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Top 10 Best South Indian Horror Movies On Hotstar, Prime Video and more: From Bhoothakaalam to Vijay Sethupathi’s Pizza
If you liked Mammootty’s Bramayugam, and want to explore more Horror movies from South India, look no further than this list of the Top 10 South Indian horror movies. Read on!
Horror is definitely one of the most overused genres in cinema history. Throughout the years, we've seen countless horror movies with the same old themes. However, there's always that one film that manages to shock you. Today, let us take a look at the top 10 South Indian horror movies that offer a unique experience of both fear and pleasure.
1. Masooda (2022)
- Writer-Director: Sai Kiran
- Runtime: 2 hours 40 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
- Cast: Thiruveer, Kavya Kalyanram, Sangeetha
- Genre: Horror/Drama
- Where to Watch: Aha
A film that took the Telugu audience by total surprise, Masooda stands out for its visual storytelling. Look out, especially for the performances of Thiruveer and Sangeetha.
2. Bhoothakaalam (2022)
- Writer-Director: Rahul Sadasivan
- Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Cast: Shane Nigam, Revathi
- Genre: Horror/Mystery
- Where to Watch: Sony Liv
Bhoothakaalam is the debut directorial of Rahul Sadasivan, who seems to ironically have a god-gifted ability to reinvent familiar tropes with his unique touch. In Bhoothakaalam, he turns an otherwise normal plot featuring a family living in a haunted house into an intense family horror thriller.
3. Maa Oori Polimera (2021)
- Writer-Director: Anil Viswanath
- Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.2/10
- Cast: Satyam Rajesh, Sahithi, Baladitya
- Genre: Horror/Thriller
- Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar
Maa Oori Polimera is another great Telugu language horror-thriller that took everyone by surprise. Set in a rural town, the film focuses on themes of dark magic and presents a highly engaging tale from start to finish.
4. Andhagaaram (2020)
- Writer-Director: V. Vignarajan
- Runtime: 2 hours 51 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Cast: Arjun Das, Pooja Ramachandran, Vinod Kishan
- Genre: Horror/Mystery
- Where to Watch: Netflix
Andhagaaram is a Tamil language horror thriller, directed by V. Vignarajan in his debut film. It is an engaging film that uses both supernatural elements and psychological themes and delivers a powerful mixture of the two.
5. Bhaagamathie (2018)
- Writer-Director: G. Ashok
- Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7/10
- Cast: Anushka Shetty, Jayaram, Aadi Pinashetty
- Genre: Horror/Action
- Where to Watch: Prime Video/Disney+Hotstar
Bhaagamathie stars a commanding Anushka Shetty, who stands out in every frame she is present in. It follows the interesting story of Chanchala an IAS officer, who is interrogated in the Bhaagamathie mansion. As the interrogation is underway, Chanchala is possessed by the spirit of Queen Bhaagamathie. Another brilliant horror thriller from Anushka after Arundathi, Bhaagamathie is a great watch for many reasons.
6. Aval (2017)
- Writer-Director: Milind Rau
- Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 6.7/10
- Cast: Siddharth, Andrea Jeremiah, Anisha Victor
- Genre: Horror/Drama
- Where to Watch: Jio Cinema
When a neurosurgeon and his wife move into their new house, they quickly realize that their house next door is haunted. Although reluctant at first, the neurosurgeon is forced to believe in the existence of the supernatural after repeated strange incidents.
7. Pisaasu (2014)
- Writer-Director: Mysskin
- Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.5/10
- Cast: Prayaga Martin, Radha Ravi, Kalyani N
- Genre: Horror/Romance
- Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar
A spine-chilling horror film from director Mysskin, Pisaasu stands out for its out-of-the-box story. When a teenager loses her life in an accident, she continues to haunt the man who tried to save her life. But once he finds out the true reason behind her death, he sets out to avenge her. Pisaasu was way ahead of its time in terms of storytelling and execution.
8. Pizza (2012)
- Writer-Director: Karthik Subbaraj
- Runtime: 2 hours
- IMDB Rating: 8/10
- Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simha, Ramya Nambeesan, Pooja Ramachandran
- Genre: Horror/Romance
- Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar
Karthik Subbaraj started his directorial career with the horror thriller Pizza in 2012. The movie gets its name from the central theme of a pizza delivery boy, portrayed by Vijay Sethupathi. However, the significance of the title goes beyond that, as each slice of the pizza symbolizes a unique story that ultimately forms a cohesive whole. Pizza remains one of Karthik Subbaraj's most eccentric films, showcasing exceptional writing and out-of-the-box ideas.
9. Yavarum Nalum (2009)
- Writer-Director: Vikram Kumar
- Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 7.3
- Cast: R.Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Sachin Khedekar
- Genre: Horror/Mystery
- Where to Watch: Prime Video/Disney+Hotstar
Yavarum Nalum, also known as 13B: Fear Has A New Address is a Tamil language horror thriller that still stands tall as one of the best horror movies to emerge from South Indian cinema. Despite following a simple plot, the film boasts an intriguing and fast-paced screenplay that always keeps you on the edge of your seat, or sofa, wherever you decide to watch it from.
10. Manichitrathazhu (1993)
- Writer-Director: Priyadarshan
- Runtime: 2 hours 49 minutes
- IMDB Rating: 8.8/10
- Cast: Mohanlal, Shobana, Suresh Gopi
- Genre: Horror/Mystery
- Where to Watch: Prime Video/Disney+Hotstar
It wouldn’t be too far from the truth to say that Manichitrathazhlu is one of, if not the most influential horror films in Indian cinema. The 1993 film has been remade on several occasions, with most of the remakes being superhits in their respective languages. How can one go wrong when the base material is so strong?
ALSO READ: 15 Must-watch South Indian movies according to IMDb ratings - 777 Charlie to Praana
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