New Delhi, June 16: In a move set to redefine India’s horror entertainment landscape, Divay Agarwal and Raman Bhalla, founders of Khooni Monday, have officially unveiled their transition from a niche-first content brand into a full-scale horror IP studio under their parent company, The Mad Virus (TMV). With an estimated valuation of over $10 Million, the duo is building what they describe as India’s first multi-platform horror IP ecosystem, inspired by the legendary IP-driven mind map of Disney and the genre-focused success of Blumhouse and A24.
The blueprint has been simple but ambitious: started with content, scaled with community, and expanded into culture, turning viral YouTube-native fandom into multi-format, globally exportable IPs. TMV’s vision extends beyond content into a horror universe that lives across formats: digital-first storytelling (YouTube, social platforms), audio expansion (Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music), theatrical and streaming adaptations, animation-led global IPs, live experiences (HorrorCon, immersive screenings) and digital games!
Each layer feeds into the other, creating a flywheel where content drives community, community drives culture, and culture drives monetization.
“To compete globally, India needs a scaled, genre-focused IP studio akin to Blumhouse or A24. Horror, is driven by the universal emotion of fear, offers high global exportability and repeatable franchise potential. At our core, we are building a horror IP engine, with stories that evolve into characters, experiences, and franchises across new formats and categories. At a time when studios are spending millions trying to capture attention, we’ve built an ecosystem where attention already exists” said co-founder Divay Agarwal.
“With the current growth trajectory, TMV represents a rare convergence of creator-led distribution and studio-scale IP development. Our goal is to build a horror IP studio where stories evolve into global franchises across films, gaming, and immersive events.” said co-founder Raman Bhalla.
TMV’s growth is powered by a 4C flywheel, Capability, Content, Community, and Culture, combined with what the founders call the “Science of the Scare,” a storytelling framework engineered for high retention and emotional impact.
The company’s traction is anchored in the 10M+ community of Khooni Monday, alongside a massive library of 130+ hours of original content (equivalent to ~60 films) distributed across multiple platforms. Currently they are India’s 2nd biggest podcast across categories number #1 in storytelling. Its flagship event IP, HorrorCon, has attracted 20,000+ attendees, 600+ creators, directors, producers and artists while their frequent movie screening immersive experiences consistently draw 200+ attendees and creators per event, reinforcing the brand’s ability to extend into deep community enrichment.
TMV has also built multiple global content licensing touchpoints across Spotify, Audible, Amazon Music, and television networks, further scaling its reach. Its breakout IP, “The Clown,” has surpassed 30 million organic views and holds an 8.5 IMDb rating, serving as a strong early signal of global franchise potential.
As is seen with global success of movies like Blumhouse’s Obsession and A24’s Backrooms, horror as a genre is inherently scalable for global audiences. With the entertainment industry now shifting in IP-driven universes, by combining internet-native storytelling and community-first distribution, TMV is positioned as a serious contender in the global horror IP economy.
Looking ahead, the company is expanding into gaming with a horror survival game based on “The Clown” IP and scaling distribution through long form digital content, OTT integrations, feature films and global licensing opportunities as part of its long-term vision to build a global horror entertainment ecosystem.