Sunday Suspense: The Enduring Phenomenon That Transformed Bengali Audio Fiction

Sixteen years after its launch, Sunday Suspense stands as one of Bengal’s most influential and loved audio storytelling properties. What began as an experimental radio slot has grown into a vast universe of over 670 stories, bringing together mystery, crime, horror, literary classics and a growing slate of contemporary themes.Over the years, Sunday Suspense has also become a cultural stage where some of the finest artists from Bengali theatre, cinema and OTT have lent their voices, helping the format evolve into a premium storytelling experience. With innovative storytelling at its core, the franchise has evolved into one of India’s most powerful long-form audio storytelling franchises with over 1.07 billion views, 330 million+ listening hours,

and 15.2 billion impressions across YouTube and Gaana. Its reach now spans continents from Bangladesh and the Middle East to the UK, US, and the wider Bengali diaspora.

The Rise of Audio Stories and Mirchi Bangla’s Expanding Universe

As audio storytelling gains momentum across India, Mirchi Bangla has expanded far beyond its original format and now offers humour, social satire, drama and contemporary fiction. Over the last year, Mirchi Bangla has significantly widened its storytelling canvas, introducing formats and genres that appeal to both traditional literary lovers and a new, digital-first audience. Amongst its flagship offerings is Golpo Goldmine, which revived the charm of serialised fiction through adaptations of iconic Bengali novels. Its acclaimed adaptation of Sunil Gangopadhyay’s Pratham Aalo, earning widespread praise and millions of playlist streams.Mythology has seen a resurgence through Times of Puraan, which brings grand epics into contemporary audio treatment. The 62-episode Mahabharat series has become one of the most-streamed playlists on the channel, complemented by Krishna Katha and dramatised stories of Goddess Durga and Kaali. In the same spirit of curation, Friday Classics has brought together some of the finest Bengali and global literature from Tagore’s timeless short stories to Shakespeare, Dickens, and other world classics, translated and adapted for a modern audio audience.Sunday Suspense has also opened a remarkable new chapter by introducing Hercule Poirot and Miss Marple to Bengali audiences for the very first time. Its authorised Agatha Christie adaptations have become some of the franchise’s most acclaimed works, with standout episodes like And Then There Were None and The ABC Murders, featuring the ever-versatile Anirban Chakrabarti as Poirot and A Murder Is Announced drawing massive listener response. The Christie universe within Sunday Suspense continues to grow, and this December, the team is set to take on one of the author’s most iconic mysteries of all time: Murder on the Orient Express.Mirchi Originals, meanwhile, has built a thriving catalogue of contemporary fiction: the hit Haar Heem Horror series in both bite-sized and long-format versions, as well as new-age romantic dramas featuring characters and themes rooted in today’s world.

Robin Hood: The Biggest, Boldest Sunday Suspense Production Yet

Sunday Suspense’s latest offering, Robin Hood, has already been hailed internally as an attempt to create “Sholay on audio.” What makes Robin Hood historic is the arrival of Bengal’s biggest superstar, Prosenjit Chatterjee, who makes his Sunday Suspense debut in this episode. His involvement marks an inflexion point, signalling how audio storytelling has evolved from niche entertainment to a mainstream cultural format. Speaking about the challenge of adapting to this medium, Prosenjit said, “While dubbing, we can get references from our co-actors, but here I had to imagine Robin Hood and his reactions, and hence this medium was different.”The episode features a powerful ensemble with Gaurav Chakrabarty leading as Robin Hood, Surangana Bandyopadhyay as Marian, Biswanath Basu and Sujoy Prasad Chatterjee in their Sunday Suspense debuts, and Rwitobroto Mukhopadhyay adding fresh energy. Thanking director Agni for trusting him with the iconic role, Gaurav says, “I had to prepare notes and make sure I was sounding authentic to the character; the rest is on the audience to decide.” Surangana adds, “Marian was not just a damsel in distress; she had strength and resilience, and I loved playing her.” With director Agni at its helm, the world of Robin Hood is shaped by Richard’s epic sound design and original music by Nabarun Bose, who has composed two exclusive songs for the episode.