Around 2,000 years ago, the Celts, a tribal group from Central Europe, celebrated a festival that marked the night when the worlds of the living and the dead merged. However, in today’s pop-culture portrayal of Halloween, we often overlook the folk references. As we explore terrifying tales from folklore, a sense of strangeness envelops our minds, revealing the chilling stories written in our ancestral history.

In recent times, Indian filmmakers have ventured into the sub-genre of folklore horror that hauntingly tingles the spine, tickles the nerve and baffles the brain of the audience.

As we near the Halloween Day, Shivangi Sharma, Chief Entertainment Officer, Excitel curates a list of top 5 folklore movies like Tumbbad, which lingers on your head and heart (literally), even after the credits roll.

1. LAPACHHAPI (2016, Zee5)A newly married couple, Neha (Pooja Sawant), who is 8-months pregnant, and her debt-ridden husband Tushar (Vikram Gaikwad), move into a sleepy, isolated village, only to confront something sinister. What, why and how is the question?“Lapachhapi,” meaning “hide and seek,” plays a psychological game of peekaboo. Through distinct storytelling, director Vishal Furia blends a social message into the realm of horror. He crafts a masterpiece where danger lurks everywhere, whether from the living or the dead. Whether it’s the spooky sugarcane fields, creepy characters or a chilling curse, this film blends folklore and societal evil with ease and is a must-see this Halloween.
2. PARI (2018, Prime Video)Ever got intrigued with the world of the Djinns? Ever wondered what unfolds when a Djinn encounters the human world? Pari is a tell-tale of the same. The story, set in Kolkata, features Anushka Sharma as a half-blood Djinn and portrays her journey into the world of the living.This supernatural horror film is a pure departure from the staple Bollywood horror cinema, in terms of editing, cinematography, storyline and of course, the concept of Djinns and Ifrits.

   The ultimate icing on the cake is the acting prowess of Anushka Sharma. Watch out for how she oscillates from one scene of subtle compassion to a frame of brutal horror, in a minute.

3. Ek Thi Daayan (2013, Disney+ hotstar)The most enigmatic element of Indian folklore has been witches (Daayan), with innumerable portrayals and interpretations throughout the history of Indian horror cinema.Apart from the famous romantic number that we still hum, this 2013 supernatural horror film serves a lot more to the viewers.

   The story unfolds the mysterious cosmos of magic and mysticism, wherein the lead characters (played by Emraan Hashmi, Huma Qureshi, Konkona Sen Sharma and Kalki Koechlin) find themselves trapped into, knowingly or unknowingly.This film unravels how the world of witches invades human lives, weaving a tale of love and evil.

4. CHURULI (2021, Sony Liv)Churuli, a Malayalam film, contrives a human world which looks beyond the space of reality and myth; science and supernatural; good and bad.

   Directed by Lijo Jose Pellissery, this psychological horror is a story of two cops (played by Chemban Vinod and Vinay Forrt), on the lookout for a fugitive in a remote village and yet, are unknown to the inhuman darkness that’s waiting for them.

   Right after setting foot into this bizarre world, where folklore meets fantasy, they know something isn’t right. However, the question is will they be able to escape from this maze?

5. Stree (2018, Prime Video)

A genre-bending horror comedy Stree brings on table a social commentary on gender sensitivity through the lens of an urban legend.

A ghoulish witch terrorizes a sleepy small town, but it isn’t that simple. She only hunts the menfolk with an agenda. Traversing this veil of mysterious folklore, Stree takes us through the age-old evils of patriarchy and superstitions.

Helmed by stellar performances from Rajkumar Rao, Shraddha Kapoor and Pankaj Tripathi, Stree is a new age horror film which challenges us to rethink what horror means.