#KetchupTalks: Inside the making of HorrorCon with Divay Agarwal and Raman Bhalla

We had a conversation with Divay Agarwal and Raman Bhalla about how HorrorCon grew from a wild idea into one of India’s biggest Halloween celebrations 

India has always had a special and very visible fascination with the horror genre. The films we grew up watching and those ghost stories told in dimly lit living rooms have always given us that familiar thrill of being scared, even if festivals like Halloween aren’t widely celebrated in India. Now, as Gen Z and young millennials seek more real-world, immersive experiences, the horror genre seems to have found a new stage in live events and festivals. The rise in popularity of experience culture, where people want to feel part of something rather than just watch it, has made this the perfect time for a concept like HorrorCon to come alive. What started as a small experiment by Divay Agarwal and Raman Bhalla has now grown into one of India’s biggest Halloween celebrations, bringing together music, storytelling, cosplay, and everything spooky under one roof. In our chat with the duo, they talk about scaling up from a pilot edition to a much bigger event, the challenges of building something so niche yet inclusive, and their dream of creating an entire universe for horror fans.

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Here's what they had to share:

This being just the second edition, what did you set out to do differently from the first year both in scale and experience?

Divay Agarwal shared that they had always wanted HorrorCon to be on this scale, but instead decided to start with a proof of concept through their pilot edition since they were new to the events business. "The kind of response and feedback we received gave us the confidence to go big this year and bring the event on par with major IPs like Comic Con and Zomaland." He mentioned that from being just a festival in the first year, it has now evolved into India’s Biggest Halloween Party, featuring artists like Parmish Verma, Paradox, Naam Sujal, Ravator, and many more. They also introduced India’s first-ever Halloween Parade and hosted the country’s largest cosplay with over 1,000 attendees dressing up for the event. Along with that, there were plenty of fun games, brand activations, and photobooths that everyone enjoyed.

They included two days of live horror storytelling for true horror enthusiasts this year, along with the Khooni Monday Film Festival, judged by Patrick Graham, the director of Ghoul, Betaal, and Dancing on the Grave. "We also organized workshops and masterclasses conducted by some of India’s top horror authors and filmmakers. To top it all off, India’s most popular magician, Suhani Shah, performed her first-ever horror-themed magic act."

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What surprised you most about the turnout or the kind of people who attended this year? Was there a shift in who’s showing up or how they’re engaging with the event?

Raman said that while Khooni Monday is their highest-performing property, the entire KM community today consists of over 6 million subscribers and a combined reach of more than 250 million across all platforms. "Our event is designed as a pop culture experience that resonates most with Gen Z, Gen Alpha, and younger millennials." It was fascinating for the team to observe who attendees brought along and what their key points of engagement were. Through this, they aimed to understand how they could grow further and introduce something new each year. Raman added that the best part of this entire journey has been being able to cater to such a wide demographic while still being understood and appreciated by audiences with diverse interests and backgrounds.

Divay added that what surprised them the most was the unique attendee profile at HorrorCon. They realized that their community isn’t just made up of horror or thriller enthusiasts, but also of people who come together for their shared love of storytelling and community. "The most rewarding part was seeing how creators, influencers, audiences, and even the media felt completely connected with the event. Many spent six to seven hours actively participating, creating an incredible buzz of energy throughout the day." He also mentioned that they even saw families attending together, which made it feel like a truly all-inclusive event and, in many ways, the biggest reward for them.

Horror relies heavily on mood and atmosphere. What goes into designing that experience for attendees, from lighting to music to crowd flow?

Raman explained that the experience was designed to be immersive and unique, not a one-size-fits-all setup. The visual design focused on creating distinct themed areas for people of all ages and interests. Spooky yet fun installations featuring skeletons, pumpkins, witches, and other Halloween characters were placed throughout the venue. "The décor was intentionally kept fun and interactive, avoiding the gory side of horror. All installations were designed to be highly Instagram-friendly and immersive, allowing attendees to take pictures and enjoy the experience in their own way."

