In the world of 35 mm night terrors, there has been
a secret renaissance in the last few years. A sub-genre has taken over the
entire film world and has produced some of the most intellectual, rib-tickling
and surreal films of the decade. From micro budget scripts to big banner
passion projects, most horror fans have been addicted to this current form over
traditional jump scare films, archetypal slashers and films related to
folklore.
That genre is the world of Horror Comedy & Romance. A by-product that has
mushroomed films all over the world such as Go Goa Gone, Bhootnath, Bhooter
Bhobhisyot, What We Do In The Shadows, Housebound, Deathgasm and many more.
These films have gone further down the rabbit hole by exploring new techniques
of filmmaking too. E.g. What We Do In The Shadows is a mockumentary based on
four vampires living in a small house in Auckland, New Zealand since the last
100 years. The film follows the team of four on their eventful journey to an
annual vampire gathering based in the same city. Horror comedy and romance
gives writers and directors to play around with tropes that have been haunting
fans and audiences since the last few decades.
In 2013, Saif Ali Khan’s gamble paid off when he made the
uber funny Go Goa Gone directed by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna D.K. A film that
mocked the zombie apocalypse genre left, right and centre. While Go Goa Gone
mocked the horror genre, there were other films such as Bhooter Bhobhishyot
that used horror as a social commentary based on Kolkata’s changing
infrastructural facade.
And while Horror Comedy is a brand new genre, romancing
and guardian ghosts have existed in Bollywood since time immemorial. With
recent shining examples such as Paheli, Talaash, Om Shanti Om and now
Phillauri, we are elated as hell as thematic revolutions such as these gives
more room for uncanny and extraordinary experimentation.
On that note, we’re hitting the rewind button on
alternative horror and taking you on a trip down memory lane with some
not-so-scary masterpieces. Check the video above.