Introduction Right from the screening of the first Bollywood horror film, Mahal (1949), in Bollywood, the typical Bollywood horror movie archetypes, such as Bhoots, Chudels, Aatma, Brahma Rakshas, etc., have dominated all movies of the horror genre. When the horror film Go Goa Gone was released in 2013 as a zombie apocalypse movie, everyone was curious about why the zombies were replacing the typical Bollywood horror movie archetypes (all derived from Indian culture, mythology and folklore), such as Bhoots, Chudels, Aatma, Brahma Rakshas, etc. The film Go Goa Gone was a very significant deviation from the stereotypes of Bollywood horror movies. This was the first instance where Indian filmmakers deviated from their usual horror content that includes Indian archetypes and adopted the western horror content element-the zombies. Moreover, Go Goa Gone received immediate acceptance, box-office success, and applause from the Indian audience. So, it is obvious to think about how Indian audiences accepted the monsters that did not belong to their cultural roots. What reasons paved the way for zombies in the Bollywood horror genre, which has always been obsessed with the Indian supernatural elements, rooted in age-old legends? Also, this post will try to seek an answer to the question that whether horror film writers should now focus on modern horror archetypes and write film scripts and stories that show western horror elements such as zombies, humanoids, vampires, etc. Let us try to seek answers. Reasons Bollywood Horror Content Needs a Shift from its Age-Old Archetypes Why did Go Goa Gone need to import modern horror archetypes from Hollywood? While Romance, action, suspense, drama, and comedy continue to be the mainstream genres in Bollywood, Bollywood filmmakers have experimented with ghosts, spirits, and paranormal movies aplenty. However, these movies focused on Indian horror elements such as Bhoots, Pisaach, Pret, Aatma, Chudel, Dayan, Rakshas, etc. Never before the film Go Goa Gone, have Indian filmmakers considered it worthwhile to put their efforts and money into a zombie film. Popular Western Horror sub-genres like Humanoids, Cenobites, Slasher Horror, Nature Horror, Mummy films, Body horror, etc., have never been attempted in Bollywood. But Bollywood started a different journey altogether with the release of Go Goa Gone (2013). Why? There is always a need to change content based on the current audience’ taste. Today, the Indian audience is more knowledgeable about global movie standards than the old generation. With better access to Hollywood films with OTT platforms, their tastes, expectations, and approach towards movies have changed. Besides, there are multiple venues to access films that were censored in India. This may have been something that prompted the Indian filmmakers to create India’s first popular zombie movie–Go Goa Gone. Let’s see some more reasons as to why there is a need for Indian filmmakers to import the horror archetypes from Hollywood: 1. Sophistication of Fear Since primitive times, man has created objects to express his inherent fear. Initially, the primitive man feared nothing but Nature. He was afraid of lightning, storms, fire, water bodies, and phenomena he was unable to comprehend. Gradually, when he learned to tame Nature, he was caught in a fix. He realized that it was fear that kept him alive for so many years, and now he cannot do without it. It may seem very absurd, but the truth is that man longs for his object of fear. He needs something to project this instinctive feeling. It is in this psychological dilemma that he created the Stereotypes of fear: ghosts, evil spirits, Rakshasas, the devil, and many more. All were the product of his own imaginative mind. With scientific development and the growth of modern society, man became sophisticated, and so his fears. In the modern world, there is little room for old stereotypes. Films such as Goa Gone Gone represent that sophistication of fear where the monsters of the past get replaced by modern-day monsters such as zombies, vampires, humanoids, and cenobites. There is a need for Indian horror filmmakers to bank upon this change in the fear archetype. They cannot keep serving the old dish to new age audience. 2. Elite Indian Audience Recent Bollywood films portray NRIs and upper-middle-class characters who are sophisticated in their manners and relationships. This group is the ‘elite class’ of India. Most recent Bollywood horror films, such as Ragini MMS, Bhoot, Creature, Raaz Reboot, Alone, and Raaz 3, were set in modern India and featured upper-middle-class characters. With Globalization and the rise in per capita income in third-world countries like India, the upper-middle class is a large group of regular moviegoers. Filmmakers know their profits will come from the pockets of these elite moviegoers, so they try to keep the settings of their movies relatable to the elite class. Hence, zombies find their way into Bollywood film noir. 3. Financial Reasons Most of the Bollywood horror films are either directly copied or inspired by Hollywood horror films. The reasons for copying may be exclusive to different filmmakers, but the most important reason is the guarantee of success. Bollywood directors are under constant pressure to recover their costs and revenues. Copying a successful Hollywood film is the best way out. Many Bollywood filmmakers copy because they think an Indian remake of a successful Hollywood film will also be successful, provided the American movie can be adapted to reflect Indian sensibilities. 4. Familiarity Breeds Contempt Horror films are so popular because they reflect a country’s culture and the traditional superstitions that reside in its people. When Indian filmmakers make a horror movie, they do so with the understanding that the public genuinely believes in the existence of Aatma, Rakshasas, Vetaals, or Asuras (Indian horror archetypes). Filmmakers believe the Indian audience is familiar with the meanings of these horror archetypes. These archetypes have been popular in Indian religious scriptures, and therefore, the Indian audience loves to see the traditional monsters from their scriptures on the big screen. Curiosity about the unknown is what drives horror movies, and even the Indian audience is no different. But as