Virupaksha (2023) demonstrated that there is a massive market for high-concept occult stories beyond typical ghost revenge plots.

The Telugu horror film industry, often referred to as a subset of Tollywood, has evolved from folklore-driven tales to sophisticated psychological and occult thrillers. While early successes like the 1978 hit Jaganmohini laid the groundwork, modern cinema has branched into diverse subgenres including horror-comedy, supernatural drama, and realistic psychological horror. The Evolution of Telugu Horror Telugu horror's journey is marked by several pivotal eras:

The Telugu film industry, also known as Tollywood, has been producing a wide range of movies, including horror films, that have gained immense popularity not only in India but also globally. Horror movies have a unique way of captivating audiences, and Telugu horror movies have carved a niche for themselves in the industry. This paper aims to provide an in-depth analysis of horror Telugu movies, their evolution, popular themes, and notable films.

If you want to understand the roots of the genre, you have to go back to the masters:

Praised as a "pure old school horror" film with a well-written psychological backstory.