Pakistani cinema tends to rely on traditional family-centric films, which include romantic comedies, while horror restricts the demographic reach, alienating families and younger children altogether. Filmmakers are looking for higher returns on investment, therefore, reaching mainstream audiences is their primary goal.
Horror is mostly considered a genre where human anxieties could be tapped, while action and romantic comedies occasionally talk about social issues or lessons that could otherwise not be conveyed via horror films. It is a really challenging genre to master, as screenplay, directorial endeavors, and camera work need to be supremely hypnotizing.
Budget constraints, which are the most highlighted reason that keeps Pakistani films from thriving, or even getting in the production phase in the first place, are the cause of the horror genre remaining almost untouched. Few horror films have been able to make it to the screens, either through self-funding or by suffering due to low budgets. High-tier horror demands exceptional sound design, precise lighting, and credible special effects, since people do not like unconvincing scares.
Deemak (2025) and Zombeid (2026) have been able to make bold steps in the modern Pakistani horror genre, whereas horror itself is not new to the Pakistani industry. It started from Zinda Laash (1967) and made a strong comeback in 2007 with Omar Khan's Zibahkhana (Slaughterhouse), seemingly heavily influenced by Night of the Living Dead (1968) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974).
What worked well for these films is the use of irony and satire intertwined with radical Islamic themes, which are deeply rooted in the country's focus discussions. The social and religious strata in modern-day Pakistan were convulsed as the liberal lifestyle that is taking over Pakistan like a wildfire was portrayed under the layers of good horror.
No one can deny the lack of specialization in the Pakistani horror genre, as psychological tension, pacing, and atmospheric dread need to be meticulously timed. Zombeid proved that special effects and VFX have upped the game in the regional industry, while lagging behind in strong narratives. The audience has grown mature after watching international content and has mastered attention to detail, which does not support standard melodramatic tropes anymore.
Zombeid 2 is expected, but is the audience here ready for it? The demand is there, as Pakistani cinemas always have one or more horror movies included in their showtime schedules every month, depicting the audience's hunger for the genre. Indonesian, Korean, and Hollywood horror films have been in Pakistani theaters for as long as we can remember, meaning the steady appetite exists.
This has not stopped some eccentric filmmakers from experimenting in this genre. Modern-day Pakistan's anxieties and complexities have been explored, even if it means under the influence of black magic and occult practices, which have been banned in this culture.
For example, In Flames (2023), directed by Zarrar Khan, investigates vulnerability and survival in a patriarchal society after the death of a family patriarch. The blend of socioeconomic pressures and psychological nightmares is proof that Pakistani horror intends to break down critical themes, which is a good boot-up for the genre.
But then, there are failed attempts in the genre, which again, underline my only debate here: weak story writing. Syed Atif Ali's directorial debut Pari (2018) had a feeble plot that relied heavily on clichéd ingredients, such as an empty rocking chair, dark corners, candles blowing out by themselves, and so forth. The government's investment in training for story writing for the rising filmmakers has been extremely limited, despite the announcement of a 50-acre Punjab Film City to serve as Pakistan's first integrated media production hub.
Buildings can house the production but cannot give birth to the imagination, craft, and storytelling that define great horror films. Education and training for rising filmmakers in this category need to be strong, which remains the biggest reason that the horror genre hasn't been able to flourish in Pakistan as it should have.
Echoes is an opinion column on film and television from the perspective of a writer based in Pakistan.