India’s first horror film left audience in shock, made for Rs 12 lakh, broke all records, film is…, lead actors were…

This film was made with a budget of Rs 12 lakh, stunned audiences and shattered box office records with its bone-chilling narrative

Jun 20, 2025 - 17:30
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India’s first horror film left audience in shock, made for Rs 12 lakh, broke all records, film is…, lead actors were…

In an era when grandeur typically outlined cinematic success, one modestly budgeted movie crafted with honest Rs 12 lakh emerged as a game-changer. Its unsettling atmosphere, raw storytelling, and psychological intensity created a lasting impact that also lingers in conversations among thrill-seekers and made it Indian Cinema’s first dismay movie.

First Fright Film Of India

Here we're talking concerning the 1949 movie ‘Mahal,’ helmed by the legendary Kamal Amrohi, which was no longer best a blockbuster of its time nonetheless furthermore presented Indian audiences to the themes of thriller and the supernatural. Produced by Bombay Talkies, ‘Mahal’ was one in every of essentially the most dear movies of its era, with an estimated budget of around Rs 12 lakh (equal to Rs 12-14 crore as per on the present time), a indispensable quantity for the 1940s. The movie featured big fashions, spectacular cinematography, and necessary stars like Madhubala and Ashok Kumar, making it an intrepid mission. Kamal Amrohi crafted the legend as a mysterious psychological thriller, a genre that was comparatively new to Indian cinema at that time.

Stellar Affect Of Mahal On The Field Office

‘Mahal’ was theatrically launched on October 13, 1949. The movie rapid obtained recognition and, by its third week, was a nationwide sensation. In step with the alternate location Field Office India, the movie was declared a Great Hit. The movie grossed around Rs 1.25 crore (Rs 218 crore on the present time) in India, a file for that time. It was celebrated because the third very best-grossing Hindi movie of 1949, following ‘Barsaat’ and ‘Andaz.’ As of 2020, ‘Mahal’ remains one in every of the highest one hundred very best-grossing Indian movies in India. ‘Mahal’ featured Ashok Kumar and Madhubala within the lead roles.

Ashok Kumar portrayed a man who visits a mysterious mansion and falls in love with a shadow, represented by Madhubala. Her elegance and acting captivated the target audience. The legend intertwines themes of love, reincarnation, and thriller, conserving viewers engaged till the live. This cult classic laid the root for Indian dismay cinema and inspired later movies comparable to ‘Bees Saal Baad’, ‘Gumnaam’ and ‘Raat.’

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