spirits of human beings who cannot find peace after death or the souls of people who died in unnatural or abnormal circumstances like murders, suicides or accidents. Non-human animals can also turn into ghosts after their death. But they are often associated with good luck and wealth in Bangladesh.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saadhika Randhawa</span> Indian actress

Saadhika Randhawa, also known mononymously as Saadhika, is an Indian actress. She has mainly appeared in Hindi language Bollywood movies and has also worked in several regional language movies including in Tamil, Telugu, Punjabi, Gujarati, Marathi & Bhojpuri movie industry.

<i>Duvidha</i> 1973 Indian film

Duvidha (transl. Dilemma) is a 1973 ghost movie directed by Mani Kaul, based on a Rajasthani story of the same name by Vijaydan Detha. The film stars Ravi Menon and Raisa Padamsee in lead roles. The film was critically acclaimed and won the director the National Film Award for Best Direction and Critics Award for Best film at the 1974 Filmfare Awards. This film was remade in 2005 as Paheli, starring Shahrukh Khan and Rani Mukherjee in the lead roles.

<i>Bhoot Returns</i> 2012 Indian film

Bhoot Returns is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language 3D horror film directed by Ram Gopal Varma and written by Ravi Shankar. The film was released on 12 October 2012 to mixed reviews.

<i>Bhoothnath Returns</i> 2014 Indian film

Bhoothnath Returns is a 2014 Indian Hindi-language supernatural comedy film directed by Nitesh Tiwari and produced by Bhushan Kumar. A sequel to the 2008 film Bhoothnath, the film revolves around Bhoothnath who is mocked in a Bhoothworld for his inability to scare children before being sent back to Earth to redeem himself. The film was released on 11 April 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Priyadarshan filmography</span> List of films by Priyadarshan

Priyadarshan is an Indian film director, producer, and screenwriter. Priyadarshan is mostly known for directing comedy films but has directed a few non-comical films such as a historical epic film based around freedom fighters in India titled Kaalapani and his epic period drama Kancheevaram. In a career spanning almost three decades, Priyadarshan has directed 96 films in several Indian languages, predominantly Malayalam and Hindi, besides eight in Tamil, and two in Telugu. Though he began his career in Malayalam cinema in 1984, Priyadarshan was mainly active in Hindi cinema for 2001–2010. In 2013, he announced Rangrezz would be his last Hindi film for a short period; and focused on making more Malayalam films.

<i>Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship</i> Indian horror film

Bhoot – Part One: The Haunted Ship is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language horror thriller film written and directed by Bhanu Pratap Singh and jointly produced by Karan Johar, Hiroo Yash Johar, Apoorva Mehta, and Shashank Khaitan. The film features Vicky Kaushal in lead role and is the first film of what was a planned horror film franchise.

<i>Kaanchli Life in a Slough</i> 2020 Indian film directed by Dedipya Joshii

Kaanchli: Life in a Slough is a 2020 Indian period drama film that was produced and directed by Dedipya Joshii, and stars Sanjay Mishra, Shikha Malhotra, Lalit Parimoo and Nareshpal Singh Chauhan. The film was co-produced by Shobha Devi and presented by Anup Jalota. It is based on a story by Vijaydan Detha, a folk-story writer from Rajasthan, India, whose stories have been adapted into many films including Shah Rukh Khan's Paheli. Kaanchli, whose theme is social welfare, tells the story of a strong, self-reliant woman's struggle for survival.

References

  1. 1 2 Shoaib Mohamed (24 September 2007). "The Bus Conductor Turned Superstar Who Took the Right Bus to Demi". Behindwoods. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  2. 1 2 "Anjaane - The Unknown". Indiafm.com. 30 December 2005. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  3. ↑ Mahal (1949) Classic Films at upperstall
  4. ↑ Mishra, Vijay (2002), Bollywood cinema: temples of desire, Routledge, pp. 49–57, ISBN   0-415-93014-6
  5. ↑ SREEDHAR PILLAI (31 December 2004). "Year 2004 — a flashback". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 April 2005. Retrieved 18 March 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  6. ↑ Social Mobility in Kerala: Modernity and Identity in Conflict . Pluto Press. 2000. p.  264. ISBN   0-7453-1693-X.{{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  7. ↑ Bhoot at IMDb   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  8. ↑ Krishna Cottage at IMDb   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  9. ↑ "Bollywood Forum: Bollywood Talk | Bollywood Community | Bollywood Discussion". Bollywood Hungama . 9 September 2009. Archived from the original on 25 July 2009. Retrieved 21 December 2009.
  10. ↑ "Best Bollywood Horror Movies To Give You The Real Chills". BookMyShow. Retrieved 5 November 2017.
  11. ↑ "Of facts and fantasy". The Hindu . 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 1 October 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
  12. ↑ "Ananthabhadram on Chennai Online". Archived from the original on 10 June 2008. Retrieved 18 March 2010.
  13. ↑ "Riya Sen in Ananthabhadram". That's Malayalam. Archived from the original on 22 October 2006. Retrieved 29 March 2007.
  14. ↑ "In flashback mode". The Hindu. 2 August 2006. Archived from the original on 2 December 2007. Retrieved 29 March 2007.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  15. ↑ Paheli at IMDb   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  16. ↑ Duvidha at IMDb   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  17. ↑ Shodh at IMDb   OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
  18. ↑ SUBHASH K JHA (7 July 2003). "Bollywood plays the aping game". Times of India. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  19. ↑ N K Deoshi. "The raaz Movie Review". ApunKaChoice. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  20. ↑ "Bhoothnath". Sify Technologies. Archived from the original on 31 May 2012. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  21. ↑ "Bhoothnath Movie Review". Indicine. 9 May 2008. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  22. ↑ Heidi Rika Maria Pauwels (2007). Indian literature and popular cinema: recasting classics . Routledge. p.  2. ISBN   978-0-415-44741-6.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.