K. Hari Kumar is an Indian novelist and screenwriter. He has penned the story and screenplay for many Malayalam Movies and the Hindi language psychological horror web series Bhram (web series). He has been featured as one of the top horror writers in India. He has written 50 horror short stories which featured in the 2019 book called India’s Most Haunted.

The one thing I know for sure is that ghosts, monsters, torture, darkness, and everything in between… They\’re all modes of some sort of (dark) self-discovery.

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About His First Book

“I wrote my first book because of something that happened in my dream. It blended with my personal experience, and whatever I could imagine, I wrote. The book was a hit. There was a horror element. But I didn’t completely venture into horror.”

First Horror Encounter

“I was 5-6 years old. I was in Kerala. We lived in a small village near Kannur. Kannur is famous for its legends and storytelling traditions. My dad used to take me to the milkman in the morning around 5-6 A.M. One day, after buying the milk, he took me to an under-constructed building. He told me to wait there for him. I saw a primitive lift, and a guy was standing there. I went with the guy to the top floor to see the view. It was a fantastic view of sunrise. I came back, and by the time I was down, dad was back. I was telling him I saw the sunrise with the life man. And my dad got scared as there was no man there. He enquired, and it came to our knowledge that there was no liftman working there, but there was a liftman who had fallen from the lift and died. But when I was with the man, nothing felt strange or weird”

“My family thought I was dreaming and don’t believe it even today.”

“Reality is what we believe and not what we perceive. I believe that at the time of death, whatever believing in you becomes that.”

Inspiration And Creativity

“There are muses all around my head, and they keep throwing ideas. Whatever you write or create comes from some kind of influence. It can be through something you saw or read. There is nothing original in the time we are existing. It is all creation and art.”

Kantara

“Bhuta Kola shown in the movie Kanatara is not about the ghost. My native is in the South of Karnataka, and they worship Bhuta just like people in Kerla worship serpents. Bhutas are spirits of warriors, or they can be an animal. Panjurli Bhuta is worship. In ancient times crops were destroyed by wild pigs. The poor farmers had no other solution, so they started praying for the king of this wild bore. Panjurli Bhuta is what is shown in the Kantara movie. Kola is dance, and Bhuta means spirits. There are many such beliefs.”

“Narendra Dabholkar was a rationalist who disproves everything supernatural and paranormal. He came up with an explanation for this possession and dance form that it is a disassociation. They are disassociated with their body. It was his belief. Someone who believes in a psychic medium, and tantra would claim that the person is possessed by the ghost of a family member or a deity. Someone from a science background would say it is energy. I feel that our intellect is not developed enough. So we should keep an open mind.”

Yakshini

“There are many beliefs about Yakshini. Yakshini are celestial beings who grant wishes. There are 36 types of Yakshini. The corrupt form of Yakshini is Yakshi. Yakshi is believed to be a witch. In ancient times, women were exploited and sexually abused after their husbands passed away. To cover this guilt of men who wronged a woman or killed her after exploiting her, that guilt takes the form of Yakshi to harm him.”

“In my stories, I am trying to write them in a different approach. I am writing about why they became Yakshini. I believe most of the Yakshi if they ever existed, were definitely wronged by men.”

His Fear

“Once in Mumbai, I dreamt of being stuck in an elevator. The switch stopped working, and the power went out.”

“This dream kept recurring for a month, and then it stopped. After that one day, I went out for a lunch break, and while coming back, the lift stopped. I was not stressed because I thought it would start. But after 2-3 minutes, the light started flicking, the lights went off, and the intercom stopped working. Luckily I had some network, so I contacted the manager who helped me. But I was stuck in that lift for 20-25 minutes. So those dreams were an indication.”

“I prefer taking the stairs now. Not like I have not tried coming out of my fear. But every time I decide to take the elevator, the lift always gets stuck.”

Faith In Astrology

“In 2017, my parents started forcing me to get married. My parents showed me a few girls, but I wasn’t planning. I was planning to quit my job as I got to write a horror film. I was going back to Kerla. I told my mother about the same, and she was freaking out. She went to the astrologer, and I told her to not tell my real name to him because I wanted to know how accurate he is. He saw my kundalini and meditated for a while. Then he said that your life will revolve around ghosts and the undead because that is your destiny. He said that my ancestors were into tantric practice. He said I was an exorcist. Then I revealed that I am a writer and had written two horror books. Then he said whatever you do, it will always be about the ghosts.”

“And whatever I have worked on is around the ghost. The astrologer even told me to do penance for a tantric practice that my great-great-grandfather did. The astrologer said I have to ask for forgiveness from an idol on a hill, and there will be a pond behind. It was the place where my great-great-grandfather did the wrongdoing. Then I started connecting to my relatives and all. I found that some ancestors of mine lived in Suratkal, and there was a temple on top of the hill. And to my surprise, the priest over there was connected to my father. And that astrologer said I would be meeting some girl from there, and my wife is from there.”

I hope you enjoyed reading this blog.

Real Indian Horror – Witches, Ghosts & The Ancient Paranormal