List of Malayalam horror films

The Malayalam cinema industry has quite a few horror films. Below is a chronological list of Malayalam films.

Yakshiyum Njanum (2010)

Cast: Gautham, Meghana Raj, Thilakan, Sphadikam George

The movie Yakshiyum Njanum is about the social circumstances in society, with horror and fantasy. The film revolves around the fairy Athira played (Meghana Raj) and Shyam (Gautham) the hero. Thilakan enacts the role of an astrologer, Narayanji. Mala Aravidan as Vatmiki an sorcerer. Captan Raju as Athira's father, Sphadikam George as Minister Madhavan (the villain) and Parur Ramachandran as Gounder.

In Ghost House Inn (2010)

Director: Lal

Cast: Mukesh, Jagadish, Siddique, Ashokan,Radhika, Nedumudi Venu

The movie starts with the flashback of an incident which took place 70 years ago, in Dorothy bungalow, where Madam Dorothy kills her husband, his mistress and the driver.

The story shifts to the present day, where Thomas Kutty buys a bungalow in Ooty with the cash which he received in 2 Harihar Nagar, with the intent of converting it into a resort. The property is believed to be haunted by the ghost of the mistress who was killed 70 years before. Then in the middle they see Father Dominico who tells that the foursome are in the path of bad things. They don't care of the words but then the people who was kept by Thomas Kutty, the housekeepers, also went back saying that there is ghost in the house. Everyone starts fearing as their wives are also there in home. Later in the clmax the secret is revealed that there is no ghost, it is just a trick to make money. All the people who buys the bungalow is ready to sell it back to Dorothy Madam, who buys it back in only half the money the customer gave them.

Chemistry (2009)

Director: Viji Thampi

Cast: Mukesh, Vineeth, Saranya Mohan, Shilpa Bala

The story begins when three Plus-One students are found dead inside the classroom of the Mount Academy School. SP Sreekanth (Mukesh) is in charge of the investigation and though he makes his dramatic entries followed by elaborate questioning sessions and so on, he finds out virtually nothing till the end. In fact, the mystery is being solved by the ghost of a dead girl, Gowri (Shilpa Bala). The ghost gets into the body of the cop's niece, Parvathy (Saranya Mohan) to seek vengeance on the miscreants. Vineeth plays Aloshy, the dance teacher at the school.^[1]

Kana Kanmani (2009)

Director: Akku Akbar

Cast: Jayaram, Padma Priya, Baby Nivedita, Sukumari, Vijaya Raghavan

Roy (Jayaram) a Christian and a successful architect and Maya (Padmapriya) a Brahmin girl are happily married and live in a cozy luxury apartment, with their little daughter, Anakha (Baby Nivedita). One fine day on the insistence of Anakha they go for a short vacation to an old bungalow where they had lived before in a remote hill station and soon, certain strange things start happening in their lives. a girl came to their daughters body and rest find out !!^[2]

Winter(2009)

Director: Dipu

Cast: Jayaram, Bhavana

Dr.Ramdas (Jayaram) is a surgeon, married to Shyama (Bhavana) and the couple has two young daughters. They decide to shift their residence after their elder kid develops some psychiatric problem. The new bungalow that they buy is a perfect one for a spooky tale, standing tall in a deserted village. The incidents that happen from then on are meant to sound and look scary to the hilt, but instead you find it contrived or artificial.^[3]

Sooryakireedam (2007)

Director: George Kithu

Cast: Indrajith, Shammi Thilakan, Remya Nambeeshan, Nitya Das

The story begins when Pooja (Remya Nambeeshan) and three of her fellow engineering students decide to occupy a lonely bungalow, during their study leave. The girls enjoy their stint there but little do they realize about the trouble in store for them! Pooja falls sick with the ghost of a young woman, Urmila (Nitya Das), getting into her body. A kurta-clad tantrik, Vishnu Narayanan (Shammi Thilakan), is brought in by the girl's father (Subair).

He finds out that Urmila had committed suicide in an effort to save her life from the fiery Sivaram (Indrajith). Now, the ghost is all set to take revenge upon Sivaram, who has a doctorate in metaphysics and has been doing studies in black-magic ever since. Believe it or faint, his powers rest on three lights. The film is all about the revenge of the ghost and ends on a happy note as the evil yields to the good.^[4]

Moonnamathoral(2006)

Director: V.K.Prakash

Cast: Jayaram, Vineeth, Indrajith, Jyothirmayi, Samvrutha, Sherin

Two good looking young nurses Annie (Sherin) and Aunupama (Samvrutha) decides to live in an old palace in the woods. It is a perfect setting for a horror film! The palace caretaker (Mala Aravindan) says it is a perfectly safe place for the girls to live! Soon the girl’s starts seeing things like a boy with a tennis ball, a lady dressed in white and other ominous signs that make them believe that the place is haunted.

