ZEE5 Global, the world's largest streaming platform for South Asian content, has made interesting Bengali titles available at our fingertips. The library gets bigger and better ramping up its presence in the digital space. After the stupendous success of Byomkesh Bakshi, the ace director Arindam Sil is all set to bring another show - Shabash Feluda, a modern-day take on the iconic Bengali sleuth featuring Bengali's favourite Parambrata Chattopadhyay. Produced by Roadshow and directed by Arindam Sil, the series also stars Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Rudranil Ghosh, Ritwick Chatterjee, Sauraseni Maitra, and Arindam Sil in prominent roles. The spell-binding thriller series will premiere on ZEE5 Global on 5th May 2023.
Spanning across 10 episodes, the story chronicles Feluda [Parambrata Chattopadhyay] and Topshe [Rwitobroto Mukherjee], who are on vacation in picturesque Gangtok when they stumble upon the mysterious death of a business executive, Mr. Selvankar, in a road accident. Feluda soon smells foul play in the so-called accident, and there are many suspects. From the dead man's business partner Sasadhar Bose to the short-haired foreigner Helmut, the mysterious Dr Vaidya or even the timid Nishikanto Sarkar all fall under Feluda’s radar. So, will he unknot the case with his usual aplomb and track down the criminal? With a page-turning whodunit murder mystery, Shabash Feluda Gangtok E Gondogol will pique your interest.
Director, Arindam Sil said, “Written by Satyajit Ray, Feluda is a timeless character who has swooned the audiences over the years, but our show takes a modern-day take on this iconic character. I have enjoyed sketching and getting into the nuances of the character and have poured my life into it. I believe that Paramabrata has brought to life his extraordinary qualities and has fit into the role beautifully. I am eager for the audience to crack this mystery with their favourite detective. With ZEE5 Global onboard, the series will reach the depth of the country.”
Parambrata Chattopadhyay adds, “We cannot wait to bring the iconic character - Feluda, back on screen with a contemporary twist. Working with Arindam was a pleasure, and his film-making skills are top-notch, which incites your inner curiosity. His stories unravel various twists and keep the audience on the edge of their seats. The celebrated filmmaker Satyajit Ray’s character Feluda has carved a niche. Arindam has captured his gripping adventures, observations, and humorous quips wisely in Shabash Feluda. I am sure the audience will love this whodunit murder mystery.”
Shabash Feluda will stream on ZEE5 Global from 5th May!
So, Kajol and Twinkle Khanna’s show, Two Much, is already near its fourth episode. And people keep asking: why do we love watching stars sit on sofas so much? It’s not the gossip. Not really. We’re not paying for the gossip. We’re paying for the glimpse. For the little wobble in a voice, a tiny apology, a family story you recognise. It’s why Simi’s white sofa mattered once, why Karan’s sofa rattled the tabloids, and why Kapil’s stage made everyone feel at home. The chat show isn’t dead. It just keeps changing clothes.
Why Indian audiences can’t stop watching chat shows from Simi Garewal to Karan Johar Instagram/karanjohar/primevideoin/ Youtube Screengrab
Remember the woman in white?
Simi Garewal brought quiet and intimacy. Her Rendezvous with Simi Garewal was all white sets and soft lights, and it felt almost like a church for confessions. She never went full interrogation mode with her guests. Instead, she’d just slowly unravel them, almost like magic. Amitabh Bachchan and Rekha, they all sat on that legendary white sofa, dropping their guard and letting something real slip out, something you’d never stumble across anywhere else. The whole thing was gentle, personal, and almost revolutionary.
Simi Garewal and her iconic white sofa changed the face of Indian talk showsYoutube Screengrab/SimiGarewalOfficial
Then along came Karan Johar
Let’s be honest, Karan Johar changed the game completely. Koffee with Karan was the polar opposite. Where Simi was a whisper, Karan was a roar. His rapid-fire round was a headline machine. Suddenly, it stopped being about struggles or emotions but opinions, little rivalries, and that full-on, shiny Bollywood chaos. He almost spun the film industry into a full-blown high school drama, and honestly? We loved it up.
Kapil Sharma rewired the format again and took the chat show, threw it in a blender with a comedy sketch, and created a monster hit. His genius was in creating a world or what we call his crazy “Shantivan Society” and making the celebrities enter his universe. Suddenly, Shah Rukh Khan was being teased by a fictional, grumpy neighbour and Ranbir Kapoor was taunted by a fictional disappointed ex-girlfriend. Stars were suddenly part of the spectacle, all halos tossed aside. It was chaotic, yes, but delightfully so. The sort of chaos that still passed the family-TV test. For once, these impossibly glamorous faces felt like old friends lounging in your living room.
Kajol and Twinkle’s Amazon show Two Much feels like friends talking to people in their circle, and that matters. What’s wild is, these folks aren’t the stiff, traditional hosts, they’re insiders. The fun ones. The ones who know every secret because, let’s be honest, they were there when the drama started. On a platform like Amazon, they don’t have to play for TRPs or stick to a strict clock. They can just… talk.
People want to peep behind the curtain. Even with Instagram and Reels, there’s value in a longer, live-feeling exchange. It’s maybe the nuance, like an awkward pause, a memory that makes a star human, or a silly joke that lands. OTT gives space for that. Celebs turned hosts, like Twinkle and Kajol in Two Much or peers like Rana Daggubati in Telugu with The Rana Daggubati Show, can ask differently; they make room for stories that feel earned, not engineered.
How have streaming and regional shows changed the game?
Streaming freed chat shows from TRP pressure and ad breaks. You get episodes that breathe. Even regional versions likeThe Rana Daggubati Show, or long-running local weekend programmes, prove this isn’t a Mumbai-only appetite. Viewers want local language and local memories, the same star-curiosity in Kannada, Telugu, or Tamil. That widens the talent pool and the tone.
From White Sofas to OTT Screens How Indian Talk Shows Keep Capturing HeartsiStock
Are shock moments over?
Not really. But people are getting sick of obvious bait. Recent launches lean into warmth and inside jokes rather than feeding headlines. White set, gold couch, or a stage full of noise, it doesn’t matter. You just want to sit there, listen, get pulled into their stories, like a campfire you can’t leave. We watch, just curious, hoping maybe these stars are a little like us. Or maybe we’re hoping we can borrow a bit of their sparkle.
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