Bengali stories are ready for a bigger stage. Netflix and hoichoi, an on-demand video streaming platform for Bengalis worldwide, have joined hands to take Bengali originals beyond their home turf, bringing them to viewers across India in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.
Announced in Mumbai on 22 October, the partnership will bring 14 existing hoichoi titles to Netflix, with every new hoichoi series over the next two years also set to stream on the platform in the three languages. The deal goes beyond dubbing, with both companies planning original adaptations of select stories.
The first batch spans crime, detective mysteries, folklore horror, courtroom dramas and romance. The titles include Madam Inspector, Sampurna, Lajja, Eken Sirji, Anjaan Saaye, The Curse of Parnashavari, Bloodlines, The Adventures of Daadi & Jagga, Raat Abhi Baaki Hain, Achinta: Trial By Law, Shaadi Ka Siyappa, Queens, Parineeta: A Love Story and Mahanagar.
The next wave will arrive with The Cursed Temple of Kauriburi, a folklore horror series starring Jeetu Kamal, Solanki Roy and Paoli Dam. It is scheduled to premiere on 6 November, with Hindi, Tamil and Telugu versions set to reach Netflix alongside its Bengali debut on hoichoi.
The two companies will also develop original series through hoichoi studios, reworking selected stories for new audiences and bringing fresh creative voices to the adaptations. Further details are expected to be announced later.
For hoichoi, the partnership opens another door for its Bengali-first catalogue. Launched in 2017 as SVF’s digital venture, to be at the forefront of technical advancement in the film industry, the platform has built a library of original series, films and other Bengali-language content. Its studio arm, launched in 2023 as a theatrical film production wing, adds a production base for the new adaptations.
For Netflix, the deal adds regional depth to its Indian catalogue. Rather than relying solely on fresh commissions, the streamer gains access to an established pool of Bengali stories, with a pipeline of new series already built into the agreement.
The real test will be how far these stories travel. With new language versions and adaptations in the pipeline, Bengali storytelling is getting a wider audience, and hoichoi is getting a much bigger stage.
