Maryam Farooqui Moneycontrol News

Fear sells and there is no denying it. Thus, horror has been one of the go-to genres for many Indian filmmakers. However, success eluded those who failed to go beyond the usual tropes.

But Bollywood is finding its voice in the horror genre which is evidenced by the success of of films like Stree, Pari and Tumbbad. These three films are also a proof of this genre being commercially viable.

The latest film to join the Rs 100 crore list this year was Stree which became the ninth film to enter the club. It tripled its investment in the first week of release and surpassed every earning expectation.

Running for six weeks in the theatres, the film minted Rs 129 crore. Stree also ranks high in the list of most profitable films of 2018 and is also the smallest film in recent times to bag the tag of a blockbuster.

While Anushka Sharma's Pari was not as successful as Stree but it did manage to earn profits. The film with an investment of Rs 21 crore, pocketed over Rs 27 crore at the Indian box office. And the new offering in the horror category, Tumbbad is winning hearts of both the audience and the critics.

Taking its inspiration from Hindu folktales and mythology, Tumbbad has managed to spook audiences and keep them on the edge of their seats. Despite new releases the film is maintaining a steady growth with collections to the tune of Rs 7.75 crore.

A small-size film of Rs 5 crore, Tumbbad has redefined horror with strong story-telling, beautiful sets, stunning visuals making it a visual treat for the movie-goers.

Director of Indian horror drama Ghoul, Patrick Graham had once said that although India has a rich background of mythology, folklore, a very small part of it has been explored. But when it did, the world appreciated the effort.

Tumbbad became the first Indian movie to open at Venice Film Festival's Critics' Week.

For producers, it is the small cost of a film that makes the proposition less risky.

Film trade analysts also feel that the trick for a successful horror film lies in the director's vision and not on the star cast. The cinematographer and the music department also have important roles to play in this genre.

Also, the genre's low production has made them more accessible to first-time directors looking to break through the noise.

And at a time when online video consumption is increasing and over the top (OTT) players like Netflix and Amazon are aggressively getting more content to attract viewers, studios are looking at more risk-averse ways to reach audiences. Hence, horror is becoming even more important to studios’ bottom lines.

Until recently, Hollywood made the most of this genre. But as India is welcoming a new breed of artful horror, Bollywood's movies too are gaining steam that was once ridiculed for its attempt in this category.

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