If you just finished watching “Tumbadchi Manjula” on -Zee 5 and found yourself craving for that perfect; chaotic blend of spine-chilling scares and laugh-out-loud humour, you are definitely not alone. Marathi cinema has truly mastered the horror-comedy genre in recent years serving up spooky supernatural tales packed with top-notch comic timing; unique local flavour and wildly entertaining twists.
To keep your watchlist stacked with the best thrills and laughs, we’ve rounded up four absolute must-watch Marathi horror-comedies currently streaming on – Zee 5. Clear your evening schedule – grab your favourite snacks and get ready to hit play on these cinematic gems.
1. Zombivli (2022) – IMDb Rating: 6.7/10
What happens when a deadly zombie apocalypse hits the crowded suburbs of Mumbai? Absolute madness! “Zombivli” takes the classic zombie genre and infuses it with a distinctly local flavour. The plot follows Sudhir and Seema; a young middle-class couple whose daily lives are flipped upside down when a sudden zombie outbreak wreaks complete havoc in Dombivli. As chaos spills into the streets; their path collides with Vishwas – a fierce slum leader, forcing this unlikely group to band together in a high-stakes fight for survival. Directed by – Aditya Sarpotdar, this hilarious yet action-packed flick stars – Amey Wagh as Sudhir Joshi – Vaidehi Parshurami as Seema Joshi – Lalit Prabhakar as Vishwas – Janaki Pathak as Anjali and Trupti Khamkar as Malti. If you loved the eerie atmosphere mixed with comedy in – Tumbadchi Manjula, the fast-paced survival madness in “Zombivli” will keep you glued to your screen on – Zee 5.
2. Benwad (2022) – IMDb Rating: 5.9/10
Stepping into a haunted town at night sounds like a total nightmare but in this hilarious feature, it’s the ultimate recipe for pure comedy. The story revolves around two brave (or perhaps deeply clueless) buddies – Sanja and Ranja, who take up a night job guarding the spooky – rumour-plagued village of “Benwad”. Things take a terrifyingly funny turn when an evil spirit targets and haunts Ranja’s girlfriend. What follows is a wildly chaotic rescue mission as the duo; along with Sanja’s girlfriend attempt to battle the supernatural. Bringing endless laughs to “Benwad” are comic legends – Bhau Kadam playing Sanjay ‘Sanja’ and – Sandeep Pathak as Ranjit ‘Ranja’, with director – Sumit Sanghamitra steering the spooky madness. Packed with brilliant comedic timing and bizarre situations, Benwad is a hidden gem on – Zee 5 you shouldn’t miss.
3. Altun Paltun (2020) – IMDb Rating: 6.1/10
There is nothing quite like a classic haunted house setup, especially when two unsuspecting brothers think they’ve just scored the deal of a lifetime. In “Altun Paltun” brothers Dhananjay and Yashwant are over the moon after buying a spacious new home at an unbelievably cheap price. However, their dream house quickly transforms into a real-life horror show, when strange and unexplainable events reveal that they aren’t the only ones living there. The film features legendary actor – Ashok Saraf taking the lead as Dhananjay alongside – Bhalchandra “Bhau” Kadam as Yashwant creating an iconic comedy duo that delivers nonstop chuckles. Under the direction of – Sandeep Manohar Navre “Altun Paltun” blends eerie haunted-house tropes with effortless humour, making it an ideal weekend watch on – Zee 5.
4. Cheater (2016) – IMDb Rating: 4.5/10
Ever tried pretending to be a fearless exorcist just to impress someone, only to find out the ghost is actually real? That’s the exact plight of – Abhay Agnihotri in “Cheater” Coming from a respected family of Pune pandits – Abhay is a smooth-talking liar and conman. When his wealthy girlfriend – Mrudula invites him all the way to Mauritius to cleanse her family’s newly bought home of a haunting spirit; Abhay happily accepts the free trip thinking it’s an easy scam. But once he arrives, he realizes he’s way over his head as real supernatural forces turn his scam into his worst nightmare. Directed by – Ajay Phansekar, the film stars – Vaibhav Tatwawadi as Abhay Agnihotri – Pooja Sawant as Mrudu and Vrushali Chavan as Sarangi. With its vibrant international backdrop and goofy paranormal antics, “Cheater” is a ridiculously fun ride to stream on – Zee 5 right away.
The beauty of Marathi horror-comedies lies in their ability to make you jump in surprise one second and burst into laughter the very next. Whether you’re in the mood for suburban zombie outbreaks; haunted village guard shifts or fake exorcists getting caught red-handed, this list has something special for every movie fan.
If you enjoyed the spooky entertainment of – Tumbadchi Manjula, don’t let your movie marathon end there. Head over to your – Zee 5 app today; queue up these four incredible movies and enjoy an unforgettable evening of Marathi horror and comedy.