Content-driven horror genre remains a favourite in Malayalam

Arjun Ramachandran

Nov 21, 2025

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Horror has been a genre that has got wide acceptance among the audience irrespective of the language. Indian cinema has explored a wide range of subjects in the horror genre.

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Similarly, the Malayalam film industry has produced numerous horror films—many of which became superhits, while a few fell short.

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The latest addition to the horror genre is Dies Irae directed by Rahul Sadasivan featuring Pranav Mohanlal in the lead role. 

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Horror in Malayalam cinema can be traced back to 1960s, with Bhargavinilayam (1964) being considered as Malayalam cinema’s one of the first horror film.

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Later, in 2023, a remake of this movie named Neelavelicham (2023) was released with Tovino Thomas and Rima Kallingal playing the lead roles, however, it didn’t do well in theatres.

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In horror too, Malayalam cinema has explored many sub genres, such as portrayal of Yakshis, presence of black magic, and phycological thrillers.