Apr 08, 2026 6:17pm IST
‘Bhediya’ to ‘Junoon’: 5 Indian Creature Dramas to Watch Ahead of Allu Arjun and Atlee’s ‘Raaka’
As Allu Arjun and Atlee’s “Raaka” continues to spark intrigue, one of the film’s most compelling possibilities lies in the genre space it appears to be entering. Creature dramas have remained a surprisingly underexplored space in Indian mainstream cinema, especially compared to ghost stories, mythology and supernatural revenge sagas.
But every so often, the industry has flirted with animalistic horror, transformation narratives and predator-driven thrillers that tap into something far more primal. If “Raaka” is indeed heading in that direction, it joins a fascinating if selective lineage. Here are five Indian creature dramas that got there first.
Bhediya (2022)
Amar Kaushik’s “Bhediya” remains the most immediate and contemporary reference point for any Indian film entering creature territory. Led by Varun Dhawan and Kriti Sanon, the horror-comedy turned its werewolf premise into a mainstream crowd-pleaser without completely losing its bite. What helped the film stand out was how comfortably it blended transformation horror with environmental commentary and regional folklore. It proved that Indian audiences are more than willing to embrace beast mythology when it is mounted with scale and confidence.
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Junoon (1992)
Long before “Bhediya,” Rahul Roy’s “Junoon” was already playing in a similar space. Directed by Mahesh Bhatt, the film centered on a man cursed to transform into a tiger on full-moon nights, turning desire, obsession and violence into a creature-driven narrative. “Junoon” remains one of Hindi cinema’s more memorable attempts at merging romance, horror and beast mythology, and still stands as a cult reference point whenever the conversation turns to Indian shapeshifter dramas.
Jaani Dushman (1979)
Rajkumar Kohli’s “Jaani Dushman” is one of the earliest and most unabashedly dramatic examples of Hindi cinema embracing monster mythology. Built around a shape-shifting supernatural killer terrorizing a village, the film leaned heavily into horror, folklore and revenge. It may have operated with the heightened tonality of its era, but it remains an important precursor to later creature dramas in Indian cinema, especially in the way it fused the beastly with the mythic.
Creature 3D (2014)
Few Hindi films have worn the creature-feature label as openly as Vikram Bhatt’s “Creature 3D.” Starring Bipasha Basu, the film followed a woman battling a monstrous beast lurking around a remote hotel. While the execution divided opinion, the film still deserves credit for committing fully to a monster-movie setup in an industry that rarely does so. For all its pulp, “Creature 3D” remains one of Bollywood’s most direct stabs at the genre.
Kaal (2005)
Part wildlife thriller, part survival horror, “Kaal” brought predator fear into a glossy studio-backed format. Set in a national park where tourists are hunted by a mysterious force, the film used the jungle and its lurking dangers to create creature-coded suspense. While not a transformation drama in the literal sense, “Kaal” still belongs in this conversation for how effectively it tapped into the fear of being stalked by something primal, unseen and merciless.
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