The best Bollywood horror movies to watch are Tumbbad, Bulbbul, Stree, Pari, Bhoot Part One: The Haunted Ship, Chhorii, Durgamati, Raaz, Munjya and Shaitaan. They range from folklore-based period horror to horror comedy, and several are recent hits. Tumbbad and Stree are the best starting points for most viewers.
Hindi cinema is best known for music, romance and action, and horror was long treated as a small, low-budget genre. That has changed in recent years. The success of Stree 2 and the re-release of Tumbbad in 2024 showed that audiences will turn up for well-made scary films. This list was updated in October 2026.
Quick guide
| Film | Year | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Tumbbad | 2018 | Folklore, period horror |
| Bulbbul | 2020 | Period horror |
| Stree | 2018 | Horror comedy |
| Shaitaan | 2024 | Supernatural thriller |
| Munjya | 2024 | Horror comedy |
| Raaz | 2002 | Haunted house |
1. Tumbbad (2018)
Sohum Shah plays Vinayak, a man in a Maharashtra village who keeps going back to a cursed source of gold guarded by a demon-like being. Directed by Rahi Anil Barve, with Anand Gandhi as co-director, it was the first Indian film to screen in the Critics’ Week section at the Venice Film Festival.
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It was not a big hit on first release, but its 2024 re-release earned over Rs 38 crore and became the highest-grossing re-release in Indian cinema. A sequel has been confirmed.
2. Bulbbul (2020)
Written and directed by Anvita Dutt and produced by Anushka Sharma’s Clean Slate Filmz, Bulbbul premiered on Netflix. Set in the Bengal Presidency in the 1880s, it follows a child bride who grows into the lady of a large estate while villagers blame a chudail for a string of killings.
Tripti Dimri plays the lead, with Avinash Tiwary, Paoli Dam and Rahul Bose. Its red-tinted visuals and comment on patriarchy made it stand out.
3. Stree (2018)
Directed by Amar Kaushik and starring Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor, Stree is set in Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, where a female spirit is said to carry away men at night during a festival. It mixes laughs and scares, with a sharp take on how women are treated.
Its sequel Stree 2 (2024) grossed about Rs 875 crore worldwide and became the highest-grossing Hindi film of that year. Both films are part of what is now called the Maddock Horror Comedy Universe.
4. Pari (2018)
Anushka Sharma plays Rukhsana, a frightened woman found chained in a forest hut, and Parambrata Chattopadhyay plays the gentle man who takes her in. Directed by Prosit Roy, it is a slow, unsettling film rather than a jump-scare ride.
5. Bhoot Part One: The Haunted Ship (2020)
Vicky Kaushal plays a shipping officer sent to inspect an abandoned ship that has run aground at Juhu beach in Mumbai. Director Bhanu Pratap Singh has said the idea came from a real ship, the MV Wisdom, which drifted ashore off Mumbai in 2011. Bhumi Pednekar and Ashutosh Rana also appear.
6. Chhorii (2021)
Nushrratt Bharuccha plays a pregnant woman who hides in a remote village house surrounded by sugarcane fields, where strange things start to happen. Directed by Vishal Furia, it is a remake of his Marathi film Lapachhapi and deals with female foeticide. It released on Prime Video, and a sequel, Chhorii 2, followed on the same platform in April 2025.
7. Durgamati: The Myth (2020)
Bhumi Pednekar plays an IAS officer held for questioning in an old haveli, where she appears to be possessed by a queen’s spirit. Directed by G. Ashok, it is a remake of the Telugu-Tamil film Bhaagamathie (2018) and released on Prime Video. Arshad Warsi co-stars.
8. Raaz (2002)
Directed by Vikram Bhatt, Raaz stars Bipasha Basu and Dino Morea as a couple whose holiday home in Ooty is haunted. It was a big commercial hit with popular music and started a franchise. It is loosely inspired by the Hollywood film What Lies Beneath.
9. Munjya (2024)
Directed by Aditya Sarpotdar, Munjya draws on Konkan folklore about the restless spirit of a boy who lives in a peepal tree. Abhay Verma and Sharvari lead the cast. Made on a budget of about Rs 30 crore, it earned around Rs 132 crore worldwide and was called a sleeper hit.
10. Shaitaan (2024)
Ajay Devgn plays a father whose daughter falls under the control of a stranger, played by R. Madhavan, who uses black magic. Directed by Vikas Bahl, it is a remake of the Gujarati film Vash (2023) and earned about Rs 211 crore worldwide. Jyothika and Janki Bodiwala also star.
What’s new in Hindi horror
The Maddock Horror Comedy Universe continued with Thamma, starring Ayushmann Khurrana and Rashmika Mandanna, released for Diwali in October 2025. Kajol’s mythological horror film Maa, linked to Shaitaan, released in June 2025. A Tumbbad sequel and Stree 3 are in the works. For more film news, visit our entertainment section and our buzz section.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the scariest Bollywood horror movie?
Tumbbad and Bulbbul are often named the most effective, thanks to strong folklore, visuals and sound. Raaz and Bhoot Part One rely more on jump scares.
Is Stree a horror or comedy film?
Stree is a horror comedy. It has scary scenes but also a lot of humour, which made it a hit with family audiences.
Which Bollywood horror films are on OTT?
Bulbbul premiered on Netflix, while Chhorii, Chhorii 2 and Durgamati premiered on Prime Video. Other titles move between platforms, so check before watching.
Is there a Tumbbad 2?
Yes. A sequel was confirmed during the film’s 2024 re-release. No release date had been announced as of October 2026.
Sources: Tumbbad (Wikipedia), Stree 2 (Wikipedia), Bulbbul (Wikipedia), Munjya (Wikipedia).
