Vikram Bhatt Compares Obsession To Raaz, Opens Up On Horror Genre’s Winning Formula

Vikram Bhatt says Obsession reminded him of his 2002 hit Raaz. The filmmaker also explained why believable fear, not star power, remains the biggest factor behind the success of horror films.

Vikram Bhatt speaks on Obsession’s success.

Source : Wikipedia

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Key points generated by AI, verified by newsroom

• Vikram Bhatt finds similarities between successful
• He states believable fear, strong storytelling drive horror films' success.
• Bhatt argues star presence hinders horror's realistic fear factor.

Vikram Bhatt has weighed in on the phenomenal success of the supernatural horror film Obsession, and his reaction has caught attention. The filmmaker believes the globally successful horror film shares striking similarities with his 2002 blockbuster Raaz. Speaking about the film’s popularity, Vikram also shared his thoughts on why horror continues to attract audiences regardless of star power. According to him, the genre works best when the fear feels believable and grounded. His comments have sparked fresh conversation around horror storytelling and what truly makes audiences turn up for scary films.

Vikram Bhatt On Obsession

Vikram Bhatt recently reacted to the overwhelming success of Obsession and admitted that the film reminded him of one of his own biggest hits. Speaking to Firstpost, he said, “I haven't seen Obsession, but someone was telling me the story, and I sat back, laughed, and thought, ‘This is Raaz.’ It's basically Malini of Raaz throughout the whole film.” — Vikram Bhatt

He also acknowledged the film’s quality and said strong horror storytelling remains the key to success. Vikram added, “My take is that if you make a good horror film, people are going to come. This one was really good.” Vikram also shared his views on why horror often works better without major stars leading the film. According to him, the genre depends heavily on realism and emotional believability. He believes audiences need to genuinely feel fear on screen for the experience to work.

He explained, “When you have big actors, you cannot possibly have them getting scared and running around. Either it starts looking like a comedy, where they are comically scared, or it doesn't feel believable.” — Vikram Bhatt. He further noted that audiences come for the fear factor rather than the star presence. Vikram said, “People come to experience the sensation of fear. They don't come for any actor. That's the nature of the genre.”

Obsession Box Office

Obsession emerged as a surprise blockbuster both in India and globally. The film stars Michael Johnston and Inde Navarrette in lead roles and reportedly earned Rs 77.95 crore in India. Globally, the horror film has crossed $300 million, making it one of the biggest commercial horror successes in recent times. The film is directed by Curry Barker.

About Raaz

Released in 2002, Raaz remains one of Hindi cinema’s most successful horror films. The film starred Bipasha Basu, Dino Morea, Malini Sharma, and Ashutosh Rana. The supernatural thriller became both a critical and commercial success and ended up as the second-highest-grossing Hindi film of 2002.

Vikram Bhatt’s Latest Release

Vikram Bhatt’s latest release is Haunted 3D: Echoes of the Past, a spiritual sequel to Haunted – 3D. The film stars Mahaakshay Chakraborty, Chetna Pande, Gaurav Bajpai, and Hemant Pandey. Despite mixed to negative reviews, the film has reportedly crossed ₹20 crore worldwide within 10 days. Vikram Bhatt’s comments have reignited discussion around what makes horror truly work at the box office. For the filmmaker, compelling storytelling and believable fear remain the genre’s strongest weapons.