Bangladesh OTT platform ‘Chorki’ enters India

Picture this: Chanchal Chowdhury and Ritwick Chakraborty side by side, Srijit Mukherji congratulating Mustafa Sarwar Farooqi for his latest ‘Something Like An Autobiography’ competing in Busan International Film Festival and Swastika Mukherjee praising Bangladesh actor Tama Mirza’s work in ‘Surongo’. On Wednesday, celebrities from both sides of the border came together to celebrate the launch of Bangladesh’s leading OTT platform, ‘Chorki’, in India at a hotel in Kolkata. With so many talents under one roof, it wouldn’t be a surprise to witness an increase in Indo-Bangladesh collaborations in the future.

“I’ve received recognition for my roles in India and I’ve had the opportunity to work in Bengal’s OTT industry. I’m thrilled that now Indians can relish our rich Bangladeshi content right here,” said Chowdhury, who is seen playing the lead in Srijit Mukherji’s homage film to the legendary Mrinal Sen, ‘Padatik’.

Following the pandemic, Bangladeshi OTT content such as ‘Shaaticup’, ‘Syndicate’, ‘Myself Allen Swapan’, ‘Morichika’, ‘Jaago Bahey’ and ‘Pett Kata Shaw’ successfully captivated audiences in India as well. “Over the next three years, ‘Chorki’ will be producing 30 original productions in India, collaborating closely with local talents of Bengal,” said Redoan Rony, CEO of ‘Chorki’.

Swastika has been an avid consumer of Bangladeshi OTT content. Talks are on for a project in Bangladesh. “As an actor, I’m always hungry for more roles. So, the entry of more OTT players into the market is not only beneficial for the audience but also for actors like me,” she said.

Ritwick, in talks with the new OTT platform, might feature in an upcoming show. At the launch event, notable personalities like Arindam Sil, Kaushik Ganguly, Sohini Sarkar, Rituparna Sengupta, Sourav Das and Srikant Mohta were also in attendance. Srikant Mohta, who heads ‘Hoichoi’, emphasised that the entry of more streaming platforms will expand the market’s size.