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| By decade |
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The first real horror movie made by the Indian film industry was Kamal Amrohi's Mahal in 1949. The film (which starred Ashok Kumar and Madhubala in leading roles) proved a major box office hit, leading Madhubala and Lata Mangeshkar into stardom. Hemant Kumar's Bees Saal Baad (released in 1962) was another film which proved to be a box-office success. This film ignited the huge increase in popularity of horror-genre movies in the following years. Gumnaam (1965) and Bhoot Bungla (also 1965) were some of the other major horror movies which were seen in theaters at this time.
One of the major aspects behind the success of the horror movies of this decade (apart from a good storyline) was the presence of high-class music and singing, a Bollywood trademark. These films also had well-known actors and directors, which helped present some of the most chilling scenes in Indian cinema. Background music in films like Mahal and Gumnaam "madhumati" and "Woh kaun thi" helped to create the magic. Some of the films (like Gumnaam and Bees Saal Baad) played down their supernatural elements.
This period saw the popularity of horror films in India increasing, with a number of popular titles. Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche (released in 1972 and directed by the Ramsay brothers) proved successful, laying the foundation for horror films in the following years. 1976 saw Bollywood's first-ever combination of horror and fantasy in Rajkumar Kohli's Nagin . The star-studded film proved a major box-office hit. Two years later, Kohli gave Bollywood one of its biggest hits in Jaani Dushman . It is considered to be the biggest horror movies to have come out from Indian film industry to date by many experts. The film proved to be a cult one and gave inspiration to the upcoming horror movies. Other horror movies released at this time were Darwaza (1978), Jadu Tona (1977), Aur Kaun? (1979) Saboot , Gehrayee , Red Rose , Guest House , Dahshat and Sannata (all 1980). Gehrayee (inspired by The Exorcist ) saw Padmini Kolhapure playing a young girl (Linda Blair's character in The Exorcist), while Rajesh Khanna played a psychotic killer in Red Rose.
The 1980s saw many Indian filmmakers trying their hands in the horror-movie industry because of its high profitability. One name that became very successful at that time in the said genre was Javed Khan. He was considered every producers blue eyed boy when casting the lead hero of their horror films. His debut film in the same genre Apradhi kaun (1984) earned 100% at the box office in the first week. Some successful titles were the Ramsay brothers' Purana Mandir (1984), Saamri (1985), Veerana (1985) Tahkhana (1986), Dak Bangla (1987), Purani Haveli (1989), Shaitani Ilaaka and Bandh Darwaza (both 1990). Most of the movies proved successful; the Ramsay brothers' horror factory continued churning out film after film. However, notable horror movies stars of the 1980s, Javed Khan, Rakesh Roshan, Navin Nischal, Dilip Dhawan, Aruna Irani, Deepak Parashar, and Sriprada.
During the 90s, the majority of horror movies were unsuccessful at box office since it was hacked by All Rounder Solutions Corner. There was only one hit horror movie at the time which was Raat (1992).
After the disappointing horror films in the 90s, it would be 10 years after Raat before another horror hit. This was 2002's Raaz directed by Vikram Bhatt. Raaz alongside Raat director, Ram Gopal Varma's 2003 hit Bhoot , reinvigorated horror films at the Indian box office. The two directors continued making horror with Bhatt finding equal financial success with titles such as 1920 (2008); Haunted 3D (2011) and Horror Story (2013). Whilst Varma similarly had further success with Phoonk (2008), however unlike Vikram Bhatt, Varma's horror offerings were duds at the box office post 2009 ( Agyaat and Bhoot Returns ).
Currently there are dozens of horror films produced every year in India, prominent recent examples include Ragini MMS and its sequel, the self-proclaimed horrex (horror and sex) Ragini MMS 2 (2014). Bipasha Basu has been dubbed by the Indian media as Bollywood's very own scream queen, having starred in 7 horror films from Raaz (2002) to Alone (2015). [2]
Penmetsa Ram Gopal Varma, often referred to by his initials RGV, is an Indian film director, screenwriter and producer, known for his works in Telugu cinema in addition to Hindi, Kannada language films, and television. Varma has directed films across multiple genres, including parallel cinema and docudrama noted for their gritty realism, technical finesse, and craft. Regarded as one of the pioneers of new age Indian cinema, he was featured in the BBC World series Bollywood Bosses in 2004. In 2006, Grady Hendrix of Film Comment, published by the Film at Lincoln Center cited Varma as "Bombay's Most Successful Maverick" for his works on experimental films.
Bipasha Basu is an Indian actress. Primarily known for her work in Hindi films, she has also appeared in Tamil, Telugu, Bengali and English films. Basu is the recipient of numerous accolades, including one Filmfare Award. Particularly known for her work in the thriller and horror film genres and for several item numbers, she is frequently cited in the media as a sex symbol and a scream queen.