Their boss is Dr Arun (Vineeth), a psychiatrist for whom Anupama has a secret admiration. Then comes the knock out twist at the interval point. Post interval you find a cop (Jayaram) and his wife (Jyothirmayi) a fiction writer living in the old palace. Soon the wife gets possessed by the spirits residing there. Ouseppachan’s background score and two songs shot in music video style are good. Technically the film is good with soft lighting and mood infusing camerawork by Lokanathan.^[5]

Anandabhadram (2005)

Director: Santosh Sivan

Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kavya Madhavan, Manoj K Jayan

The story begins with Anandan (Prithviraj), visiting his native village, Sivapuram. His purpose of visit is to dissolve her ashes in a river near Manthrikapura, a mystical garden, and light a lamp in Sivakavu, a strange and dark place in Sivapuram. Anandan, when he was young, had heard so many bedtime stories from his mother about the people and the places in Sivapuram. However, as soon as he lands in Sivapuram, Anandan finds out that what he heard and what he sees are different. To start with, the villagers warn him not to light the lamp in the forbidden Sivakavu. Since Anandan does not believe in anything supernatural he enters Sivakavu but only to find out that his life would never be the same again.

Vellinakshatram (2004)

Director: Vinayan

Cast: Pritiviraj, Meenakshi, Karthika, Salim Kumar

Vinod (Pritviraj) is in love with Aswathy (Karthika) a member of Lakshmipuram royal family, which has a lot of dark secrets. When Aswathy’s mother refuses to get her married to Vinod she elopes and marries him. Just before the birth of their child, Vinod and Aswathy make up with the royal family consisting of two uncles (Jagathy and Jagathish) and their wives. Later a child is born to them and Aswathy dies mysteriously during the delivery. Her grandmother is bedridden by now. The baby is looked after by the members of the family who start thinking that the little girl is possessed. Meanwhile a home nurse Indu (Meenakshi) is brought to look after the girl. Later Indu also gets pocessed by a spirit who is the ‘mother’ of the spirit inside the child!!^[6]

Aparichithan (2004)

Director: Sanjeev Sivan

Cast: Mammootty, Kavya madhavan , Karthika, Manya

Meenakshi (Kavya), Simi (Karthika) and Devi (Manya) are great friends and hostel mates. In college they are known as ‘3 Roses’ who have a penchant for getting into trouble. Simi’s boyfriend Chacko (Vineeth Kumar) always bails them out.

Once they are caught stealing the examination question papers and are expelled from college but they are not willing to go home. So Chacko arranges their stay in a mansion with a ‘thampuratti’ (Urmila Unni) who practices witchcraft on an ‘Ouija board’.

Meenakshi is drawn like a magnet to all this and soon she starts getting hallucinations about dead spirits. The friends then decide to go to Nelliyampathi, a hill resort where Vinod (Chacko’s friend) knows a forest guest house. On the way their bus crashes with a jeep and the friends are forced to trek through thick forest.

On the way, they meet Raghuram (Mammootty) a wild life photographer with National geographic channel. He has a great sense of humour but is always drunk. Initially he is irritating for the girls but later he becomes a sort of guardian angel to them.

Raghuram has a past, and he tells them about Kalyani (Mahi Vij) a village chief’s daughter whom he had met as she had striking similarity with his sister. But one day she disappears mysteriously. The film moves towards a revetting climax as startling truths starts revealing one by one. Who is Raghuram? Where is Kalyani? Who are the ghosts? The mystery is solved in the end, which forms the highlight of the film.^[7]

Agninakshathram (2004)

Director: Karim

Cast: Suresh Gopi, Biju Menon, Siddique, Aishwarya, Indraja, Jagathy Sreekumar

The film revolves around Rudra, the little daughter of Aniyan Thampuran of Thirumangalam Palace. She possesses supernatural powers. Her predictions come true. The people throng to her house. A new servant named Maanthappan who is actually Chudala, a man who is an expert in black magic comes as a servant. Thalakulaththoor Thampy comes to protect the little child, whose life itself is under threat. Baby Sanika plays Rudra. Suresh Gopi dons the role of Thalakulaththoor Thampy, Siddique is Chudala. Biju Menon, Jagathy Sreekumar, Indraja, Aiswarya are in the cast. Though scripted by S.N.Swamy the director leans too heavily on special effects and graphics. Background score by Raveendran and effective cinematography by Madhu Ambat are the plus points of the film.

