Best Telugu Horror Movies 2025 -

Director: Swaroop Reddy Where to watch: Theatrical

Inspired by the "Jungle Lore" of the Eastern Ghats, Pada Veta is a survival horror. A group of tribal hunters accidentally kills a shape-shifting entity known in local dialect as the Neeli Kannu (Blue Eye). The entity begins hunting them not by chasing them, but by mimicking the voices of their dead relatives to lure them into pits.

Why it’s great: The cinematography is claustrophobic despite being set in open forests. It respects the intelligence of the audience, offering no exposition dumps about the monster. best telugu horror movies 2025

Director: Ritesh Rana
Cast: Priyadarshi Pullikonda, Rohini Molletti

If you thought horror comedies were dead, Ratri Veedhi revives them with a vicious twist. Set in a single night in the narrow, winding streets of Old City Hyderabad, the film follows three bumbling small-time crooks who decide to rob a "haunted" mansion. The twist? The house isn't haunted by ghosts, but by a Dayyam (demon) that feeds on fear. The comedy comes from the crooks’ attempts to rationalize the supernatural, but the horror hits hard when the demon starts mimicking their loved ones’ voices. Director: Swaroop Reddy Where to watch: Theatrical Inspired

Why it made the list: Ritesh Rana (famous for Mathu Vadalara) perfectly balances tone. One minute you are laughing at Priyadarshi’s frustrated monologues; the next minute you are hiding behind your hands as the demon contorts its body to crawl up a wall. The film uses a unique "silent scream" gimmick where the protagonist loses his voice midway, forcing the audience to experience the horror in dead silence.

Best for fans of: Evil Dead 2, Bhool Bhulaiyaa (the original), and survival thrillers. The Benchmark for Folk Horror While Kantara was

The Benchmark for Folk Horror

While Kantara was a 2022 pan-India release, its shadow looms large over 2025. The success of the "Panjurli" mythology has single-handedly shaped the horror output of this year.