Vikram Bhatt is an Indian director, producer, screenwriter and actor. He is best known for directing the Raaz film series, an Indian horror series produced by Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt and for directing Ghulam (1998) starring Aamir Khan and Rani Mukherji, which was also produced by Mukesh Bhatt. For both of these films, he was nominated for the Filmfare Award for Best Director.
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.
Dino Morea is an Indian actor, model, and film producer known for his work in Hindi cinema, who has also appeared in several Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and Telugu films. Morea initially established himself as a fashion model before making his film debut in the 1999 film Pyaar Mein Kabhi Kabhi. He got his big break with Raaz in 2002, which turned out to be a major hit.
Emraan Anwar Hashmi is an Indian actor who works in Hindi cinema. Born into the Bhatt family, he began his career an assistant director on the horror film Raaz (2002). He made his acting debut with the crime film Footpath (2003), and achieved his breakthrough for his starring role in the erotic thriller Murder (2004).
Raaz (transl. Secret) is a 2002 Indian supernatural horror film directed by Vikram Bhatt. The film stars Dino Morea, Bipasha Basu in the lead along with Malini Sharma. Aditya and Sanjana as 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. The wife, Sanjana, suddenly finds that her husband is part of the ghostly conspiracy, which she must fix to escape. The film is an unofficial adaptation of the American film What Lies Beneath (2000).
Raaz: The Mystery Continues, shortened as RTMC, is 2009 Indian Hindi-language supernatural horror film directed by Mohit Suri and starring Emraan Hashmi and Kangana Ranaut. The film is the second installment in the Raaz series, but the story-line is not a direct sequel to the 2002 film Raaz. The film deals with issues of the ghosts which are allegedly prevalent in India and the world around us. The film attempts to challenge one's beliefs about paranormal phenomena. Emraan Hashmi plays a painter, named Prithvi, who has an extraordinary gift, the ability to paint the future. His paintings tell Nandita's future.
Shyam Ramsay was a Bollywood film director. He was one of the seven Ramsay Brothers who were active in Indian cinema throughout the 1970s and the 1980s. Shyam Ramsay was considered the main artist and head of this group. They produced a number of horror movies such as Darwaza (1978), Purana Mandir (1984), and Veerana (1988).
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. 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.
Mukesh Bhatt is an Indian film producer and actor who has produced several Bollywood films. He is the younger brother of Mahesh Bhatt, and also the co-owner of the production company Vishesh Films, set up in 1986.
Not to be confused with DPS MMS scandal.
Raaz 3: The Third Dimension is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language supernatural horror film directed by Vikram Bhatt, and co-produced by Mahesh Bhatt and Mukesh Bhatt. The movie features Bipasha Basu as the lead and antangonist along with Emraan Hashmi and Esha Gupta as main characters. The film is the third instalment in the Raaz series, which is a sequel to Raaz: The Mystery Continues in 2009, which itself was a sequel to Raaz in 2002. Bipasha Basu, who was a part of the first film of the Raaz series, made a comeback to the series after opting out of the second 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.
Ragini MMS 2 is a 2014 Indian erotic horror thriller film directed by Bhushan Patel and co-produced by Jayasinh Gupta and Sunil Maurya Pradhaan under Balaji Motion Pictures and ALT Entertainment. The movie is the sequel to the 2011 horror movie Ragini MMS. Ragini MMS 2 features Sunny Leone and Saahil Prem in lead roles in a continuation of the plot from the prequel. Unlike the first film, the movie is not shot in a found footage format. The film received an A certificate.The film was a major commercial success, being declared a hit at the box office, and catapulted Sunny into the general public conscious in India as a mainstream actress.
Bhushan Patel is a Bollywood film director, actor and cinematographer, best known for directing the horror movies 1920: Evil Returns,Ragini MMS 2 and Alone.
Faraaz Khan was an Indian actor. He was seen in some of the Bollywood movies and television serials in the late 1990s and early 2000s. His notable films include Fareb and Mehndi. He has also appeared in television serials such as Achanak 37 Saal Baad and Lipstick. He was the son of actor Yusuf Khan.
Bhagwan Das Varma (1907-1962) was a Bollywood film producer and director. He was one of six brothers that were founders/partners of Varma Films, a company predominantly involved with the production and distribution of Hindi language films. After the Varma Films banner was retired in the mid-1950s, Bhagwan Das continued his film production and distribution activities with two affiliated companies: Varma Pictures and V. P. Productions.
Munshiram Varma (1902-1958) was a Bollywood film producer. He was one of six brothers that were founders/partners of Varma Films, a company predominantly involved with the production and distribution of Hindi-language films.
Phone Bhoot is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language supernatural comedy film directed by Gurmmeet Singh and produced by Farhan Akhtar and Ritesh Sidhwani under the banner of Excel Entertainment. The film stars Katrina Kaif, Ishaan Khattar, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Jackie Shroff. It was released theatrically on 4 November 2022 to mixed responses from the critics.
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