He added that the décor was created to reflect the Indian understanding and aesthetics of Halloween rather than completely adopting a Western approach. "The lighting design was equally dynamic, with colors enhancing the overall spooky atmosphere. Open areas featured vibrant lighting to create a lively vibe, while spaces like the Haunted House and Geek Zone used darker, strategically placed lights to heighten the mood." Raman further shared that the sound design played a major role in building the event’s energy. The live concerts, DJ performances, and sound effects contributed to a high-energy party atmosphere, especially during evening transitions. Other programming elements, such as panel discussions and illusionist acts, featured eerie yet playful sound transitions. "We even developed original soundtracks for the HorrorCon Parade, which have now become the event’s signature tracks."

When it came to managing crowd flow, Raman emphasized that maintaining both safety and ambiance in such a dark, themed setup was crucial. Clearly segmented zones were designed to guide different audience groups and curate their experiences. The area in front of the main stage was designated for the party crowd, while the kids’ zone was set apart for a more family-friendly experience. Additionally, a dedicated Geek Zone was created in an indoor hall to host uninterrupted live horror storytelling sessions, magic acts, and horror film screenings.

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Managing a genre-specific convention like this must come with unique challenges. What part of organizing a horror event is the hardest? (logistics, creative coordination, or audience perception)?

Divay shared that organizing the event was truly a mix of everything. While the creative design aspect was the most enjoyable part, managing the logistics of a horror event at this scale came with several unique challenges compared to a general pop culture convention. He described it as something that had to come together seamlessly almost like a ghar ki shaadi, but with a lot more stakeholders. “You have to make sure every bua-phupaji is happy, and there are quite a few of them,” he joked.

He explained that, as a genre-specific convention, their biggest challenge was spreading awareness that such an event existed and that it was happening right here in India. There are so many people interested in horror or in experiencing something new and exciting, but the real task was breaking the monotony of the usual pop culture event format in the country. The team wanted to create something that felt both family-friendly and mature, while still bringing out that childlike curiosity and fun. Through their marketing efforts and targeted communication, they were able to convey the right message to the audience. Once that message reached people, Divay said, the response was incredible with more than 15,000 attendees in Delhi alone.

Raman added that from an on-ground perspective, safety protocols were followed meticulously. Since immersive horror events often involve physical interaction with décor and installations, it was crucial to ensure that every setup met safety standards. Managing crowd flow also required careful planning so that dark areas felt atmospheric without compromising visibility or attendee safety. "During the HorrorCon Parade, which ran through the main open ground, the team had to coordinate movement between the live parade and the static stalls and retail zones. This required constant supervision to prevent congestion or panic. Special safety protocols were created, and bouncers and volunteers were deployed throughout the venue to make sure everything ran smoothly."

Now that you’ve pulled off two successful editions, what’s the dream version of HorrorCon you’re working toward?

Raman added that they have been the first movers in the horror category since 2017–18, and over the last two to three years, the team has seen a major opportunity for horror events in India. "Our goal has always been to move away from the usual event format where everything revolves around food and music, and instead build something far more immersive." Divay added that their next step is to take HorrorCon to other cities across India, starting with Kolkata, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. He also mentioned that they are exploring international locations such as the UAE, Singapore, Tokyo, and Sri Lanka.

He further elaborated that the ultimate vision is to create a world for horror fans that feels like Disneyland — a place where Khooni Monday’s content IPs come together with Indian and global IPs to deliver a truly immersive, on-ground experience. While they are still taking baby steps in that direction, the dream, Agarwal said, is to evolve from a convention or festival into a fully realized horror universe where attendees aren’t just spectators but active participants helping shape the story. The aim is to create a single, unified, alternate reality for horror lovers everywhere.

Were there any ideas you wanted to execute this year but couldn’t and are saving for the next edition?

Divay assured that there’s a lot in store for the future. "The best part about horror as a category is that it’s so unique and largely untapped, which means there’s no shortage of ideas. Now that we've built an active and engaged community, the team plans to connect with them not just during HorrorCon but through multiple touchpoints throughout the year."

He mentioned that they had some truly disruptive showstoppers lined up this year to captivate the audience, and next year will be even bigger. The upcoming edition will introduce a major horror e-sports league tournament as part of HorrorCon, along with Parade 2.0 and several new on-ground experiences and games that India hasn’t imagined yet.

What kind of horror experience would you love to see at the next HorrorCon? Tell us in the comments!

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