Arundhati

Kodi Ramakrishna's 2009 Telugu film is regarded as a turning point in Indian horror. Returning to her home town, Arundhati learns that she resembles her great-grandmother Jejamma; Pasupathi, the black magician Jejamma faced a century earlier, now comes after her. The story runs in two timeframes and is built largely through flashback. Anushka Shetty's double role changed her career and carries the film; the villain played by Sonu Sood was cited in Telugu cinema for years. The production moved beyond the habits of low-budget horror to the scale of a period film, with palace sets and visual effects. It was an unexpected commercial success and opened the way for large-scale films led by women. Who it's for: viewers interested in Telugu horror and fantasy and in Anushka Shetty's work. Who it's not for: anyone avoiding scenes of sexual violence and torture, or bothered by the period limits of the visual effects.