This Halloween, ditch your witch and Frankenstein costumes; instead, get inspired by Indian ghosts and spirits. While our mythological texts are full of rakshasas (Kumbhkaran is our favourite, dress up as him and just go to sleep if the party is boring!), we've picked a few iconic Indian horror characters from TV and films that continue to capture our imagination
The anti-hero cometh
>Tamraj Kilvish
If you are going for the grim reaper look, seek inspiration from Shaktimaan’s arch nemesis, Tamraj Kilvish. We are guilty of tuning in to the show every Sunday when it used to get aired, and every time Kilvish flew on screen it gave kids the creeps. And like Mogambo, he had a punchline too, “Andhera Kayam Rahega”!
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Bollywood’s freak chick
> Lady in white sari
Bollywood has always relied on a lady in a white sari with a candle in her hand for scaring the wits out of people in dark passages. We say, get this filmy inspiration and ditch the devil in the high heels look. Just don a slinky white sari, add a dash of red lipstick and with your hair open, you are a desi horror heroine. Don’t forget the payal (anklet)!
TV’s coolest ghost
> Betaal
This character comes from a Sanskrit text but was popularised by the television show Vikram Betaal. Flowing white hair, piggybacking behind a king and riddle-ridden stories interested several adults and scared several kids.
Honorary horror mentions from Bollywood
> The forests ghosts in Satyajit Ray’s Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne
> Shabana Azmi as Makdi the chudail in the film, Makdi
> Amitabh Bachchan as the loveable ghost in and as, Bhootnath
> The bride-killing monster in 1979 movie, Jaani Dushman