Pakalpooram (2002)

Directors: Anil, Babu Pisharadi

Cast: Mukesh, Geethu Mohandas, Salim Kumar

The story was set in Sooryamagalam. Brahmadattan Namboothiri has, tamed and contained and evil spirit, years ago, before being tamed the evil spirit has vowed, vengeance on his family, by killing his son.30 years later, his youngest son, Gauridasan (Mukesh) reaches back to the house unexpedly and his mission was to restore the dignity of him mother and to, claim to his paternal lineage. The event takes a twist here, and he has been assigned to tame the very spirit, which his famed had contained in the Sooryamagalam. In turn he meets Seemathini (Geethu Mohandas). This relationship is the crux of the story, which decides the flow of events that follows. He fails to tame the evil spirit and returns home with seemandini, and the matters never ends there for him, he has so much more in store for him.^[8]

Ee Bhargavi Nilayam (2002)

Director: Benny P Thomas

Cast: Suresh Krishna, Vani Viswanath, Vineetha,sri kutty

Ee Bhargavi Nilayam movie tells lovers commit suicide. As a result the village has no rains for years and the festival in the temple never take place. It is predicted that a man will come across the river and save the village from their sufferings.^[9]

Bhadra (2001)

Director: Mummy Century

Cast: Shankar Panikkar, Caption Raju, Vinayaprasad

Megha Sandesham (2001)

Director: Rajasenan

Cast: Suresh Gopi

Meghasandesam movie is all about Rosy Samuel (Rajsri Nair) who is a girl, who is madly in love with Balagopal (Suresh Gopi)during her college days but could not tell it to him. When her marriage is fixed she rebels and her parents allow her to marry Balagopal. On her way to tell Balu, she meets with an accident. She is a ghost now and when she meets Suresh she tells about her past. Suresh finds this an interesting plot and allows Rosy to stay with him in his estate bungalow.

Trouble starts when Rosy gets jealous of Balu's fiancee Anjali (Samayuktha Varma) and wants to kill her...^[10]

Indriyam (2000)

Director: George Kithu

Cast: Boban Alummoodan, Nishant Sagar, Raghavan, Vikram, Vani Viswanath

college students go on a trip to 1 of the students palace in the forest

Summer Palace (2000)

Director: K Murali

Cast: Krishna Kumar, Indrans, Mayoori, Praveena

where some couples go for holiday. while living in the summer palace they don't notice that its haunted.

Manichitrathazhu (1993)

Director: Fazil

Music Director: MG Radhakrishnan

Lyricist: Bichu Thirumala, Madhu Muttam, Vaali

Singer: G Venugopal,KJ Yesudas,KS Chithra,Mohanlal,Sujatha

Banner: Swargachithra

Producer: Appachan

Cast: Mohanlal,Suresh Gopi,Shobhana,Nedumudi Venu,Thilakan,Innocent,Sudheesh,Ganesh :Kumar,Innocent

Story: Madhu Muttam

Dialogs: Madhu Muttam

Screen Play: Madhu Muttam

Cinematography: Venu

Editor: TR Sekhar

Background Music: Johnson

The plot involves a young couple, Ganga (Shobhana) and Nakulan (Suresh Gopi), arriving at the ancestral "Tharavadu" mansion of the latter. Ignoring the protests of their superstitious uncle Thampi (Nedumudi Venu), they move into the mansion, when unusual and supernatural events begin to happen. Suspicion falls on Sreedevi (Vinaya Prasad), Nakulan's cousin, who is known to be suffering from depression who was his Murappennu, as nakulan had fallen in love with Ganga and didn't marry Sreedevi, Sreedevi's father had hurriedly arranged a match and got her married on the same days as Nakulan's marriage, but unfortunately for her the marriage was short lived and she was sent back home. Dr. Sunny Joseph (Mohanlal), a frolicsome psychiatrist and Nakulan's close friend, is called in to investigate. Soon it becomes evident that Ganga, affected by multiple personality disorder (MPD), is behind the mystery, haunted by a troubled past.

The mansion that Nakulan and Ganga are living in was occupied in ancient times by a cruel Thampi chieftain, who had imprisoned a famous Bharatnatyam dancer, Nagavalli from Tamil Nadu. There she pines away for her lover Ramanathan. Ganga who grew up listening to folklore and ghost stories from her grandmother identifies with the character Nagavalli. This empathy gradually leads to psychosis. When Ganga turns into Nagavalli, the characters of the household turn into the characters of a bygone era in her eyes.

