Banker Quit His Job When Stories Started 'Invading' His Meetings-Sidhant Khanna | India Authors Show

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Stories started invading his banking meetings. Uninvited. Relentless. Haunting. So he quit his job. Meet Sidhant Khanna — banker turned biopunk horror author, gay man navigating self-acceptance in India, and creator of Mumbai's darkest story: infected children connected by one hive mind. His journey isn't just about writing. It's about survival, grief, depression, coming out, and choosing obsession over consistency. 📚 IN THIS EPISODE OF INDIA AUTHORS SHOW: 💼 Why he quit banking (stories invaded his work meetings) 😱 "What if I lose the story?" — the fear that changed everything 🧟 Biopunk horror set in Mumbai (infected children, one hive mind) 🏳️‍🌈 Coming out at 18: "I prayed to be normal" 💔 Losing his father & battling depression (2023-2025) 🎮 How gaming (World War Z, Last of Us) inspired his book 🧠 Rewriting zombie tropes (no shooting kids, networked minds) 📖 From screenplay to novel (why he chose books over film) ⚖️ Morality, fear & human nature in horror 💪 Self-acceptance at 25: "This is who I am" 🧘 Therapy, grief & asking for help (breaking Indian taboos) ✍️ Obsession - Consistency (his controversial take) 🌈 Being gay in India: family, society & courage 💬 KEY QUOTES: "Stories were coming to me uninvited. I was in meetings thinking about chapters." "My fear flipped: What if I lose my STORY? Not my job — the story." "I prayed to make me normal. By 19, I realized: this IS normal for me." "I'm gay. I've known since I was 15-16. It took me years to say it out loud." "Depression isn't one path. Some days I was productive and still felt like shit." "Suffering shouldn't define your art. It needs an outlet, not an excuse." "Consistency is a path. But is it the RIGHT path? Turn it into obsession." "If powerful people think you're dispensable, my book is my protest." "I didn't want to shoot infected kids. So I created a networked hive mind." "Section 377 made my existence criminal. Now I'm writing my truth." 📖 ABOUT SIDHANT KHANNA: - Banker turned biopunk horror author - Writing multi-book series set in Mumbai - Openly gay, advocate for LGBTQ+ representation in Indian literature - Explores morality, fear, science, and human nature through horror - Came out at 18, battled depression 2023-2025 - Believes in obsession over consistency - Gaming influenced his writing (World War Z, Resident Evil, Last of Us) 🧟 ABOUT HIS BOOK: A biopunk horror series set in Mumbai where infected children are connected by one hive mind. The protagonist can control them. Themes: morality vs. survival, powerful people exploiting ordinary lives, rewriting zombie genre expectations, self-acceptance through horror. Ground zero: A school. The twist: You can't shoot kids. The horror: One collective consciousness. ⏱️ TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Introduction: Banker turned horror author 3:45 - Stories invading his work meetings 9:20 - "What if I lose the story?" — the fear 15:10 - Biopunk horror: infected children & hive minds 22:30 - Coming out at 18: "I prayed to be normal" 30:15 - Being gay in India (family, Section 377, acceptance) 38:50 - Losing his father & grief (2023) 45:20 - Battling depression (2023-2025) 52:40 - Therapy, psychiatry & asking for help 58:15 - How gaming inspired his book (zombie trope fatigue) 1:04:30 - Mumbai setting: why not New York? 1:10:50 - Screenplay to novel (why books over film) 1:17:20 - Obsession - Consistency (his controversial take) 1:23:10 - Message to closeted LGBTQ+ youth 🎓 Want to write & publish YOUR book? Free webinar: https://class.swetasamota.com 🔗 CONNECT WITH SIDHANT KHANNA: https://www.instagram.com/itssimply_sid_?stkn=MTU2bTNybXhhZGoyZw== https://www.amazon.in/dp/B0GYF117Y4/ref=cm_cr_arp_mb_bdcrb_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1#averageCustomerReviewsAnchor 📌 ABOUT INDIA AUTHORS SHOW: India's top podcast for authors, featuring debut novelists, bestselling writers, and bold storytellers redefining Indian literature. Hosted by: Sweta Samota & Manish Samota 🔔 SUBSCRIBE for weekly author interviews, writing tips & real stories! #SiddhantKhanna #IndiaAuthorsShow #BiopunkHorror #GayAuthor #ComingOut #LGBTQIndia #MumbaiHorror #BankerToAuthor #DepressionAwareness #MentalHealthMatters #InfectedChildren #HiveMind #HorrorNovel #IndianAuthors #QueerAuthors #Section377 #SelfAcceptance #GriefAndHealing #TherapyMatters #ZombieStories #BiopunkGenre #AuthorPodcast #queerstories