9 Best South Indian Horror Films to Watch on OTT: Bramayugam, Bhoothakaalam to Kumari, Pindam, Masooda

Over the last few years, South Indian filmmakers have completely redefined the horror genre by bringing spine-chilling folklore, psychological thriller and fantasy horror for the audience. From black-and-white period nightmares to haunting thrillers, here are 9 exceptional South Indian horror movies that you can stream on OTT platforms.

1. Bramayugam (2024)

• Cast: Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, Sidharth Bharathan
• Director: Rahul Sadasivan
• Language: Malayalam
• Where to Watch: Sony LIV

Presented in a haunting black-and-white format, Bramayugam is set in 18th-century Kerala. A court singer fleeing slavery stumbles upon a mysterious mansion inhabited by a lord (played by Mammootty) and his cook. He quickly realizes he has stepped into a trap.

2. Virupaksha (2023)

• Cast: Sai Dharam Tej, Samyuktha Menon, Rajeev Kanakala, Sunil, Brahmaji, Ajay, Ravi Krishna
• Director: Karthik Varma Dandu
• Language: Telugu
• Where to Watch: Netflix

Virupaksha is set in a remote village during the 1990s, where a series of mysterious, gruesome incidents take place after a family is lynched for practicing black magic. When Surya visits the village, he must race against time to unearth secrets and break a curse before it destroys everyone he loves.

3. Bhoothakaalam (2022)

• Cast: Shane Nigam, Revathi
• Director: Rahul Sadasivan
• Language: Malayalam
• Where to Watch: Sony LIV

Bhoothakaalam is an atmospheric horror. Following the demise of a family member, a clinically depressed mother and her unemployed son experience strange occurrences in their rented house.

4. Demonte Colony 2 (2024)

• Cast: Arulnithi, Priya Bhavani Shankar, Archana Ravichandran
• Director: R. Ajay Gnanamuthu
• Language: Tamil
• Where to Watch: ZEE5

Demonte Colony 2 is a highly anticipated sequel to the 2015 hit. Years after Sam’s tragic demise, his grieving widow senses a strange connection. Soon, they find themselves pursued by an entity determined to claim their lives.

5. Masooda (2022)

• Cast: Sangeetha, Thiruveer, Kavya Kalyanram, Subhalekha Sudhakar
• Director: Sai Kiran
• Language: Telugu
• Where to Watch: Prime Video

Masooda is about a software employee who steps in to help his single-mother neighbor when her teenage daughter starts displaying terrifying, violent signs of demonic possession.

6. Aranmanai 4 (2024)

• Cast: Sundar C., Tamannaah Bhatia, Raashi Khanna
• Director: Sundar C.
• Language: Tamil
• Where to Watch: JioHotstar

For those who like their horror with a massive dose of commercial comedy and drama, the fourth installment of this hit franchise is for you. In Aranmanai 4, a lawyer travels to his estranged sister’s remote mansion to investigate her and her husband's suspicious demise. He soon realizes the property is being taken over by a demon.

7. Asvins (2023)

• Cast: Vasanth Ravi, Vimala Raman, Saraswathi Menon
• Director: Tarun Teja
• Language: Tamil
• Where to Watch: Netflix

In Asvins, a group of young Indian vloggers visits a notoriously haunted mansion in the UK once owned by a mysterious archaeologist. While exploring, they accidentally trigger an ancient curse, unleashing a 1,500-year-old spirit that traps them in a terrifying alternate dark world.

8. Kumari (2022)

• Cast: Aishwarya Lekshmi, Shine Tom Chacko, Surabhi Lakshmi
• Director: Nirmal Sahadev
• Language: Malayalam
• Where to Watch: Netflix

Kumari is a dark, mythological horror-thriller rooted in Malabar folklore. Kumari marries into a wealthy family bound to an ancient, cursed land. As she settles into her new home, she uncovers a disturbing history of human sacrifices and a dangerous pact the family made with spirits and forest monsters to maintain their power.

9. Pindam (2023)

• Cast: Sriram, Kushee Ravi, Easwari Rao
• Director: Saikiran Daida
• Language: Telugu
• Where to Watch: Prime Video

Touted as one of the scariest Telugu movies, Pindam is in multiple layers and timelines. It heavily focuses on a family in the 1930s who moves into a new house, only for their young, mute daughter to become target practice for spirits. A powerful ghostbuster is brought in to uncover why the spirits are specifically targeting an unborn child.

For more updates, stay tuned to Pinkvilla!

ALSO READ: Who is Myles Mantzaris? Everything to know about Mithun Chakraborty’s daughter Dishani’s fiancé