19 South Horror Movies That’ll Haunt You for Days : Must Watch

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South Indian cinema is popular for its strong storytelling but they are equally famous for their gripping horror movies. If you are looking for spine-chilling psychological thrillers, ghost stories, or horror comedies, South horror movies have something for everyone. South horror movie generally portrays supernatural elements that will haunt you even after you have finished watching them.

They have some of the scariest horror movies that give you the feeling of Japanese and Korean horror cinema. From superstitions to creepy folklore, in this article, we are going to share with you some of the best South Indian horror movies that will keep you on the edge of your seats.

Why South Indian Horror Movies Stand Out?

Strong Storytelling: Unlike typical jump-scare horror films, South Indian horror movies focus on deep narratives.

Mythology & Folklore: Many movies incorporate Indian myths, legends, and local superstitions.

High-Quality Visuals: Advanced CGI and VFX make horror scenes more terrifying.

Horror-Comedy Genre: Movies like Chandramukhi and Kanchana blend horror with humor, making them entertaining.

South Horror Movies in Telugu

1. Arundhati (2009) – Telugu

Genre: Horror/Action

If you watch South movies, you must have heard about the famous South horror movie, Arundhati. Anushka Shetty, who plays the titular character in this movie has done a tremendous job. The movie is about reincarnation and strong occultist spirits.

With a royal family background, Arundhati revolves around the hostility between an heir of the Gadwal royal clan and a wicked sorcerer who wants her. Arundhati is the reincarnation of her great-grandmother, Jejamma. After two generations the saga involving supernatural elements finally gets concluded as she fights the black magician who wants to kill her.

Director: Kodi Ramakrishna

IMDB Rating: 7.4/10

Cast: Anushka Shetty, Kaikala Satyanarayana, Sonu Sood

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Runtime: 2 hours 11 minutes

2. Masooda (2022) – Telugu

Genre: Horror/Drama

This small-budget Telugu horror movie surprised the audience with its gripping and thrilling plot. Masooda has spectacular visual storytelling with a perfect amount of jumpscares. The performances of Thiruveer and Sangeetha are outstanding in this South horror movie.

The story revolves around a single mother and her daughter whose simple and peaceful life gets disrupted when an evil entity intrudes into their lives. Both of them look up to help from their neighbor.

Writer-Director: Sai Kiran

IMDB Rating: 7.2/10

Cast: Thiruveer, Kavya Kalyanram, Sangeetha

Where to Watch: Aha

Runtime: 2 hours 40 minutes

3. Maa Oori Polimera (2021) – Telugu

Genre: Horror/Thriller

Maa Oori Polimera is another great Telugu horror thriller that deals with black magic. The film is set in a rural town, where there is a presence of dark magic. In a village known for witchcraft and black magic, a policeman sets out to investigate his brother’s mysterious killing. This horror flick will keep you engaged from start to finish.

There is also a sequel to this movie, Maa Oori Polimera 2.

Writer-Director: Dr. Anil Viswanath

IMDB Rating: 7.2/10

Cast: Satyam Rajesh, Sahithi, Baladitya

Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar

Runtime: 1 hour 38 minutes

4. Bhaagamathie (2018) – Telugu

Genre: Horror/Action

If you loved Anushka Shetty in Arundhati, you will also like this horror thriller from Anushka after Arundathi. The plot revolves around the fascinating story of Chanchala an IAS officer. She is interrogated in the Bhaagamathie mansion. During the interrogation, Chanchala is possessed by the spirit of Queen Bhaagamathie at the mansion.

Writer-Director: G. Ashok

IMDB Rating: 6.9/10

Cast: Anushka Shetty, Jayaram, Aadi Pinashetty

Where to Watch: Prime Video, Zee5

Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes

5. Tantiram (2023) – Telugu

Genre: Horror/Mystery

The plot follows the life of a man called Balachandran who has a bad past and prefers to be alone. But things change when he marries a beautiful girl named Alagini. Alagini transforms him into a jovial and loving person.

However, things turn bad when a supernatural entity, The Jinn, takes control of Balachandran. It causes him to lose trust and face horrific results. This film has also been released in Hindi.

Director: Muthyala Meher Deepak

IMDB Rating: 6.9/10

Cast: Srikanth Gurram, Priyanka Sharma and Avinash Yelandur

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Runtime: 1 hour 35 minutes

Also read: 16 Telugu Horror Movies That You Just Can’t Watch Alone

South Horror Movies in Tamil

6. Pizza (2012) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Comedy

It is a popular Tamil horror movie starring Vijay Sethupathi who plays, Michael, a pizza delivery boy. Michael lives with Anu, an aspiring horror fiction writer who becomes pregnant. While delivering pizzas, one day he goes to a bungalow and gets stuck there witnessing a series of mysterious and horrific events.

