“South Asian folklore is full of stories about the monstrous feminine. From the shape-shifting jinns of Islamic mythology to the many female spirits of regional folkloric traditions—petni and shakchunni in Bengal; yakshi in the coastal Deccan; and dayaan, churail, and pichal peri in North India and Punjab—the deep-rooted fear of female agency, sexuality, desire, and rebellion in patriarchal societies has always found form in fierce, vengeful, supernatural female entities. The resurgence of women-centric horror films in South Asia is a reflection of this phenomenon.”