Routledge Indian Horror Cinema: (En)gendering the Monstrous

Explore the overlooked world of Indian horror cinema with this academic study from Routledge. This book examines the unique and diverse themes found within horror films across India, providing a deep look into the genre's cultural impact. Readers will discover how these films handle the fear of the unknown, the supernatural, and occult practices. The text covers a wide range of cinematic tropes, including ghosts, reincarnation, vampires, zombies, witches, and the transformation of humans into non-human forms like werewolves. It also explores themes of communicating with spirits of the deceased. Beyond simple scares, the book analyzes the construction of masculine and feminine subjectivities. By looking at select horror films across seven major languages - Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Bangla, Marathi, and Malayalam - this work provides a comprehensive perspective on how horror is represented throughout the Indian subcontinent. It is an essential resource for students and enthusiasts of film studies and South Asian culture.