Raaz

<p>In , a group of college students are picnicking in a forest. One of the girls, Nisha, dies under paranormal circumstances after inexplicably attacking her boyfriend. Professor Agni Swaroop, an expert in supernatural beings, is called by police to look into the matter. After investigating, Swaroop discovers that Nisha was possessed by an evil spirit. He reveals that this spirit has awakened for a purpose and will not stop until that purpose is fulfilled. Sanjana and Aditya Dhanraj are a married couple living in . After an argument, Sanjana asks her husband for a divorce; Aditya instead suggests a vacation to work out their problems. They go to Ooty, where their relationship began, and stay in a bungalow near where Nisha was attacked. Sanjana starts experiencing mysterious events, including hearing a woman screaming in the forest, but Aditya brushes off her concerns. From the cleaning staff, Sanjana learns that the bungalow’s previous caretaker Robert disappeared without a trace. She visits Robert’s wife, who tells her that he used to hear strange voices from the forest, just like Sanjana. After Sanjana tells her friend Priya about the incidents, Priya advises her to visit Professor Swaroop. Swaroop suspects the presence of a spirit in the house. He gives Sanjana a lemon and asks her to check its color after sunset. Upon seeing the lemon turn red, a hysterical Sanjana tells Aditya their home is haunted, but Aditya still doesn’t believe her. Priya asks Sanjana to stay with her, but Sanjana wants to learn the truth about the haunting. The next night, Sanjana, Priya, and Swaroop visit the spot in the forest where Nisha was attacked. On Swaroop’s advice, Sanjana goes alone to talk to the spirit and discovers a revolver, which they later learn was licensed to a retired colonel, Arjun Malik. They visit the colonel and learn that the spirit is his daughter, Malini, who was mentally ill and escaped from the mental asylum several times before suddenly disappearing. The colonel also tells them that his revolver disappeared on the same day. Sanjana summons the spirit, believing it wants to tell her something. She learns that Aditya had an extramarital affair with Malini; upon confronting Aditya, he admits to the affair, which happened at the same bungalow where they are staying. Aditya rebuked Malini’s demands that he leave his wife and an enraged Malini committed suicide in front of Aditya to frame him for murder. Aditya, with the help of Robert, buried her body in the forest. Swaroop tells Sanjana that Malini’s spirit is attempting to separate Sanjana and Aditya, and its next step will be to kill Aditya. Aditya is told by Sanjana that they should leave for Mumbai immediately, but it turns out to be Malini’s spirit in disguise. The real Sanjana, Priya, and Swaroop arrive at the bungalow, where the maid tells them that Aditya just left in the car. Malini’s spirit runs the car off a cliff and Aditya is hospitalized. To stop the spirit, Sanjana, Priya, and Swaroop enter the forest to find and burn Malini’s body. The spirit attacks the trio, killing and possessing Swaroop. While being pursued, Sanjana finds Robert’s corpse hanging on a tree. She manages to find a petrol can and burns Malini’s body. At the hospital, Aditya is saved and Sanjana receives congratulatory applause. was initially approached for the male lead but declined the offer. Then it was offered to who also declined it. Portions of the film were reportedly shot with in the lead role; however, she later opted out of the project. Eventually, and , who were in a real-life relationship at the time, were cast in the lead roles. Dino later remarked that their off-screen bond translated into on-screen chemistry, which became essential to the film’s emotional core. The supporting cast included , making her acting debut, and as Professor Agni Swaroop, a . The film was primarily shot in , with its misty forests and colonial bungalows offering a fittingly eerie setting. Key scenes were filmed at . Additional sequences were shot in a suburb, with romantic portions filmed in , and select visuals in to enhance cinematic appeal. The film embraced a gothic visual style—favoring fog, shadows, and silence over —to evoke psychological tension. released on 1 February 2002 and grossed (equivalent to 1.4 billion or US$17 million in 2023) and was declared a ” ” by . The film was rereleased in November 2025. is widely considered a in the evolution of horror cinema in Bollywood. It combined themes with emotional drama, , and a chart-topping soundtrack, paving the way for horror films to enter mainstream Hindi cinema. The film’s artistic choices and box office impact have secured it a marked as a significant departure from earlier horror tropes. It was the only film in 2002. The lead performances by and contributed significantly to the film’s popularity, earning the duo a for ” and for ” . It established Basu as ” “, while positioning Dino as a ” “, with their on-screen chemistry becoming a key highlight of the film. Basu and Morea’s separation soon after Raaz added a poignant layer to the film’s legacy, making their on-screen high-profile relationship all the more spellbinder and remarkable. The film left a lasting legacy as first modern horror . It was instrumental in reviving the in , which had largely been dominated by low-budget productions throughout the 1980s and 1990s. With its mainstream appeal, polished production values, and a strong narrative inspired by Hollywood’s , reintroduced horror as a commercially viable genre to Indian audiences. In in 2003, was remade and tittled . Director acknowledged as a turning point in his career, leading him to explore horror in many subsequent films. American legendary filmmaker and actor Elia Kazan once remarked that audiences are like hounds—they can sense a good film from a mile away. We had no idea that Raaz would go on to become such a phenomenal success. There was no grand prediction, no formula—just a strong feeling that we were creating something meaningful, something that felt right. Sometimes, that instinct is all you have, and when it connects with the audience, the became more than a film; it became a benchmark for Indian horror. — The music, composed by , was one of the best-selling Bollywood soundtracks of the year and remains popular. Media outlets recognized as a breakthrough film in . It appears on various lists of top Indian horror films, including those by , which named it among the best Bollywood horror films of the past two decades, , regarded it among best horror film in , , positioning as a pioneer of a new subgenre and named “Best cult classic horror film listed the film among cited it among recognised it as also ranked first among best considered it as best horror cinema ever made. featured as a milestone for Indian horror. The strategic fusion was highlighted by , which placed it among the “Ten Bollywood horror films that redefined the genre.” , emphasized the film’s mastery and called “one of the best ever in Bollywood horror”. It garnered significant attention and acclaim beyond , earning recognition from several prominent international media outlets and film institutions. American entertainment publication has marked it better than the original. emphasized and challenged prevailing notions that horror was unviable for the Indian mainstream. It termed the film as “Bollywood’s horror revival.” Pakistani daily marked it as best horror film of the decade. situates in a lineage of romantic horror films that redefined visual horror in Hindi film industry. International media platform , called it a “Revolution in Hindi Horror”. , acknowledged as the film that legitimized Bollywood horror. The film’s success spawned a franchise with sequels— (2009), (2012), and (2016)—though none matched the original’s acclaim. noted the film for its genre-blending approach, integrating elements of romance and melodrama into a horror narrative, thereby broadening its appeal and influencing future . The film received positive reviews from the critics. praised Morea’s performance and said said that is “something different from the current trend… is a psycho-thriller worth a look”. The film was praised because of its unique story. of rated it 2 out of 5 stars, noting that while Raaz was a well-crafted film with the right combination for a psycho-thriller, it fully met expectations. praised for successfully reviving the horror genre in Bollywood, highlighting its ability to blend supernatural suspense with emotional drama. described the film as a trendsetter that made horror commercially viable and stylish for the Indian culture. The music of was released on December 8, 2001 and was composed by the duo , while the lyrics were penned by . Singers , , , Sarika Kapoor, and lent their voices for the songs. It was the third best selling Bollywood soundtrack album of the year and its songs gained huge popularity and became huge hits. According to the Indian trade website , the soundtrack sold 30,00,000 units, contributing to the film’s Blockbuster success. All lyrics are written by ; all music is composed by . The film was dubbed in Tamil as .</p>