HAUNTING THE PSYCHE OF MALAYALI: THE TRADITION OF HORROR IN MALAYALAM CINEMA

Abstract

Malayalam Cinema is well known for its making of exceptional horror films along with great films in other genres. It is quite interesting that Malayalam Cinema has had a tradition of horror from the beginning. The tradition of horror in Malayalam Cinema starts with A. Vincent’s Bhargavinilayam, released in the year 1964. It is notable that Malayalam Cinema attempted the genre of horror even in its early period.This paper tries to examine how Malayalam cinema deals with horror and thereby creates a say in the culture of Kerala. Interestingly, the culture of Kerala has contributed a lot to the making of Malayalam horror films and it in turn helped in shaping the culture too. So, horror in Malayalam cinema is an area that needs discussion and analysis.The exciting part of the study is that Malayalam Cinema has varied versions of horror. As Kerala is enriched with folklore and stories that engagingly instill horror, it is not surprising that Malayalam films have a say in the horror tradition. Not only that but also, Malayalam Cinema owns different kinds of horror films, each one linked with various cultures that exist/existed in Kerala. The study explores various types of horror films made in Malayalam. The paper also aims to examine the cultural connection that each type holds. Feminist Film theories and psychoanalytic theories provide the foundation for the study.