EXCLUSIVE: Taran Adarsh on all 3 supernatural films of 2024 – Shaitaan, Munjya and Stree 2 – working at the box office, “This has been a very underutilized genre. We are making different types of films. Why not horror?”

This year may not have been as successful as last year. But it has turned out to be super successful for films belonging to the supernatural genre. So far, we have seen three of them – Shaitaan, Munjya and Stree 2 – and all three have worked big time at the box office. In fact, these three films are also a part of the 10 highest grossers of the year. Stree 2  that has entered the coveted Rs. 100 cr club by the end of its second day running looks posied to see it's business grow by leaps. Interestingly, two out of the three films – Munjya and Stree 2 – are from Dinesh Vijan’s Maddock Films.

The triumph of this genre this year was pointed out by veteran trade analyst Taran Adarsh on Twitter. Bollywood Hungama spoke with him exclusively on this trend. He said, “This genre has had 100% track record (in 2024). This has been very underutilized genre. Years ago, I distinctly remember watching a film called Jaani Dushman (1979) by Rajkumar Kohli in theatre. It was a huge hit. Also, Ramsay brothers made films like Do Gaz Zameen Ke Neeche, Darwaza, Purana Mandir, Hotel, etc. I know they were money-spinners because my father was one of the distributors of these films. They were like lottery. People were crazy for those films. There used to be horror films in those days, but it was still an underutilized genre.”

He added, “Ram Gopal Varma also made films like Bhoot and Phoonk and they worked. So, I feel it’s the return of this genre in a very big way this year. Stree 2 was riding on a franchise and over a period of time Stree has cultivated a huge fan base with the term like ‘Vicky Pleej’ by Rajkummar and Stree ki choti. This is desi entertainment. Even Rohit Shetty tried it, and it worked in a very big way in Golmaal Again. So, this is a completely underutilized and forgotten genre, should I say. We are making different types of films. Why not horror?”

Taran Adarsh also revealed the reactions he got after his tweet. “Last night after I posted that, you won’t believe I have got calls from three producers till now who have said ki yeh toh khayal hi nahin aaya,” he said. “We are always chasing love stories and after Jawan and Pathaan did well, we are making action films with south tadka also. Also, if you notice, all three films are not imported from the south. They are hardcore Mumbai based films made my Mumbai based production houses. And they have worked and how!”

Adarsh also added that supernatural stories find takers in India also because of the beliefs by the people of the country. “If you tell a westerner that a person would get possessed after eating a laddoo, he won’t believe it,” he said. “But we believed it in Shaitaan because right from our childhood, we are told not to eat anything given by a stranger. I remember my grandmother warning me not to eat anything sweet offered by a stranger. Even what is shown in Munjya, we have heard such stories like there are ghosts and spirits. We have also heard about haunted houses.”

Bollywood’s next shot at this genre isn’t far away and Taran Adarsh is excited for the same. “And now we have Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3 coming in in Diwali. The expectations will be huge again,” he said.

Also Read: Shaitaan, Munjya and Stree 2 – all 3 supernatural films of 2024 – turn out to be successes, 2 out of the 3 films belong to Maddock Films