The mysterious circumstance brings a dramatic change in his life. In the film, each slice of the pizza symbolizes a unique story that ultimately eventually forms a whole. This film is a perfect example of exceptional writing and showcasing out-of-the-box ideas.

Writer-Director: Karthik Subbaraj

IMDB Rating: 7.9/10

Cast: Vijay Sethupathi, Bobby Simha, Ramya Nambeesan, Pooja Ramachandran

Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar

Runtime: 2 hours

7. Aval (2017) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Drama

Directed by Milind Rau, Aval is the story of a neurosurgeon and his wife who move into a new house. After settling there, they discover that their neighbor’s house is haunted. It seems hard to believe for them at first but the neurosurgeon soon acknowledges the supernatural due to strange occurrences.

Director: Milind Rau

IMDB Rating: 6.7/10

Cast: Siddharth and Andrea Jeremiah.

Where to Watch: Jio Cinema

Runtime: 2 hours 18 minutes

8. U Turn (2018) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Thriller

If you are a fan of Korean cross-genre thrillers, then this movie will be perfect for you. The movie revolves around Rachana, an interning reporter, played by Shraddha Srinath. She begins to investigate a series of unusual accidents at a particular flyover in her city with the help of a crime reporter.

She gets to know that these accidents are being caused by drivers who pick this point to take illegal U-turns on the road, leaving the road dividers. Her situation changes when she is accused of killing a motorist. Rachana’s life slowly steers down the tunnel of a supernatural mystery.

Director: Pawan Kumar

IMDB Rating: 6.9/10

Cast: Samantha, Aadhi Pinisetty, Bhumika Chawla

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Runtime: 2 hours 8 minutes

9. Pisaasu (2014) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Romance

This spine-chilling horror film stands out for its out-of-the-box story. It follows the story of a teenager who loses her life in an accident. After her death, she continues to haunt the man who tried to save her. When he finds out the true reason behind her death, he sets out to avenge her.

Writer-Director: Mysskin

IMDB Rating: 7.5/10

Cast: Prayaga Martin, Radha Ravi, Kalyani N

Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar

Runtime: 1 hour 54 minutes

10. Kanchana (2011) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Comedy

Kanchana film series is one of the most popular South horror films in Tamil. loved and adored across the country. The Kanchana movies are a bit long and you need patience to watch them. The main theme of the movie is possession.

Three spirits possess a demure young man and make him act like a woman. His shocked mother consults an exorcist to treat him. It follows a heartbreaking story of societal injustice, murder, and revenge. They usually use the possession element to tell tragic stories as commentaries on societal issues. It is a combination of horror, drama, and comedy.

Director: Raghava Lawrence

IMDB Rating: 6.6/10

Cast: Raghava Lawrence, Raai Laxmi, Sarathkumar, Kovai Sarala, Devadarshini

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Runtime: 2 hours 40 minutes

11. Andhaghaaram (2020) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Mystery

If you have an interest in films with both supernatural elements and psychological themes, then this is a must-watch for you. The story is engaging involving the lives of a blind librarian, a dispirited cricketer, and a forlorn psychiatrist who are looking for retribution and release. Their lives coincide under mysterious circumstances.

Writer-Director: V. Vignarajan

IMDB Rating: 7.5/10

Cast: Arjun Das, Pooja Ramachandran, Vinod Kishan

Where to Watch: Netflix

Runtime: 2 hours 51 minutes

12. Astakarmma (2022) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Mystery

The plot revolves around a famous psychiatrist, who does not believe in paranormal activities. However, while treating a female patient, he is forced to face supernatural entities.

The concept of black magic is portrayed in the film logically and interestingly. This is a must-watch horror movie available on OTT platforms as not a single scene in it will bore you.

Director: Vijay Tamilselvan

IMDB Rating: 6.2/10

Cast: Cskishan, Dharani, Nandini

Where to Watch: Zee5

Runtime: 1 hour 46 minutes

13. Yavarum Nalam (2009) – Tamil

Genre: Horror/Mystery

Yavarum Nalam, aka 13B: Fear Has A New Address, is a Tamil horror movie that is full of twists and turns. If you like Japanese horror movies, then you will love this one. R. Madhavan plays the lead in the film. He is at first portrayed as a family man excited to move into a new apartment.

But things take a different turn when the family faces a series of inauspicious signs. Amidst the omens, Madhavan’s character becomes obsessed with a TV show. The TV show’s events and characters seem bizarre and relatable to the man’s own life. As the show proceeds, he becomes desperate to unravel the mystery of the TV show. He eventually faces some horrifying surprises. The plot of this South horror movie is engaging. It has also been released in other languages.

