Rains are romantic for many. A good day to cosy up with a book as it lashes outside, followed by a warm lunch of khichuri and dim bhaja.
Not for all, though. For some of us, the dark brooding clouds and the fuggy atmosphere carry an element of ominousness. There’s a sense of uncertainty and a creepy solitude that make it a perfect day for lazing with a good horror film, with a tense background score to keep things racy. Here are five films to give you the thrills and chills if you are in the mood for it.
Raat (1992): A haunted house. A cat that stares deep into your eyes. A possessed woman whose eyes resemble the dead cat. Ram Gopal Varma’s classic supernatural horror thriller still gives the viewers sleepless nights. Heavily inspired from the 1973 Hollywood cult classic The Exorcist, Raat redefined the horror theme in Bollywood in the 1990s. Mini (played by Revathy) remains one of the most menacing characters in this genre.
Where to watch: Zee5
Kaun (1999): Everytime I’m home alone when it rains, and the doorbell rings, I am instantly reminded of this classic psychological thriller by Ram Gopal Verma. Starring Urmila Matondkar, Sushant Singh and Manoj Vajpayee, the movie has all the tropes of the horror genre. Written by Anurag Kashyap, Kaun delivers the punches and keeps you hooked right till the end.
Where to watch: YouTube
Bhoot (2003): There are very few movies made in India that make you numb with fear. Ram Gopal Varma’s Bhoot is one of those rare ones where you feel nervous and uneasy as the story unfolds. Urmila Matondkar’s brilliant performance, complemented by the tense background score, is more than enough to raise the blood pressure of the faint-hearted.
Where to watch: Youtube, MX Player, Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV+
Ek Thi Daayan (2013): I would have laughed if you told me that a lizard on the wall of an elevator can be scary. Until I watched Ek Thi Daayan. A spine-chilling saga of dark magic and occult, this film by Kannan Iyer is a slow burn. One might even call this a romance film. But there are elements of shock and surprise that propel you to the edge of your seat and gulp in horror. Konkona Sen Sharma’s plait adds to the thrill as well.
Where to watch: JioCinema, Netflix, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ Hotstar
Pari (2018): The name of the film roughly translates to angel. But this isn’t a fairy tale. Based loosely on gothic fables from Bengal, Pari is probably the first film to base a horror theme on Islamic folklore, rather than the usual Hindu lore we are used to watching on screen. With a taut screenplay, full of jump scares, ravishingly good performances by Anushka Sharma and Parambrata Chattopadhyay, and the effective use of atmospherics, the film directed by Prosit Roy will surely make you squirm in horror.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video