The frequency of horror films has been inconsistent in Hindi cinema as compared to other genres.
There have been a bunch of critically acclaimed horror movies produced by the industry like Ram Gopal Varma’s Raat and the more recent Tumbbad
The horror genre is not a much explored one in Hindi cinema. It is one of those genres that has a sizable market but is yet to be tapped into with full potential. The frequency of horror films has been inconsistent in Hindi cinema as compared to other genres like romance, action and comedy. The evolution of horror has been one that is interesting though from the chilling supernatural drama Mahal starring Ashok Kumar to recently released horror comedies like Roohi and Bhool Bhulaiyya 2.
There have been a bunch of critically acclaimed horror movies produced by the industry like Ram Gopal Varma’s Raat and the more recent Tumbbad. But, if we are talking about the highest-grossing horror movie from the Hindi film industry, Bhool Bhulaiyya 2 walks away with the cake. On that note, let us look at the box office returns of some of the more well-known horror films from Hindi cinema.
Raaz
Vikram Bhatt’s 2002 film Raaz was the first mainstream horror film in Hindi cinema in more than a decade as the 90s had more action and family-oriented dramas. It was an innovative concept at that time and hence the Dino Morea-Bipasha Basu starrer created wonders at the box office, earning Rs 36.63 crores against a Rs 5.25 crore budget.
Stree
The horror comedy genre is a relatively new concept in Bollywood although it was attempted way back in 1965 by Mehmood with Bhoot Bungla. The genre got a makeover with Bhool Bhulaiyya and ultimately led to the immensely successful Stree starring Rajkumar Yadav. A perfect blend of supernatural chills and slapstick comedy elements, the Amar Kaushik-directed film grossed Rs 180 crores at the global box office – approximately 7 times its budget of Rs 24 crore.
Tumbbad
Sohum Shah’s Tumbbad took a perfect 6 years to get produced and is considered a cinematic masterpiece. Its extremely unconventional story revolving around the wrath of a pagan deity instead of the usual revengeful spirit made it very popular, even among international cinelovers. A highly acclaimed film, Tumbbad however could not do much wonders at the box office due to lack of starpower and promotions. However, since it was made on a low budget of Rs 5 crore, it recovered its budget earning Rs 13 crore and is still a commercial success. Directed by Rahi Anil Barve, the film is often listed among the best horror films to come out of India.
Bhool Bhulaiyya 2
Karthik Aryan’s horror comedy Bhool Bhulaiya 2 proved to be one of the highest-grossing movies of last year. According to Box Office India, this Aneez Bazmee directorial was budgeted at Rs 90 crores and did a great business of Rs 263 crores and is the highest-grossing horror film in Hindi cinema.
