Paranormal moment

How ghost stories, OTT series, and podcasts are getting a supernatural spin

- Anjali Kochhar

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."