When Emraan Hashmi explained why horror films fail in India; 'Not too many filmmakers have dared to do it'
Actor Emraan Hashmi, known for his strong presence in romantic and thriller films, has previously spoken about why horror cinema has not consistently succeeded in India. While the genre has seen occasional hits, it has struggled to build long-term commercial momentum. The actor noted that horror fil
By Toi Entertainment Desk
Actor Emraan Hashmi, known for his strong presence in romantic and thriller films, has previously spoken about why horror cinema has not consistently succeeded in India.
While the genre has seen occasional hits, it has struggled to build long-term commercial momentum.
The actor noted that horror films often fail to reach their potential due to limited creative exploration within the industry.
According to him, fewer filmmakers have taken risks in developing the genre in innovative ways.Lack of experimentationIn a conversation with IANS in 2021, Emraan Hashmi highlighted what he believed was the core issue affecting horror films in India.
He pointed to the lack of experimentation and limited participation from filmmakers as key reasons behind the genre’s uneven performance.
He said, "(It's) because not too many people have worked in the genre.
Not too many people have explored it.
Not too many filmmakers have been daring to do something new and different and it is a genre that people have not been able to tap good aesthetics... but when done well, the audience has sat up and noticed,"Why Emraan Hashmi returned to horror with Dybbuk in 2021Emraan also spoke about his earlier association with horror films and why he decided to return to the genre after a break.
The actor had initially stepped away after working on earlier horror projects but later found a script that renewed his interest.
He explained that the storytelling approach and execution of the new project played a key role in his decision to return.
He said, "After 'Raaz' I wanted to take a pause from the genre but the story of 'Dybbuk' and the way Jay had constructed the narrative and how he wanted to really revamp the horror genre for our country got me excited.
That's why I wanted to revisit the genre."At that time, he was promoting 'Dybbuk: The Curse is Real', which was based on the Malayalam film 'Ezra'.Rooh marks his return to horror cinemaEmraan Hashmi is set to return to horror once again after a gap of several years.
His upcoming project, 'Rooh', is being developed as a large-scale musical-horror film designed for theatrical release.
The film is currently slated for release in 2027 and is expected to reach audiences across multiple languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu.
It is directed by Mayank Sharma.
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