K. Hari Kumar is a master storyteller whose gripping narratives blend the eerie, the mythical, and the psychological, redefining speculative fiction and creative non-fiction in India. A bestselling author, screenwriter, and filmmaker, Hari has captivated audiences with his deeply atmospheric tales rooted in Indian folklore, occult traditions and mythology.
With eight books, three films, and two web series to his name—including the widely appreciated books Daiva, Dakini, India’s Most Haunted and the psychological thriller web series Bhram—Hari continues to push the boundaries of storytelling, crafting experiences that linger long after the last page or frame.
Genre & Theme
Recognised as the leading writer of the Indian Gothic genre, K. Hari Kumar’s work exists at the intersection of horror, mythology, and psychological suspense. His stories explore themes of time, consciousness, karmic justice, and existential dread, drawing heavily from Indic philosophy and folklore.
A defining aspect of his storytelling is the portrayal of strong female protagonists—women like Alisha Khanna in Bhram (played by Kalki Koechlin), Mamta Mathews in Dakini and Anahita Anand in Dakhma, who challenge oppression and confront both human and otherworldly horrors.
A defining feature of Hari’s style is his ability to blur the line between psychological horror and supernatural horror. Many of his stories play with unreliable narration, where characters struggle to distinguish between hallucination and reality, a technique that heightens suspense. Through his writing, Hari crafts a chilling yet thought-provoking dialogue between the mystical and the existential.
Literature
K Hari Kumar’s anthology of horror short stories, India’s Most Haunted – Tales of Terrifying Places, published by HarperCollins India is one of the most popular campfire horror story books in India. The Times Of India deemed it as a must-read horror book, and it was also listed in HarperCollins India’s hundred best books written by Indian authors. The Malayalam translation of India’s Most Haunted was published as Indiayile Prethalayangal by Mathrubhumi Books in March 2022. The book will translated into Hindi in 2025. He wrote the honourary foreword for FlameTree Publishing’s anthology titled Asian Ghost Stories (UK). His first non-fiction, Daiva – Discovering the Extraordinary World of Spirit Worship is a critically acclaimed bestseller that documents mythology and folklore of Tulunadu from his perspective. Hari is currently working on a series of fiction and non-fiction books on rich and diverse folklore and mythology that will be published by HarperCollins India.
Cinema
In addition to his accomplishments in literature, K. Hari Kumar has made notable contributions to the world of cinema as a screenwriter and creative consultant. His novel The Other Side of Her received critical acclaim when adapted into the web series Bhram, featuring the talented Kalki Koechlin. K.Hari Kumar has also worked as a creative consultant with various Bollywood studios, OTTs and production houses. He has also directed two short films and a music video. He is presently working on his directorial debut in Malayalam.
Public Speaking
Hari has been honoured with invitations to speak on his expertise at prestigious events such as Bangalore Literature Festival, Times Literature festival, Kumaon Literature Festival, Lit-O-Mania, Koral Dasgupta’s TMYS Initiatives, IISc’s Literature Festival, Ethiraj College, Toc H International School and Garden City University’s guest talk series. He has been featured in many popular podcasts of the country including The Ranveer Show, The Speaking Tree by The Times of India, Award Musafir, Supertalks with The Moving Ship, Dostcast with Vinamre Kasanaa, ABP Live’s Wassup Abeer, Turning a Page with RJ Sarthak, Padhaku Nitin on Aajtak Radio, Expert Talk with Bhavya Desai, The Print’s Soft Cover, etc.
To arrange a podcast recording or video interview, for mentorship queries, book endorsements and social media collaborations, kindly write to contact@theharikumar.com
Bibliography – When Strangers Meet, That Frequent Visitor, The Other Side of Her, India’s Most Haunted, Dakhma, Indiayile Prethalayangal, Asian Ghost Stories, Daiva, Dakini, The Collected Works of S. Mukerji: Indian Ghost Stories and The Mysterious Traders.
Filmography – Enter the Evil (Hotstar), Bhram (Zee5), A Stranger in the jungle can kill you, The Visitor.
