For those who prefer their horror with high stakes and blockbuster production values, Jatadhara was the undisputed event film of the year. Directed by Venkat Kalyan and Abhishek Jaiswal, the film is a large-scale horror action comedy shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi. The plot is ambitious, centering on a man born from sacrifice who becomes entangled in the ancient secrets and sealed vaults of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple in Kerala. The film marks Sonakshi Sinha's Telugu debut in a pivotal role as the antagonist, "Dhanapisachini" (Demon of Greed). Audiences on social media praised Jatadhara as a complete "cinematic experience," hailing it as a "paisa-vasool" entertainer that successfully blends myth, mystery, and a strong emotional core.
It is praised for its suspenseful writing, which keeps the audience guessing until the final act. Trends in Telugu Horror 2025
: A commercial success that follows four friends who challenge a village myth, leading to a harrowing experience of possession and isolation in a haunted village.
: Streaming services played an essential role. While movies like Kishkindhapuri enjoyed strong theatrical runs, they found massive secondary lifespans on ZEE5 and Amazon Prime Video, proving the genre's immense rewatchability. horror movies in telugu 2025 top
Directed by Koushik Pegallapati and produced by Shine Screens , this film became a massive box office success, grossing over ₹24 crore. Critics highly praised its chapter-by-chapter pacing, which shifts effortlessly from a lighthearted buildup into a state of sheer, unadulterated dread. Kishkindhapuri (2025) - IMDb
The actors also rose to the challenge. shattered his comedic image with a serious, hard-hitting role in 12A Railway Colony . Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas and Anupama Parameswaran delivered compelling performances in the genre-bending 'Kishkindhapuri'. Even established stars like Sudheer Babu showed their versatility by anchoring a mythological horror-thriller. This combined effort from the entire filmmaking community—writers, directors, actors, and technicians—has made 2025 an unforgettable year for Telugu horror, and the future has never looked brighter for fans of a good scare.
Use of Dolby Atmos and specialized sound design to create "jump-scares" that feel earned. To help you find your next watch, let me know: For those who prefer their horror with high
Do you prefer (ghosts/demons) or psychological (mind games) horror?
While 2025 has seen several hits, the following anticipated horror titles are set for late December or early 2026: New Telugu Horror Movies List (2026) - 91Mobiles
Ghatikachalam takes a different approach to horror by focusing on psychological terror rather than supernatural elements. The film is a psychological drama based on the turbulent life of a young man suffering from serious mental illness, and explores the strained relationship with his father. As the lead character wrestles with his personal demons, the movie delves into the influence of mental illness on both the patient and the family. The film marks Sonakshi Sinha's Telugu debut in
In 2025, the Telugu horror film industry experienced a significant surge, moving beyond traditional jump-scare tropes into high-concept supernatural thrillers and experimental "horror-comedies." This period was marked by successful sequels, big-budget "pan-Indian" supernatural epics, and the rise of grounded psychological horror that challenged rationalism Top Telugu Horror Films of 2025
Starring Sudheer Babu and Sonakshi Sinha, Jatadhara attempted a grand, often chaotic, but visually stunning blend of mythology and modernity. The story centers on Shiva (Sudheer Babu), a skeptical ghost hunter who doesn't believe in the supernatural, forcing him to confront the goddess of greed, "Jatadhara," after she awakens to destroy him for a buried treasure. While the film struggled at the box office due to its choppy narrative and overlong rituals, it was praised for its ambitious scale and strong buzz among niche audiences. It remains a fascinating example of 2025's creative risk-taking.
