Indian Film Lab Targets 15 Writers to Ditch Ghost Clichés

Platoon One Films will select 15 writers to join a new online horror development program in India.

The three-month lab focuses on original genre scripts and aims to shift the industry away from recurring supernatural tropes. The company operates as an independent production and distribution outfit that also manages international sales. The program will run entirely via digital sessions held on weekends.

Participants will bring individual horror screenplays to refine during the course. The curriculum combines group mentoring with one-on-one feedback. Mentors from India and other countries will lead discussions on craft and suspense. The faculty list will be revealed in the coming weeks.

Shiladitya Bora, the founder of Platoon One Films, stated that the genre allows for philosophical and metaphysical ideas that dialogue often cannot express. "What attracts me to the genre is often the messaging beneath the surface. Horror allows you to explore things that are difficult to confront directly," Bora said.

The company believes mainstream Indian horror relies too heavily on predictable beats and ghost stories. It argues that local myths and folk tales offer richer material for storytelling. The lab will push writers to use the genre as a lens to examine society and the human mind.

Bora expressed frustration with the current market, noting a fatigue with hybrids that fail to scare or amuse. "Frankly, I was getting tired of watching horror-comedies that were neither scary nor funny. We have such a rich storytelling culture, and I believe there is so much more we can do with horror," she added.

At the conclusion of the program, participants will have the opportunity to pitch their projects to producers within Platoon One’s network. This step could lead to financing and a eventual shoot. The company aims to help Indian horror reach global audiences, including viewers in Seoul and São Paulo.