Five must-watch horror classics

by | June 2, 2016, 18:31 IST

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Five must-watch horror classics

 

Horror is not the most popular genre in Hindi cinema. Indian audiences would still prefer to flock to a more family friendly romantic or masala action film. But fact remains, it's a genre that enjoys a large fan following and it thrives on entries that are considered cult hits in Indian cinema. The Raaz, Ragini MMS and 1920 franchises may fuel the economies today, but the best horror films helm from a long and illustrious past. Forget The Conjuring 2, we dare you to sit through our hand-picked 5 horror classics that will make you scream in terror.

 

 

1

 

Mahal (1949)

Kamal Amrohi’s Mahal is a movie of many firsts. It was the ethereal Madhubala’s debut movie as a leading lady. The song Aayega aayega... aayega aane wala sung by Lata Mangeshkar catapulted her into stellar fame. And Mahal is also considered by many to be India's first horror/thriller movies with the reincarnation theme. Ashok Kumar plays a lawyer and he buys a mansion in Allahabad. As it turns out, the house is haunted by the spirit of its previous tenant, a young woman who lost her husband to tragedy. Oddly enough, the young lawyer finds himself attracted to this singing spirit. This was a film made in an era when nuance and subtext were as common in cinema as cable-driven action and item numbers. So the camera work and screen writing create all the thrills in this timeless classic.



 

2

 

Bees Saal Baad (1962)

The spirit of a dead woman wandering the wilderness singing a song used to be Hindi cinema’s favourite horror device. After Mahal, Bees Saal Baad used it to great effect with the song Kahin deep jale kahin dil. This film featured Biswajeet and Waheeda Rehman in lead roles. Biswajeet played the grandson of a wealthy landlord who was killed by the spirit of a girl he’d raped. When Biswajeet returns to his hometown, he’s warned that the spirit will kill him too. The film is beautifully shot with great light work, silhouettes and shadow play. The tension in the screenplay is amplified by the haunting music and Lata Mangeshkar singing the Kahin deep jale song. The movie was remade in 1988 with Mithun Chakraborty, Dimple Kapadia and Meenakshi Sheshadri but it was definitely not as enchanting as the original thriller.

 

 

3



Kohraa (1964)

A sequel of sorts to Bees Saal Baad, what with director Biren Nag and actors Biswajeet and Waheeda Rehman teaming up again. Kohraa is a taut and clever thriller. It’s adaptation of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rebecca (1940) and the fact that this film is every bit creepy and haunting as Hitchcock’s original is a testament to the cinematic quality on offer. The story deals with a newly married couple living in an old, eerie mansion. The new wife discovers that her husband’s first wife died in mysterious circumstances. The haunting spirit of the old wife and the murder mystery inspire Waheeda Rehman’s character to dig deep and ward off the horror. With its spectacular twist ending, this movie is definitely one of the best horror films of all time, period.

 



 

4

 

Purana Mandir (1984)

When it comes to Indian horror movies the name Ramsay rings louder than legends. Chances are you've seen their productions like Veerana, Purani Haveli and the very first one Do Has Zameen Ke Neeche. But Purana Mandir stands out because it was possibly the first time the Ramsays got A-list production values and cast to their budget friendly genre. This movie about a blood thirsty my monster hunting young boys and girls set the horror scene alive.



 

5

 

 

Raat (1992)


Before Ram Gopal Varma became a household name with movies like Rangeela and Satya, he tried his hand at directing a horror movie and the result was fascinating. Raat was the horror movie that deviated from the gory Ramsay treatment and added psychological thrills and twists to the genre. South sensation Revathy played the protagonist in this tale of possession and exorcism. She was supported by an able cast that included Om Puri, Rohini Hattangadi and Anant Nag. Raat and its then unique treatment can still send a chill down your spine.