The OTT platform is planning to stream content dubbed in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam.
Roushni Sarkar
The Bengali-language over-the-top (OTT) platform Hoichoi, which has entered its fifth year of operations, has announced 20 original shows as well as a ‘Freemium’ section for consumers who don't have a premium subscription. The platform intends to launch 30 original shows in 2022, along with 12 movies and dubbed content in Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam; and its target is to have 100 originals and 600+ movies in its library by the end of 2022.
"We are overwhelmed with the response and love we have received for Hoichoi, in both the regional and as well as national OTT space, in the span of the past four years,” said Mahendra Soni, co-founder of SVF Entertainment and Hoichoi.
He added, "The thing that has made it possible for Hoichoi to build its diverse audience base is its relevant and dynamic content, which Hoichoi has been committed to delivering for the last four years. As we step into the fifth year, the goal is to curate more remarkable content in collaboration with the best creators and talents of the industry."
Among the new originals, Sahana Dutta’s Gora will mark the digital debut of Ritwick Chakraborty as the titular detective. Dhrubo Banerjee’s first web-series Tiktiki will see Kaushik Ganguly and Anirban Bhattacharya working together in the lead roles.
Hoichoi will be launching a new category, Hoichoi World Classics, with Mandaar, an adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Macbeth, which will also mark the debut of Anirban Bhattacharya as a director and creator in a digital platform. Bhattacharya will also come up with a crime fiction series titled Bottolar Goyenda. The story of a female serial killer from the pre-independence era, Troilokkyo, based on Debarati Mukhopadhyay’s story Raar Kahini, will also be presented by Hoichoi.
Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Srikanto will return with a modern adaptation, featuring Rishav Basu as the eponymous character, and Sohini Sarkar as Rajlokkhi. Anjan Dutt’s upcoming web series Khyapa Shohor will be set in the underbelly of Kolkata and tell the tale of a gang war. Soumik Halder’s Mahabharat Murders, an adaptation of Arnab Ray's novel, The Mahabharata Murders, is about a serial killer who considers himself Duryodhana reborn.
Tansener Tanpura actors Vikram Chatterjee and Rupsa Chatterjee will be back in a new tale of musical adventure, Rudrabinar Obhishaap, which will feature Saurav Das and Ditipriya Roy. Starring Madhumita Sarkar, Uttaran, which is based on writer Sukanto Gangopadhyay’s Bottola, will narrate how an MMS leak changes the reality of a housewife. The maker of Hello and Paap will be back with the family drama Indu, starring Ishaa Saha.
Hoichoi has also announced the forthcoming seasons of its ongoing series Byomkesh, Eken Babu and Montu Pilot. Among the Bangladeshi originals, Boli, based on the story of Sohrab and Rustom; Syed Ahmed Shawki’s Karagar; Tanim Noor’s Kaiser; and Amitabh Reza Chowdhury’s Bodh will be showcased in the coming months. After the success of the Mohsharraf Karim-starrer Mohanagar, Ashfaque Nipun will be back with Sabrina, a story on how women are oppressed their social background notwithstanding.
“We are announcing new shows, with more in the pipeline, with stories that we hope will be able to strike a chord with our audiences. I am thankful to our entire Hoichoi family for their relentless work and efficiency throughout for turning this into a reality,” said Soni.
Vishnu Mohta, co-founder of Hoichoi, said, “Over the period of four years, our journey has been enthralling and it has been possible because of the incredible response Hoichoi has received from its audience. Our aim has always been to provide quality Bengali content to the people, especially Bengalis, around the globe.”
In order to reach out to people in remote corners of the world, Hoichoi plans to establish strategic partnerships and emphasize offline payment methods in its fifth year. “Our focus for the year, therefore, will be on delivering great content and paving ways to make them easily accessible to people. We are also introducing digital gift cards, this Durga Puja, which are curated to present our audiences with great benefits for streaming Hoichoi. With hopes of impacting more people, Hoichoi, is ready to set out for another year of entertaining people in their own language and grow more,” Mohta said.
Hoichoi, which has subscribers from 150 countries around the world, plans to deepen its presence among the large section of the Bengali population in South Asian countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.
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