Bollywood’s Box Office Revival: Can Horror Films Be Its Salvation?

Malevolent spirits, spooky zombies, and vengeful witches are experiencing a resurgence in Bollywood this year, with horror films emerging as some of 2024’s top-grossing productions. The BBC examines how these films, despite their modest budgets, are achieving significant financial success. A notable cinematic contest unfolded in Bollywood earlier this month, pitting a major production against a more moderately scaled one. The contenders were Singham Again, a high-budget action film featuring numerous stars, and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, the newest entry in a mid-budget, three-part horror-comedy series. Sacnilk, a film analytics tracker, reported that Singham Again, starring five prominent Bollywood actors—Ajay Devgn, Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone, and Ranveer Singh—generated 1.86bn rupees ($22.05m; £17.06) globally within four days. In contrast, Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, featuring the comparatively newer actor Kartik Aryan, accumulated 1.63bn rupees during the identical timeframe. Despite earning a lesser amount, its more modest budget rendered its financial outcome particularly remarkable. This film sees Aaryan reprise his role from the second installment as a conman exorcist, employed by a royal family to cleanse their palace of an malevolent spirit. Its fast-paced plot, filled with adventure and humor, has attracted large numbers of viewers to cinemas. The triumph of this film signifies an ongoing shift in Bollywood, where horror and horror-comedy genres, previously considered niche, are now dominating box office revenues. This pattern commenced with Shaitaan, a psychological horror film featuring Ajay Devgn, which garnered over $25m globally on a modest budget. Subsequently, Munjya and Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank sustained this success, with Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank achieving the status of the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2024, with earnings exceeding $103mn. Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aantank, set in the fictional locale of Chanderi, depicts the enigmatic Stree, who formerly targeted patriarchal men, now confronting a creature that abducts independent women. For several months, the film’s screenings were completely sold out, contrasting with other significant Bollywood productions that encountered difficulties attracting viewers. Trade statistics indicate that the industry has experienced a downturn since the Covid-19 pandemic, with the majority of films underperforming at the box office. Notably, many of these horror films did not garner enthusiastic reviews; indeed, some critics faulted them for their “lousy” plotlines. Nevertheless, their consecutive achievements appear to have revitalized Bollywood. What factors are fueling this development? Senior film critic Mayank Shekhar states that “Horror-comedy plays on the most primal instinct of the audience – alternating between fear and humour.” He adds, “Both are infectious. You audibly sense the shrieks and the laughs in the hall.” The success of films such as Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Stree 2 has also been bolstered by their preceding installments. Shekhar further notes that audiences attend these films primarily due to their enjoyment of previous entries, rendering them somewhat “critic-proof”. Apurva, a radio jockey who recently viewed both films, commented, “I think we go because we loved the original film and want to feel the same magic in the sequels.” Over time, the horror genre in Bollywood has also undergone a transformation. In contrast to 1980s horror films, which were intended for adult viewers, contemporary horror films have evolved into a shared cinematic event suitable for family audiences. During the 1970s and 1980s, the Ramsay Brothers dominated the Hindi horror landscape with successful productions such as Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche (1972) and Purana Mandir (1984), which adhered to a formula incorporating exaggerated ghosts, witches, gore, and titillation. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh observed, “The films were profitable but lacked the legitimacy and appeal that could attract big actors and wider viewership.” With the advent of the new millennium, the producer brothers Mahesh and Mukesh Bhatt, alongside director Vikram Bhatt, assumed leadership within the genre. Their Raaz series (with its inaugural film launched in 2002)—a more refined adaptation of the Ramsay Brothers’ approach, incorporating popular songs and sensual sequences—attained considerable success. However, with only a few exceptions, the appeal of horror films largely stayed confined. A pivotal moment occurred in 2007 with the theatrical release of the first Bhool Bhulaiyaa installment, featuring Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan. This film, an adaptation of the 1993 Malayalam hit Manichitrathazhu, presented an ideal combination of humor and horror, quickly becoming a favorite among audiences. The genre, adopting a new family-friendly strategy that reduces explicit material, saw increased popularity following the 2018 release of Stree, a film that merged horror with social commentary on topics such as patriarchy and feminism. Anees Bazmee, who directed Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2 and 3, stated to the BBC that a significant aspect of his creative aim was to make his films entertaining for children. He explained, “I wanted them to be on the edge of their seats but never truly scared, like a roller-coaster ride – happy on the ascent, with a thrill of fear on the descent.” Beyond humor, these films share additional common characteristics: many are situated in small towns and cities, integrating local folklore with universal concepts of kindness, bravery, and the ultimate victory of good over evil. Consider Tumbbad, a film that boldly combines mythology, horror, and moral instruction. It chronicles Vinayak’s journey as he uncovers a treasure protected by a cursed entity and tries to steal it, only to learn that greed is a perilous snare. First released in 2018, the movie was re-released in cinemas earlier this year, surpassing its initial box office earnings. Mr. Adarsh affirms that horror is undeniably experiencing a “revival” at the box office this year. However, some caution against oversimplifying this trend. Aditya Sarpotdar, director of Munjya, stated, “Bhool Bhulaiyaa was our first horror-comedy success that established a successful formula.” He further noted, “But it took more than a decade to come up with the next big hit (Stree).” Bazmee suggests that a film’s popularity is frequently determined by its plot rather than its genre. He concludes, “In the end, it’s always the well-made films that work. That’s always going to be a fundamental factor.” Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not accountable for the content of external sites. Information regarding its approach to external linking is available.