Hoichoi is using its 10th anniversary to make a bigger claim: Bengali streaming is no longer a niche library play. The platform has set a slate of more than 25 series, films and TV titles for its tenth year, led by a Satyajit Ray story, returning detective franchises and its first animated series.
Ray, Feluda and Eken lead the slate
At the top is Maharaja Tomare Selam, directed by Srijit Mukherji. The film follows Ray agreeing to his son’s request to make a children’s film, then battling money trouble, industry resistance and his own reputation on the way to what became Goopy Gyne Bagha Byne.
The studio film lineup also includes The Eken: Kerala-e Kurukshetra, in which a secret mission gone wrong drags detective Eken Babu into a mystery in Kerala. On series, Feludar Goyendagiri: Baksho Rawhoshyo sets Feluda on a train-journey box mystery. Returning franchises include Birangana 2, Kuheli 2, Thakumar Jhuli 2, Tansener Tanpura: Mohonbashi and Choddobeshi 2. New titles range from Chaalchitro: The Ekchala Murders, a Durga Puja-set serial-killer story, to Shrimoti Not Out, about a woman who finds she is pregnant at 48 just as her son is preparing to marry.
The streamer is also moving into animation with Shri Ramkrishna, and continuing TV originals and Bangladeshi productions.
Why the slate matters
Hoichoi’s anniversary slate concentrates on the two assets that drive retention for language-first platforms: known literary and cinematic IP, and returning detective franchises. Feluda, Eken and a Ray origin story give the service recognisable hooks for Bengali audiences in India, Bangladesh and overseas.
The underlying numbers explain the bet. Hoichoi’s library now holds more than 600 Bengali films and over 200 original series. Its revenue has moved beyond subscriptions into licensing, branded content, theatrical releases and distribution deals. That mix matters for media planners: a regional streamer increasingly looks like a full-funnel partner, not just an OTT buy.
Two newer bets extend the logic. Hoichoi FM is carrying original audio fiction inside the app, while Sooper is a microdrama venture working across languages and markets. The company is also testing AI tools for development and production through LoglineAI.
What the leadership says
“For me, 10 years of Hoichoi is not just about the number of shows we have made or the milestones we have crossed. It is about the stories, characters and creators that have stayed with people,” said Soumya Mukherjee, COO of Hoichoi.
Co-founder Vishnu Mohta framed the next phase around expansion: “The next decade is about expanding what that platform can become.” He added that technology, AI and new formats open possibilities that did not exist when the platform started, but the ambition is to use them without losing Hoichoi’s cultural instinct.
What to watch
- Franchise retention: Feluda and Eken are recurring, high-recognition entry points; expect them to anchor marketing and annual subscription cycles.
- Non-subscription revenue: branded content, licensing, theatrical and distribution give Hoichoi multiple ways to monetise beyond monthly fees.
- Format experiments: audio fiction, microdrama and AI-assisted development test how far one language’s IP can travel.
Source: Variety
