‘Chorki’ to expand across the world: Zaraif Hossain
‘A significant portion of the Bangladeshi audience had lost faith in local content, and were turning to foreign OTT giants like Netflix and Amazon Prime Video for quality content. In an attempt to slowly reignite their faith in local content, we launched Chorki – a Bangladeshi OTT platform that prioritized the demands of the audience. However, it was easier said than done. Now our dream is that Chorki will expand across the world, including Bangla-speaking regions,’ said Zaraif Hossain, President, Head of Strategy, Chorki,’ said Zaraif Hossain, President, Head of Strategy, Chorki.
Recently Chorki expanded across the border, announcing that the platform will work with talent in Kolkata. It happened after reinvigorating Bangladesh’s OTT space with some amazing content. A press conference was held in Kolkata on 4 October, where Chorki CEO Redoan Rony announced the new initiative. This event was graced by celebrities from both Bangladesh and India, Chorki officials and members of the press. A discussion session was held with popular media personalities from Bangladesh and India/Kolkata, was held, with the likes of Mostafa Sarwar Farooki, Srijit Mukherji, Chanchal Chowdhury, Ritwick Chakraborty, Swastika Mukherjee and Tama Mirza.
The lively discussions shed light on many topics, including how working together can benefit artistes from both industries, how OTT has transformed the way in which we perceive content, how the friendly rivalry between productions of both countries have uplifted each other, and much more.
Chorki always wants to work with Bangla content makers across the globe. That is why, we took the decision of crossing the border and reaching out to talented actors, directors and artistes from Kolkata, so that they can connect and work with Chorki. For any new concept to flourish, it is essential for the investors to have faith in Idea Makers. But Zaraif Hossain and others believed in Chorki from the very beginning. Zaraif says, ‘Online streaming is undoubtedly the way of the future for the entertainment industry. I am proud to say that Chorki is introducing our regional talent to a worldwide audience while also bringing something refreshing to the screen.’
Zaraif mentioned looking back at Chorki’s journey and said, ‘During the COVID-19 pandemic, which was one of the hardest times this generation had ever experienced, Chorki was supposed to not only bring in revenue for Media Star Limited but also help revitalize artistes, directors, and others involved in this field. We wanted to encourage the next generation of thinkers who want to see positive change. This endeavor proved to be advantageous for the industry as a whole as well as the audience.’
Chorki's content has received numerous accolades in the Digital Media Awards 2021, Meril Prothom Alo Awards 2021, Global Media Awards 2022, Asian Academy Creative Awards 2021, Blenders Choice-The Daily Star OTT and Digital Content Awards, and Asian Academy Creative Awards 2021. In the future, Chorki wants to work with more new faces, alongside established ones. These achievements and planning have been possible for the creative and energetic team of Chorki.