Ghost movies, horror movies, horror thrillers aren’t exactly what comes to mind when one goes to watch or stream a Malayalam flick. Most of the older Malayalam movies are somewhat cheesy and introspective while the newer ones are modern and have a brilliant take on current society. Movies out of the ordinary was a fad in the mid to late 1990s which lasted till mid to late 2000s and most of them were bad. There were good ones of course, but we had to search and streamline them and find the ones that are available for streaming in India currently. That said, here are the top six Malayalam ghost films (that we could find) for you to check out this weekend:
In Ghost House Inn:
Synopsis: Thomas Kutty buys a new bungalow and invites his friends over to stay with him during the first night. Everything goes sideways when the quartet of friends realise that they can see the ghost of a woman who was killed 70 years ago.
Starring: Ashokan, Siddique, Mukesh, Jagadish and Nedumudi Venu.
We kick off this list with a film from the horror comedy genre. Set as a sequel to the films ‘2 Harihar Nagar’ and ‘In Harihar Nagar’, ‘In Ghost House Inn’ is a twist placing our beloved four character from a comedy thriller setting into a comedy horror setting. Stream this Mollywood flick on Disney+ Hotstar.
Ezra:
Synopsis: A young couple experiences paranormal activities around them after the matriarch buys an antique box. This box turns out to be a dybbuk and they enlist the help of a rabbi to understand its history.
Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Tovino Thomas, Priya Anand and Sujith Shankar.
This film talks about the small Cochin Jewish community in a fantastical setting. Cochin Jews are the oldest group of Jews to have come to India, who made their way to present day Kerala during the times of King Solomon. This movie is available on Disney+ Hotstar.
Devadoothan:
Synopsis: A spirit encourages Vishal Krishnamoorthy, a renowned music composer and singer and gives him the push he needs to produce his greatest ever music.
Starring: Mohanlal, Vijayalakshmi, Janardhanan, Vineeth Kumar and Murali.
This film is a different type of a ghost story. The dead ghost is a musician itself, and as such the film feels more like a musical than a horror film, but there is drama and tension to be found in this movie. Check it out on Amazon Prime Video.
9:
Synopsis: Albert Lewis, a widowed astrophysicist sets out to go on an astronomical research journey with his colleagues and his young son, which will be done in the Himalayas. Everything changes when he meets a young woman named Eva.
Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Mamta Mohandas, Wamiqa Gabbi and Master Alok.
This film has some science fiction tangled in its supernatural horror drama. The film talks about touchy topics regarding the loss of a loved one, how to face something you fear, unnecessary hate, etc. This movie can be streamed on Disney+ Hotstar.
Anandabhadram:
Synopsis: Ananthan returns home to light a lamp at their family temple, as per his mother’s wishes. However a black magic practitioner wants to use the temple to gain power and stops Anathan from entering the temple.
Starring: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Kavya Madhavan, Manoj K. Jayan, Revathi and Kalabhavan Mani.
This Malayalam dark fantasy film comes somewhat out of a classic folklore which many still believe to this day. Based more on black magic and the supernatural, ‘Anandabhadram’ is a tale of what a disbeliever would do, when confronted with the supernatural. This film is streaming on DIsney+ Hotstar.
Manichitrathazhu:
Synopsis: Nakulan and his family move into his supposedly haunted ancestral property. However, when his cousin starts behaving uncharacteristically, Nakulan enlists the help of his psychiatrist friend.
Starring: Mohanlal, Suresh Gopi, Shobhana and Thilakan.
The best film in this list, if you actually watch carefully you will notice that this is not a ghost film, but it has been shot well enough to give an illusion of one. The movie was well ahead of it’s time when it explored multiple personality disorder through a horror drama comedy. Filled with memorable quotes and dialogue, this film has a cult following like no other. This film is available on Disney+Hotstar and Amazon Prime Video.
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