The day to scare and scare has finally arrived! As Halloween is coming once again this year, let’s take a look at some scary and goosebumps South Indian horror movies that you can stream on OTT.
5 South horror movies to watch on OTT for Halloween
1. Brahmayugam (2024)
- Mould: Mammootty, Arjun Ashokan, Siddharth Bharatan, Amalda Liz, Manikandan R. Pickles
- Director: Rahul Sadashivan
- Language: Malayalam
- Style: folklore horror drama
- Runtime: 2 hours 19 minutes
- Where to watch: sonyliv
Brahmayugam, starring Mammootty in the lead role, is undoubtedly one of the scariest horror films made in recent times. The film tells the story of Thevan, a Panan (travelling folk singer) who runs away to avoid being captured by the Portuguese army in 17th century Malabar and sold into the slave trade.
As Thevan and his companion Kuran escape through the forest, they encounter a Yakshi (an evil female spirit) who seduces and kills Kuran. Fearful for his life, Thevan finds refuge in the ancestral mansion (Mana) owned by Kodumon Potti.
Potty’s kind nature allows Thevan to stay in the mansion, providing him with food and shelter. However, Thevan soon realizes that his host is not what he seems. Whether the singer survives or falls victim to darkness is the gripping center of Brahmayugam.
2. Yavarum Naalam (2009)
- Mould: R. Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Sachin Khedekar, Sanjay Bokariya, Amita Ranjan, Saranya Ponvannan, Dhritiman Chatterjee
- Director: Vikram Kumar
- Language: Tamil-Hindi
- Style: scary mystery
- Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes
- Where to watch: amazon prime video
Yavarum Naalam (13B: Fear Has a New Address in Hindi) is a horror thriller directed by Vikram Kumar of 24 fame. The film, shot simultaneously in Tamil and Hindi, stars R. Madhavan plays the role of Manohar or Mano, who lives in Apartment 13B with his family.
Soon after moving in, the family begins to experience a series of strange events, which Mano initially dismisses as coincidences. However, they start watching a TV show called Yavarum Naalam every day at 1 pm – and shockingly, the show starts mirroring everything that happens in their real lives, even predicting catastrophic events to come.
As Mano delves deeper, he discovers the apartment’s chilling history and terrifying truths that threaten his family.
Interestingly, many fans speculate that Vikram Kumar’s web series Dhootha, starring Naga Chaitanya, is based in the same universe – or possibly serve as a standalone sequel due to its thematic similarities.
3. Arundhati (2009)
- Mould: Anushka Shetty, Sayaji Shinde, Manorama, Kaikala Satyanarayan, Arjan Bajwa, Subhashini
- Director: Kodi Ramakrishna
- Language: Telugu
- Style: fantasy horror
- Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes
- Where to watch: sunnxt
Anushka Shetty starrer Arundhati is a fantasy-horror classic, often cited as essential in taking the actress’s stardom to new heights in Telugu cinema.
The story follows Arundhati, a young woman engaged to Rahul, who returns to her hometown to encounter mysterious and horrifying events. As tragedies befall her family, she discovers that she is the great-granddaughter of Queen Arundhati Sr. of Gadwal.
Her ancestors once clashed with a powerful Aghora, whose spirit has awakened to seek vengeance after being buried for centuries. The film shows how Arundhati accepts her destiny and confronts evil forces linked to her family’s dark past.
4. Shhh! (1993)
- Mould: Kumar Govind, Kashinath, Suresh Heblikar, Megha, K. Praveen Nayak, Goturi, Bank Janardan, Vaijnath Biradar, Mimicry Dayanand, Upendra (cameo)
- Director: Upendra
- Language: Kannada
- Style: horror thriller
- Runtime: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Where to watch: sunnxt
Shhh! is a Kannada-language horror thriller directed by Upendra, who is often credited with revolutionizing the horror genre in Kannada cinema.
The film follows a film crew that travels to the eerie Onti Mane Estate, which is feared by the locals. As they begin shooting for their film, a series of strange and terrifying events unfold, revealing the presence of a vengeful demon in their midst.
Who is the monster? Why is it out for blood? And what is its real purpose? Shhh! Skillfully builds tension while keeping the audience guessing till the end.
5. Nine (2019)
- Mould: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Alok Krishna, Wamiqa Gabbi, Mamta Mohandas, Prakash Raj, Amalda Liz, Uday Chandra, Tony Luke, Rahul Madhav
- Director: jenusse mohammed
- Language: Malayalam
- Style: science fiction horror
- Runtime: 2 hours 29 minutes
- Where to watch: jiohotstar
Nine (or simply 9) is a sci-fi horror film based on Dr. Albert Lewis (Prithviraj Sukumaran), a widowed astronomer living in Kerala with his 8-year-old son, Adam. After losing his wife during childbirth, Albert becomes emotionally distant from his son, while his late wife’s brother believes the child is cursed.
When a comet is predicted to pass close to Earth, causing all electronic equipment to stop working for nine days, Albert travels with Adam to the Himalayas to study the phenomenon. Their separation takes a turn for the worse when a mysterious woman named Ava shows up.
Although Adam senses something sinister about her, Albert dismisses his fears. Soon, inexplicable and terrifying events begin to unfold, sending Nine into a psychological and supernatural rollercoaster.
Now that you’ve got the list, what are you waiting for? Grab your loved ones, dim the lights and make this Halloween unforgettable with one of these scary South Indian movies!
