Horror films are turning out to be highly profitable to the producers due to their low cost and relatively high return on investment (ROI). They have become increasingly popular among filmmakers due to their broad audience appeal and the ability to evoke emotional responses.
The fact that classic horrors such as Paranormal Activity (2007) and The Blair Witch Project (1999) were able to cross $200 Million globally, despite having modest budgets, owing to the collective thrill felt by the audience in the theatres further proves this logic.
The Indian Film Industry also seems to have witnessed this trend, with films like Stree 2 and Munjya crossing the 600 Cr. and 100 Cr. marks respectively, despite having relatively low budgets.
The low-budget productions of ‘The Ramsay Brothers’ also come to mind, owing to the vast success they were able to achieve.
Even the Bhatt family capitalized on the train of horrors by producing hits such as Raaz (2002) and Haunted 3D (2011). Ajay Devgn’s ‘Shaitaan’ became a massive hit as well, becoming the sixth highest-grossing Indian film of 2024.
With the classic urban dramas of Bollywood now shifting to OTTs, the vacuum of high-return projects seems to be increasingly filled by horror films, owing to their strong ROI.
The ability of horror films to draw younger audiences and generate reliable results makes them a key player in both domestic and global box offices.
