For decades, scary movies in Bollywood meant haunted mansions, eerie forests and the stereotypical buri aatma. But in recent times, the makers have found a new way to send chills down your spine, while also raising laughter.

The genre of horror-comedy has been having a moment in Bollywood, with the success of films like Stree (2018) and Golmaal Again (2017). And, it looks like the trend is here to stay with several films in this genre being announced in the past six months. The latest is the sequel of Bhool Bhoolaiyaa, starring Kartik Aaryan.  The first part that released in 2017 starred Akshay Kumar and Vidya Balan.

Incidentally, the Khiladi himself is also acting in a horror-comedy Laxmmi Bomb, which is a remake of the 2011 Tamil hit, Muni 2: Kanchana. The flick will reportedly be based on a ghost seeking revenge for being wronged; thus, haunting everyone who is staying in the house.

Then, there’s Rajkummar Rao and Janhvi Kapoor starrer RoohiAfza that apparently revolves around a singing ghost who puts grooms to sleep so it can possess their brides. After Stree, this movie marks the reunion of producer Dinesh Vijan and Rajkummar and it will be interesting to see if RoohiAfza will be able to create the same magic again on the big screen?

Saif Ali Khan, Fatima Sana Shaikh and Ali Fazal will be raising thrills and laughs in Pavan Kriplani’s Bhoot Police. As the name suggests, Saif and Ali will be seen essaying the roles of ghost hunters, while Fatima will play the role of an enchanting woman. With the announcement of this film, the makers also revealed that Bhoot Police will be a franchise. 

Speaking about the surge in horror-comedies, trade analyst Amul Mohan says, “There are always going to be genres like these which stand out. A few years ago, there was Go Goa Gone, which can be considered as a horror-comedy. With Stree last year doing so well, it really put the genre back on the map. With such success, the makers see potential and a lot more people are wanting to experiment in that space.”

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh adds, “There is a need to experiment with different genres that people have not seen and I think the horror-comedy space is a brilliant idea. And with movies like Stree and Golmaal Again, there are numbers to prove that these films work. And it’s a lethal combination — comedy and horror, where you scare as well as make the audience laugh at the same time. So, it makes a perfect dose of entertainment.”

Speaking about the box-office prediction for the upcoming horror-comedies, Amul adds, “The expectations all depend on how good the trailer of the movies are being cut and how good the story connects to pan India audience. Every movie is not going to become a Stree.”