Director: Vikram Kumar

IMDB Rating: 7.4/10

Cast: Madhavan, Neetu Chandra, Saranya Ponvannan, Sachin Khedekar 

Where to Watch: Prime Video

Runtime: 2 hours 17 minutes

Languages: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu

Also read: 15 Tamil Horror Movies That Are Not For The Faint Heart

South Horror Movies in Malayalam

14. Bhoothakaalam (2022) – Malayalam

Genre: Horror/Mystery

If you love horror movies of the haunted house genre, then you will love Bhoothakaalam. It is the directorial debut of Rahul Sadasivan. It is a story of a gripping family horror thriller featuring a family living in a haunted house. The cast has delivered a noteworthy performance.

Writer-Director: Rahul Sadasivan

IMDB Rating: 7.5/10

Cast: Shane Nigam, Revathi

Where to Watch: Sony Liv

Runtime: 1 hour 45 minutes

15. Manichitrathazhu (1993) – Malayalam

Genre: Horror/Comedy

It is said that this film is one of the most influential horror films in Indian cinema. There have been numerous remakes of Manichitrathazhu, the 1993 film in different languages. All of them became superhits in their respective languages.

Director: Fazil

IMDB Rating: 8.7/10

Cast: Mohanlal, Shobana, Suresh Gopi

Where to Watch: Prime Video/Disney+Hotstar

Runtime: 2 hours 49 minutes

16. Diya (2018) – Malayalam

Genre: Horror/Drama

This South horror film is about a woman Thulasi who gets pregnant before marriage. She is forced to abort the baby. Years later, her unborn baby’s spirit visits her in the form of a grown-up and is visible to her.

The spirit avenges her death by killing all those who forced her mother to undergo an abortion.

Director: A. L. Vijay

IMDB Rating: 5.6/10

Cast: Sai Pallavi, Naga Shourya, Veronika Arora, Gandhari Nithin and Santhana Bharathi.

Where to Watch: Zee5

Runtime: 1 hour 40 minutes

Languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam

17. Ezra (2017) – Malayalam

Genre: Horror/Mystery

This gripping horror thriller has a unique storyline. Ezra revolves around a haunted Jewish box that brings misfortune to its owner. It all starts when Priya and Ranjan buy an antique box from a dealer.

They start experiencing horrifying paranormal activities. After some research, they get to know that the box is a dybbuk and take the help of a rabbi to learn about its past. This South horror movie will hook you.

Director: Jayakrishnan

IMDB Rating: 6.6/10

Cast: Prithviraj Sukumaran, Priya Anand

Where to Watch: Disney+Hotstar

Runtime: 2 hours 30 minutes

Languages: Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam

South Horror Movies in Kannada

18. Chaarulatha (2012) – Kannada

Genre: Horror/Drama

This film is based on the Thai film Alone by Banjong Pisanthanakun and Parkpoom Wongpoom. If haven’t already watched that, this film will keep you on your feet. The movie is about conjoined twins Charu and Latha. Actress Priyamani played both parts in this horror movie.

The plot becomes interesting when the twins fall for the same man. However, during the surgery to separate the two sisters, one of the sisters dies. But her malicious spirit haunts the other sister, due to their shared romantic interest.

Director: Pon Kumaran

IMDB Rating: 8.8/10

Cast: Mohanlal, Shobana, Suresh Gopi

Where to Watch: Zee5

Runtime: 1 hour 57 minutes

Languages: Tamil, Hindi, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada

19. RangiTaranga (2015) – Kannada

Genre: Mystery/Thriller

If you love psychological horror thrillers, you will love this one. The gripping plot of this South horror movie will keep you guessing until the end. The story involves mystery, folklore, and supernatural elements.

When Indu visits her ancestral house with her husband, Gautam, who is a novelist, she experiences continuous nightmares. Thereafter, some supernatural occurrences reveal something shocking about her husband’s forgotten past.

Director: Anup Bhandari

IMDB Rating: 8.1/10

Cast: Nirup Bhandari, Radhika Chethan

Where to Watch: SunNXT

Runtime: 2 hours 29 minutes

Conclusion

With high-quality visuals, folklore-inspired storytelling, and gripping performances, South Indian horror films offer more than just jump scares—they deliver unforgettable cinematic experiences. If you’re a horror fan, exploring these movies is a must! So, grab some popcorn, turn off the lights, and dive into the eerie world of South Indian horror cinema.

If you love horror movies, these movies will definitely give you chills. Which one is your favorite? Let us know in the comments.