India’s digital airwaves are humming with new voices, not just producers of horror films, but podcasters, creators and brands re-imagining what supernatural storytelling can mean. In India, horror, true-crime and paranormal formats are emerging as among the fast-rising genres, aided by streaming platforms, regional language adoption and creator-led innovation. A January 2025 insight observed that “self-help, horror, and true crime” are popular in India’s podcast space.
Supernatural shift
The surge of audio-first content is key in this trend. With India’s smartphone penetration surpassing 750 million users, low data costs and the appetite for regional storytelling, podcasts are prime makers of the “ear-theatre” experience.
Specifically, horror-/paranormal formats are gaining traction. While precise numbers for “horror podcasts” in India are harder to find, the genre is singled out in trend reports as one of the fastest-growing within audio entertainment. For example, a survey of 20,500 digital entertainment consumers found that 49% listen to more than 10 episodes a day, and half spend over 90 minutes daily on audio content.
The shift is being noticed by platforms too. According to Ultra Media & Entertainment Group founder Sushilkumar Agrawal, “Horror and thriller genres are witnessing a remarkable resurgence across OTT platforms, especially among younger audiences who enjoy the thrill of psychological storytelling and supernatural suspense. … This continued fascination with the eerie and unexplained proves that while platforms and formats evolve, the audience’s love for a good scare never fades — it just finds new ways to reach them.”
This crossover, between audio podcasts, OTT series, creator short-form content and brand activations, is giving paranormal storytelling a foothold across multiple media. One recent example: a dedicated horror/sci-fi film-festival partnership with a national institute in India to elevate the genre’s perception.
Content becomes culture
From creators to corporations, the “fear aesthetic” is being harnessed with purpose. Branding expert and Director at Prachar Communication Vedang Jain puts it this way, “In today’s cluttered market, brands are constantly on the lookout for impactful moments to communicate their messaging to consumers. Moment marketing has gained immense traction, with social media pages highlighting creative campaigns that leverage cultural events.”
“India is now a global market, and it’s no longer only Diwali or Holi that drives consumer engagement. Festivals like Halloween, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and others present unique opportunities for brands to celebrate, associate, and leave a lasting impression. … For example, a campaign like ‘Turn on the torch this Halloween with Eveready batteries’ creates a memorable connection between the product and the festive moment. … While Halloween is important, the bigger picture is leveraging festive and moment marketing strategically. In a culturally immersive market like India, brands that consistently align with relevant occasions can build stronger engagement and enduring consumer recall.”
Agencies are also moving from imitation to localisation. According to Sudish Balan (Co-founder & CCO at Tonic Worldwide), “ We saw this with our ‘Desi Bhoot Bachao’ campaign for Bingo Mad Angles, where we flipped the script to celebrate India’s rich horror folklore with the brand’s signature wit. When brands embrace cultural adaptation over imitation, global pop culture occasions… become less about gimmicks and more about memorable, contextually relevant brand experiences.”
The upshot: For brands, podcasts, OTT platforms and creators, the “paranormal moment” is not just a thematic turn, it’s a strategic one.
Storytellers of the supernatural
In the visual creator world too, the ‘spooky’ aesthetic is being used as creative expression beyond mere gimmickry. Actor-DIY creator Shweta Mahadik says, “Halloween for me is all about creativity, and every year I try to explore something different. This year I thought I want to do something with our own Indian characters instead of focusing on international ghost characters. After some research I realised that ‘Tatya Vinchoo’ is a character which freaked us all out in the 90s but no one has ever tried to recreate the look.”
“So I took up the challenge and brought him back to life this year. It took me a while to understand how to go about it, because his face needs to be exactly the same (like a puppet). After a lot of trial and error I made an accurate spooky face. It was fun to wear the entire outfit and do real public interactions. To my surprise even the younger generation knows of Tatya Vinchoo. It feels good to do something no one has done before,” she added.
Meanwhile, influencer-creator Mani Bhardwaj explains how horror has become creative territory: “For influencers, it’s not about mimicking horror but reimagining it through style, makeup, and storytelling. … Platforms like Instagram and YouTube thrive on visual storytelling, and Halloween gives creators an opportunity to amplify that energy. It’s not about chasing the algorithm, but about connecting with audiences through imagination and transformation.”
And from a different space altogether, automobile content-creator Deepak Yadav adds, “I feel Halloween in India is no longer limited to horror or spooky vibes. It’s now become a creative opportunity for both creators and brands. Every year, we try to do something different, whether through cinematic makeup looks, fun reels, or unique storytelling,” he says. “The algorithm also tends to push such seasonal content because it’s timely and relatable. For creators, it’s the perfect chance to showcase their creativity and experiment with visuals and concepts that we usually can’t explore throughout the year.
These voices point toward a very important shift: creators are not just adapting horror, they are localising it, reframing it, and embedding it into Indian pop culture narratives.
The future
The convergence of creator experimentation, platform expansion and brand appetite means the paranormal/pop culture hybrid is here to stay. For independent creators, this opens new niches; for brands, new modes of storytelling; for platforms, fresh genres to invest in.
Analysts suggest the science of storytelling will continue evolving, audio, video, short-form, regional languages and immersive formats will all play a part. In this mix, India’s deep folklore, mythology and regional horror traditions give creators a rich library to draw from.
In sum: India’s paranormal pop moment is more than spooky visuals or seasonal campaigns. It’s a cultural shift. It’s the rise of voices telling unseen stories, listeners tuning in by the millions, and brands taking the cue. What was once niche has become narrative gold.
