5 Horror Movies on Disney+ Hotstar

A horror movie that taps into your deepest fears, adds another real-life serial killer to your list of people to freak out about, or makes you second-guess every blind date you go on, is the horror movie to watch.

For the more faint-hearted, then comedy horror movies are the vibe you want. 

The catharsis of a good horror movie that makes you panic and fear for your life while you’re curled up on your couch sipping wine is unparalleled. If you want fun comedy horror movies with ghosts and chudails, or intense horror movies with delicious plots, check out these horror movies on Disney+ Hotstar.

Stree (2018)

Hindi horror movies based on folk legends can either be terrifying or hilarious. Stree falls in the latter category but with an added layer of social messaging. In this movie by Amar Kaushik, a small town is under siege because of a chudail (witch) who preys on men during the four days of the annual puja period.

But even her abductions are based on consent. When she calls out to a man, and they respond, in her mind, they are consenting, and frankly, that’s higher than the bar of consent prevalent in society today. 

In Stree, the lives of women are represented with the roles reversed. Men are afraid to walk alone at night, while women roam freely. Vicky (Rajkummar Rao) is a ladies’ tailor who falls in love with a woman (Shraddha Kapoor) who needs him to stitch a lehenga for her. But he would be crazy to fall in love with a witch, right? Bittu (Aparshakti Khurana), in his quintessential ‘best-friend-to-the-hero’ role, certainly thinks so. 

The movie has plenty of horror elements, including a plethora of jump scares, twists, and jump cuts. With a powerful supporting cast of Vijay Raaz, Pankaj Tipathi, and Abhishek Banerjee, it is a riot with a fair share of profound moments and scares.

The Empty Man (2020)

This supernatural horror movie on Disney+ Hotstar is based on mysterious happenings around the “Empty Man” and mysterious disappearances of teenagers. When Detective James Lasombra (James Dale) stumbles upon a cult hidden behind a well-established foundation, everything starts unravelling.

Based on a graphic novel of the same name by Vanesa R. Del Rey and Cullenn Bunn, this bone-chilling horror movie does not rely on jump scares as much as it does on creating an eerie atmosphere. Just like in Bird Box (2018), you cannot see the threat; you can just feel it, either through the background score, the reactions on the screen, other striking visual details, and, ultimately, your imagination.

While watching The Empty Man, you will scan various locations along with Detective James to spot that little glimpse of someone who shouldn’t be there, whether it’s in the mountains of Bhutan, the expansive conference rooms where the Pontifex Institute holds meetings, or the dreary bridge where kids disappear.

The Menu (2022)

Do you know what Voldemort did during Hogwarts’ summer vacations in Harry Potter? He worked as a chef, and how. All jokes apart, Chef Slowik (Ralph Fiennes) is one of those rare characters who can terrify you but also make you hope that he doesn’t stop.

The Menu, a dark comedy horror movie on Disney+ Hotstar, is food theatre at its finest, with a sprinkle of horror and a healthy seasoning of social commentary.

Chef Slowik unravels one surprise (or horror?) after the other in front of a smattering of ungrateful elite guests. Through the vehicle of 12 courses, each of which represents a plot arc, Chef Slowik gives a compelling narrative about social inequity, snobbiness in the food-critiquing world, and male insecurity.

So, where is the horror element? Everywhere. The dining experience is set on a scenic island, but how do you escape this island if the chef becomes deranged? Then there’s the creepy way in which Chef Slowik’s crew responds to him — almost robotic, with smiles plastered on their faces.

The Menu is a  delectable, sometimes bitter but overall balanced meal that combines horror and humour.

Fresh (2022)

Horror romances are nothing new, but horror romances that highlight body horror with your beloved Bucky (from the Marvel franchise) can be chilling. The story of Fresh is a daunting reminder of stranger danger, no matter how disillusioned you are with dating apps.

Noa (Daisy Edgar-Jones) is a 20-something woman who doesn’t mind traditional happenstance meetings after a spate of unsuccessful dates through dating apps. When she stumbles upon Steve’s (Sebastian Stan) charm and wit at a grocery store, she cannot help but be impressed by the fact that he has no social media presence — a fact that is alarming for most but disarming for Noa.

But if American Psycho (2000) has taught us anything, pretty men have more than just skeletons in their basements. So when Noa agrees to go on a romantic getaway with Steve, the horrors waiting for her are a fresh (pun intended) and creepy take on food, meat, and all things delicious.

DD Returns (2023)

Here’s a Tamil-language comedy horror movie on Disney+ Hotstar that combines thrill, humour, and suspense with old-school ghost horror. It’s the third instalment of the Diilluku Dhuddu franchise. Santhanam continues his slapstick comedy from the previous parts, and this time, he’s heroic, comedic, and very entertaining.

The movie is about a gang of drug dealers who want to abduct a politician and his son, while another gang intends to steal from the drug dealers themselves.

Add a ghost to the mix, and it’s one of those funny horror movies that are a wholesale family entertainer. Some portions of the movie are set within a game, and watching the characters struggle through the levels is hilarious. If you are looking for a serious horror with profound themes or memorable jump scares, this is not the one. But if you prefer a horror movie that will not give you nightmares, DD Returns is an ideal choice.