In Pics | Spooky movies to watch before Halloween

Halloween, a day dedicated to all things creepy and spooky, is almost upon us much to the delight of the younger generation. With the festivities set to begin, here is a look at 10 spooky movies from different industries that may give viewers a couple of sleepless nights.

Mahal (Hindi, 1949) | Widely regarded as Hindi cinema's first major horror film, 'Mahal' revolved around what happens when the male protagonist learns a dark secret about himself after moving into an ancient mansion. It featured Ashok Kumar and Madhubala as the lead pair and emerged as a big hit at the box office. The 'Aayega Aanewala' number, sung by Lata Mangeshkar, proved to be one of its biggest highlights and soon attained cult status. Credit: IMDb

Don't Look Now (English, 1973) | The film focussed on the challenges faced by a grief-stricken couple and received critical acclaim for its chilling depiction of psychological terror. The film had an impressive cast headlined by Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie. Credit: IMDb

The Shining (English, 1980) | Jack Nicholson redefined the meaning of evil with his terrifying performance in the Stanley Kubrick-helmed classic, inspired by real-life events. It was based on Stephen King's popular novel of the same name and highlighted the psychological impact of fear. 'The Shining' received mixed reviews when it was first released in theatres as many felt that it did not do justice to the source material. It, however, appealed to the audience and proved to be a gamechanger for the genre. Credit: IMDb

Manichitrathazhu (Malayalam, 1993 | Widely considered to be one of the greatest Malayalam films of all time, it had pretty much everything--right from top-notch performances to a shocking transformation scene-- that one would expect from a compelling psychological horror drama. The Fazil-helmed classic was a showreel for its leading lady Shobana and helped her consolidate her standing in the industry. It was remade in multiple languages, which added to its popularity. Credit: IMDb

Raaz (Hindi, 2002) | The Vikram Bhatt-directed 'Raaz', loosely based on 'What Lies Beneath', had a gripping screenplay that was dramatic and eerie in equal measures. It starred Dino Morea and Bipasha Basu in the lead and emerged as a massive hit at the box office. Credit: IMDb

Bhoot (Hindi, 2003) } Director Ram Gopal Varma delivered one of the biggest hits of his career when he collaborated with Urmila Matondkar and Ajay Devgn for 'Bhoot', a Bollywood film with no songs. It clicked with the audience due to the Rangeela star's fabulous performance and its convincing storyline. 'Bhoot Returns', a standalone sequel to 'Bhoot', hit screens in 2012 and failed to live up to expectations. Credit: IMDb

Insidious (English, 2010) | One of the popular Hollywood movies of all time, 'Insidious' received rave reviews for its compelling screenplay and effective production values. It was directed by James Wan and helped him consolidate his standing in the industry. Credit: IMDb

The Babadook (English, 2014) | A chilling psychological horror drama, 'The Babadook' highlighted how one's worst fears often stem from loss and grief. The film was directed by debutante Jennifer Kent and featured a narrative that was heartbreaking and creepy in equal measure. Credit: IMDb

Tumbbad (Hindi, 2018) | The Sohum Shah-produced movie was set in 20th century British India and revolved around the hunt for a treasure. It opened to an ordinary response at the box office but became quite popular among cinephiles post its digital premiere. Its sequel is in the works. Credit: IMDb

The Vigil (English, 2019) | The film garnered a fair deal of attention due to its use of Jewish themes to spook the audience, which helped it emerge as a critical success. The movie was directed by Keith Thomas and featured Dave Davis in the lead. Credit: IMDb