Read further to know about the first horror film of Bollywood, which was adorned with big stars. The 1949 film made with a huge budget was a blockbuster at that time.
Hindi cinema, known as Bollywood, is famous all over the world for its colourful stories, melodious music and grand film sets. However, behind this dazzle, there is also a genre that fills fear in the audience. Horror is at the top of the most liked films all over the world. The craze of horror films is not hidden from anyone in India either. In the last few years, horror films have also been successful at the box office. But do you know which is the first horror film of Bollywood and when it was released?
Madhubala and Ashok Kumar worked in the first horror film
The first horror film of Bollywood is Mahal. The film made under the banner of Bombay Talkies was produced by Ashok Kumar and Savak Wacha. The film was directed by Kamal Amrohi. Released in 1949, this film is one of the most talked-about and expensive films at that time. The mysterious story of the film, the brilliant cinematographer and the mysterious beauty of Madhubala made it a classic. The songs of the film, especially Lata Mangeshkar’s ‘Aayega Aanewala’, are still known for their mysterious tune. The success of this film opened the gates for horror films in Bollywood.
What was the story of the film?
The story of Mahal revolves around mystery and regeneration. The story begins when Hari Shankar (Ashok Kumar) comes to an old mansion called Mahal. The watchman of the mansion tells him the sad story of a couple who used to live there. The lover dies by drowning in the river and his girlfriend Kamini (Madhubala) also dies soon after. Hari Shankar finds out that the owner of the mansion was an exact resemblance to him. As the story progresses, mysterious events and the apparition of Kamini’s spirit start haunting Hari.
Mahal Collection
Mahal is one of the highest-grossing films at that time. It is said that Rs 12 lakh was spent on the film in the 40s, which is worth crores today. At that time, the film earned double the budget, i.e. Rs 25 lakh. It is counted among the classic horror films of cinema. This film is available for free on YouTube.
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