India's box-office horror boom: Haunted 3D, Obsession, Backrooms success decoded

Haunted 3D, Backrooms and Obsession are powering a strong run at the Indian box office. Their collections and strong box-office performance show a pattern of audiences turning towards immersive fear-led stories across markets.

In Short

• Haunted 3D emerged as the strongest performer among recent releases
• Backrooms opened better than expected in urban multiplexes
• Obsession collected around Rs 63.25 crore gross in 15 days

Horror is not a niche genre in Indian cinemas. It has never been. But, the theatrical run of recent Hollywood horror films in the last couple of weeks reveal a new pattern: audiences rediscovering their love for horror. But there's a slight shift in pattern. If the recent box-office performances of Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past, Obsession and Backrooms are anything to go by, audiences are actively choosing fear over familiar formulas.

Amid the release of content-driven Indian films such as Diljit Dosanjh's Main Vaapas Aaunga, Kangana Ranaut's Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata and Manoj Bajpayee's Governor, it was Vikram Bhatt's Haunted 3D that emerged as the strongest performer at the box office. Surprising, isn't it?

The response to these films underlines a growing appetite for horror among Indian audiences. The latest box-office trend suggests that fear-driven storytelling is increasingly proving to be a bigger draw than conventional dramas and biographical narratives, with audiences looking for immersive theatrical experiences and communal viewing.

What does the box office trend say?

Since its release, Haunted 3D has shown an upward trend in numbers. The film made a strong start at the box office, earning an estimated Rs 2.50 crore nett, or around Rs 3 crore gross, on its opening day, according to trade website Sacnilk. In four days, the film's nett (gross minus taxes) collection rose to Rs 11.55 crore in India.

Despite arriving with relatively low expectations and on a smaller scale than its competitors, the film managed to outperform other major releases. Most of its collections came from the Hindi belt, where it recorded healthy occupancy across shows.

Meanwhile, Hollywood horror thriller Backrooms also found takers among Indian audiences, especially in urban multiplexes. The film grossed around Rs 1.50 crore on its opening day, including premiere screenings, as per Sacnilk. In four days, the film grossed Rs 4.62 crore in India. Considered an underdog before release, Backrooms surprised trade observers with a better-than-expected opening, mirroring the positive momentum seen by Haunted 3D.

Obsession, on the other hand,continued its strong run at the Indian box office. In its third week, the film collected Rs 4 crore gross on Friday, June 12, almost matching its second Friday earnings. With this, the film's total India gross collection has climbed to around Rs 63.25 crore in 15 days. It is now steadily moving towards the Rs 100-crore mark, a notable feat for an original international release.

A wider shift towards immersive horror

Taken together, the performances of the three films point to a broader trend at the box office. It's not that horror films did not have any takers in India. But, the success of these three films also indicates that audiences are more open to receiving high-concept horror than the generic horror films that rely on jumpscare, spirits and exorcism. These concept horror films are increasingly proving to be reliable crowd-pullers, often outperforming mainstream dramas and star-led releases.

Their success also suggests that audiences are turning up for films that offer compelling concepts, effective marketing and a genuinely immersive experience.

Horror is not new to the box office and has long had a steady presence in the market. What appears different in the current phase, however, is that films are embracing horror in its purest form rather than blending it heavily with other genres such as comedy, action or drama.

Trade analyst Taran Adarsh said this commitment to the genre, along with content that connects beyond metro cities, has helped these films find an audience. He told IndiaToday.in, “To be very honest, it's the content that has appealed to audiences beyond metro routes like Tier 2, Tier 3 centres and the smaller ones as well. If you take Backrooms, it has targeted the right kind of audience. That is why it has worked well.”

Adarsh also said the quiet box-office success of Haunted 3D, despite the absence of major star power and strong pre-release buzz, reminded him of the Ramsay Brothers era, when many horror films were considered “money-spinners”.

He added, “Amid all the latest releases, Haunted 3D is the number one film. It is because the movie pushed the horror element, which has worked well for the team. Vikram Bhatt knows his game, and he has perfectly aced it.”

The success of these films also highlights another advantage that horror enjoys. Unlike large-scale action spectacles or star-driven entertainers, horror films are often made on controlled budgets.

Made on a reported budget of Rs 15 crore, Haunted 3D's box office collections indicate how the run has translated into healthy profits. When a horror film connects with audiences through strong word-of-mouth, like Haunted 3D, Backrooms and Obsession, the returns can be even more rewarding for filmmakers.

Indian cinema has witnessed horror waves before. From the Ramsay Brothers era to modern successes like Stree, Tumbbad and Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2, the genre has repeatedly proven its ability to reinvent itself.

What feels different this time is the variety. Haunted 3D leans into traditional horror, Obsession explores psychological terror, while Backrooms draws from internet-age anxieties. Together, they demonstrate that audiences are not just embracing horror, they are embracing different forms of it – and all of it in its glory.

As box-office numbers continue to favour fear over familiarity, one thing is clear: immersive horror may very well be the flavour of the season – especially after outperforming several homegrown films.

- Ends