Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3, starring the emerging talent Kartik Aryan, garnered slightly lower earnings of 1. 63 billion rupees during the same period. However, its modest budget amplified its commendable performance.The movie reintroduces Aaryan, who previously appeared in the second installment, as a charming exorcist conman employed by a noble family to cleanse their residence of a malevolent entity.Filled with excitement and laughter, the movie’s captivating storyline has been attracting large crowds to theaters.The success of the film demonstrates a continuing trend in Bollywood, where horror and horror-comedy movies, previously considered niche, are currently dominating the box office.The trend took off with “Shaitaan,” a psychological horror movie featuring Ajay Devgn, managing to rake in over $25 million globally despite its humble budget. Afterwards, Munjya and Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank further solidified their success, notably with the latter emerging as the top-grossing Hindi film of 2024, raking in more than $103 million.The movie “Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aantank,” takes place in the make-believe town of Chanderi, where the enigmatic Stree, who used to prey on chauvinistic men, now finds herself confronting a beast that kidnaps independent women.The movie attracted full audiences for months, outshining other big Bollywood films that had difficulty in finding viewers.The industry experienced a downturn following the Covid-19 pandemic, as indicated by trade figures showing that most films failed to perform well at the box office.It’s intriguing that many of these horror movies didn’t gather positive feedback; in reality, some critics have scrutinized the films for their lackluster storylines.Their consecutive successes have brought a new breath of fresh air to Bollywood.The caption on the image indicates that “Stree 2” has become the top-grossing film of the year 2024.What is the driving force behind this trend?Mayank Shekhar, a senior film critic, suggests that horror-comedy cleverly taps into the audience’s primal instinct by skillfully balancing between fear and humor.Both of them are contagious. You can distinctly hear the sounds of both laughter and screams echoing through the hall.Movies like Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 and Stree 2 have also reaped the rewards of the triumph of their predecessors.People are attracted to these movies mainly because of their appreciation for the prequels, which makes them quite resistant to criticism, according to Shekhar.Apurva, a radio jockey who recently watched both films, believes that the reason we are drawn to seeing the sequels is our love for the original film and the desire to experience that same magical feeling once again.The horror genre in Bollywood has undergone a renaissance, evolving and transforming itself throughout the years.Contrary to the horror films of the 1980s tailored for an adult audience, modern horror films now offer a shared cinematic experience suitable for family viewing.
