Some refused to die. Some refused to stay dead. Ghosts, monsters and other creatures of the night stepped out of the shadows as the third edition of HorrorCon unfolded over the Halloween weekend at NSIC Grounds.From elaborate spooky character costumes to unexpected pop-culture crossovers, the spookfest was a celebration of all things bizarre and scary. But amid the scares, there was plenty of fun too. This included anime-inspired appearances, a parade of horror cosplayers, a play zone for kids and circus artistes adding to the spectacle with fire-breathing acts.
HorrorCon’s very own Chain Man headed the convention parade sitting on top of a bus
‘Horror is no longer just about watching; it is about experiencing’Divay Agarwal, creator of the Hindi horror storytelling platform Khooni Monday and founder of HorrorCon India, has witnessed the genre evolve from screen-based entertainment into a participatory cultural movement. “The Indian horror landscape has evolved significantly from passive screen-based viewing into an active, participatory cultural movement, scaling HorrorCon from 5,000 attendees in 2024 to over 20,000 in 2025. Fandom is rapidly diversifying beyond young adults into family demographics and children, driven by massive organic participation in cosplay, Halloween culture, and immersive offline communities,” he said.
’Horror is no longer just about watching; it is about experiencing’
He believes that Halloween and horror are also moving beyond their traditional seasonal appeal to become part of a year-round pop-culture ecosystem. “A major emerging trend is the mainstream adoption of Halloween and horror as a year-round participatory pop-culture ecosystem rather than a niche seasonal novelty, blending live music, gaming, creator meetups, and family-friendly cosplay.”
Artistes such as the four-member girl group W.i.S.H. graced the stage, performing songs such as Kasoor and Bolo Bolo
Parade of the purely evilAt HorrorCon, attendees arrived as anime antagonists, video game villains and comic-book superheroes trapped by an evil power, with several putting considerable effort into recreating their characters’ distinctive appearances.Harsh Jain, a businessman, chose to cosplay as Ryomen Sukuna, the formidable antagonist from the dark fantasy anime Jujutsu Kaisen. His costume recreated Sukuna’s distinctive appearance, complete with purple hair, facial markings and a flowing white cape.Explaining his fascination with the character, Harsh said, “Usually, people’s evil is guided by some kind of a backstory, that the world was not kind to them. Sukuna, on the other hand, is just pure evil. That’s just how he is.”
Agamemnon, Ryomen Sukuna and Dracula
Agastya Virmani chose to embody Agamemnon from Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. “Horror as a genre has always been attractive. It’s one of the most visceral genres. When you interact with it, it becomes more real than, say, comedy or any other genre,” he saidKeshav brought one of horror gaming’s most recognisable figures to life with his portrayal of Pyramid Head from Silent Hill. He used cardboard, foam and household mesh material to recreate the costume in six days.
Pyramid Head from Silent Hill and Grifter
For Neeraj Parihar, 25, HorrorCon marked his first attempt at cosplay. “Igris is so powerful that he just destroys the main character for once without taking any weapon into the fight,” he said. He believes horror has several dimensions, from outright scares and suspense to what he describes as power-disparity horror.
Igris and Three Finger
While Cherish Abujam was cosplaying as Three Finger from Wrong Turn, 21-year-old Muskan Jha, a part-time prop maker and student, recreated the Nergigante Beta Armour from Monster Hunter: World
Nergigante Beta Armour from Monster Hunter: World
Purvika Jajoriya, a student with a keen interest in fashion and horror, channelled Ayakakashi from Silent Hill. For her, cosplay offered an opportunity to bring together two interests and explore the darker, more theatrical side of character styling.
Pierrot Clown with Ayakakashi and Yokai Oni
Ronak chose to portray a Yokai Oni, drawing inspiration from Japanese folklore’s supernatural ogre-like beings.
Every Friday, when a film releases, I am scared. I think you can call it fear. Because you have created a certain energy (film), told a story assuming it would connect with the audience. So, you wait for people to go to the theatre, and see if the story connects with them. Imagine waiting for a judgement, it is the fear of the unknown that scares me
Rana Daggubati on what scares him, at HorrorCon
Rana Daggubati at HorrorCon
The appeal of collectiblesOnline marketplaces have made gaming, anime and film-inspired merchandise increasingly accessible. But conventions such as HorrorCon offer a chance to meet independent artists and studios creating collectibles themselves, rather than simply reselling merchandise.The appeal lies in the craftsmanship. One such exhibitor was Vinay Bhardwaj, founder of Osiris Forge Studio. His stall featured characters from video games, films and anime, including War from Darksiders, alongside hand-painted fridge magnets. The War figurine alone took him 80 hours to hand-paint. Popular sellers included miniatures inspired by Hollow Knight, Black Myth: Wukong and Leon Kennedy from Resident Evil.
The War figurine from Darksiders which took 80 hours to hand-paint
Fact that can be highlighted, maybe: According to Grand View Research, India’s anime merchandising market was estimated at $191.9 million in 2025 and is projected to reach $562 million by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 14.2%. Figurines were the largest product segment, accounting for 42.99% of market revenue in 2025.