Sunny correctly identifies the source of the violent happenings at the mansion, and convinces Nagavalli to renounce Ganga's body once she is allowed to execute the cruel chieftain. He dresses up Nakulan as the ancient chieftain, and at the crucial moment, replaces Nakulan with a dummy. Nagavalli in Ganga is fooled into believing that she has taken her revenge, and Ganga recovers from her affliction.

Aakasha Ganga (1999)

Director: Vinayan

Cast: Mukesh, Jagadish, Innocent, Mayoori

Years ago Manikyasseri family buried their maid Ganga when she became pregnant by one of the family member. Her soul was exorcised into a tree. Dasiy, during her campus excursion happened to play with the tree and then the spirit enters her body. He was the girl friend of Unni who was member of Manikyasseri family. Through Daisy, the evil spirit comes to Manikyasseri to take revenge.

Kalpana House (1989)

Director: P. Chandrakumar

Cast:Kapil, Jagathy Sreekumar

Veendum Lisa (1987)

Director: Baby

Cinemotography: P.S.Nivas

Cast: Prem Nazir

When His Girlfriend Lisa went missing for year the man married another woman and moved to Ooty, later his wife starts behaving strangely like a modern girl. She kills three men (include a doctor, a mute servant and the man's best friend) what he doesn't knoe is that his wife was possessed by Lisa after beating evil spirit tried released his wife Lisa was inside her body she revealed that two men raped her and burnt her body by servant. The wife accidentally released her to take her body Lisa was tearfully farewell her lover as she goes hevean in the end The Couple gave flower Lisa's grave.

Sreekrishna Parunthu (1984)

Director: Vincent A

Cast: Mohanlal, Soman, Rohini, Pavithra

The story is about Kumaran who is a complete rogue turns to be a pious saint & The temptations he has to suffer. it is based on the novel "krishnaparunthu" written by P. V. Thampi

Manasariyathe (1984)

Director: Soman Ambatt

Cast: Nedumudi Venu,Zarina Wahab ,Mohanlal and Jagathi Sreekumar

Plot: A Married couple and husband's brother moved to new home but hanuted ghost of murdered man

Karimpoocha (1981)

Director : Baby

Cast : Ratheesh , Seema , Johny

Sakthi (1980)

Director: Vijayanand

Cast: Jayan (the only horror film he acted),Seema, Sreevidhya,M.N Nambiar

The story begins a scary way, 2 men are travelling in an ambassidor car to a banglaw but they don't know the way to it. On the way they see a black magician who is Jayan's character's uncle. They ask him the way and he points towards the banglaw. After reaching the banglaw they start talking about the area. That time his friend says "Why is it deserted?" In the movie Jayan plays a ghost who has no shape. He tells his story when he lived and how he liked his shape.

Lisa (1978)

Direction : Baby

Cinemotography: P.S.Nivas

Music : K.J. Joy

Cast : Nazir,RaviKumar,Seema,Bhavani,Jayan,Vidhubala,Jose Prakash, Pappu,Nellicode Bhaskaran etc.

Lisa directed by veteran director Baby was one of the Best Horror and Musical flicks in Malayalam. Very good music scored by K.J. Joy is the main Highlights of this film. A village girl came to city for work and staying in hostel. Once she back from work entering to her room one black cat in the form of Ghost fell on to her in the darkness. After that she become the form of modern city girl - Lisa. Continuation of this Movie Veendum Lisa is also an avearge horror film.

Bhargavi Nilayam (1964)

Director: Vincent A

Cast: Prem Nazir, Madhu, Vijaya Nirmala

First horror film in the malayalam industry. The movie was released on 1964. It was a hit movie at that time. Bhargavi Nilayam is the only movie for which Vaikom Muhammad Basheer has written the screen play. The Screen play is based on the short story "Neela Velicham" by Basheer.

Nidrayil oru Raathri (1990)

Director: Asha Khan

Music Director:SP Venkitesh

Lyricist:Joy

Producer:Chakravarthy Production

Pachavelicham (1985)

Director: M.Mani

Banner: Sunitha Productions

Producer: M.Mani

Cast: Shankar, Madhu, Aasa, Soumini

Story: Cheri

Diologue: Thoppil Bhasi

Screen Play: Thoppil Bhasi

Editorr:VP Krishanan

Art Director: Devadas

Moodal Manju (1970)

Director :Sudin Menon

Banner :VS Pictures

Cast :Prem Nazeer,Sheela,Madhubala,Kumari Thankam,PJ Antony,Adoor Bhasi,Vincent,TR Omana,Kaduvakkulam

Story and Screen Play :Sudin Menon

Music Director(s):Usha Khanna

Lyricist(s):P Bhaskaran

Dialogs :Parappuram