Beyond the festivities and grand-scale cultural celebrations, Durga Puja also marks an almost week-long detox break for Bengalis — a time to unwind and spend the days just the way they please. And what better way to make the most of this autumnal break than by binge-watching mystery shows? Here’s a list of five such shows to watch this Puja.
Debipokkho
1 5
All pictures: File Image
Starring Ushasi Ray, Debipokkho is centered around Ishani, who returns to the influential Sheel ancestral mansion that once used to be her in-laws home. Her arrival ahead of Durga Puja coincides with the disappearance of the family deity’s sacred item and was held accountable for theft. As she tries to clear her name, the situation rapidly escalates after Raghunath, one of the house helps was discovered dead with his tongue severed. Trapped inside a mansion under house arrest by the police, Ishani must navigate a web of long-buried family dark secrets, greed, and betrayal.
Where to watch: Hoichoi
Hello!
2 5
Set during the celebration of Durga Puja, Hello! is centered around Nandita (played by Raima Sen) is a housewife whose life is turned completely upside down when she receives an anonymous MMS video on her phone that exposes her philandering husband, Ananyo (Joy Sengupta), having an extra-marital affair with a mysterious woman named Nina (Priyanka Sarkar). As the festive days progress, the anonymous sender—who goes by the name Debal Shome — continues to send cryptic messages and multimedia clips, dragging Nandita into a dizzying psychological maze.
Where to watch: Hoichoi
Paap
3 5
Starring Puja Banerjee, Saheb Bhattacharya and late actor-writer Rahul Arunoday Banerjee, Paap is a murder mystery centered around a 200 year old Chaudhury mansion in north Kolkata. The protagonist of the show, Parboni (Puja) returns to the household with a mysterious past and hidden intentions, causing unease among the family members. During the festivities, a series of dark family secrets spill out, and the family priest and the youngest son are suddenly murdered, turning the celebration into a crime scene.
Where to watch: Hoichoi
Utshober Pore
4 5
Starring Rwitobroto Mukherjee, Kaushik Sen, Aishwarya Sen and Sreya Bhattacharya, Utshober Pore is centered around the Mullick family as they reunite for their annual Durga Puja celebration at home. Over the course of the story, the family confronts long-kept secrets, hidden affairs, past Naxalite history from the older generation’s youth, personal betrayals, and the shifting reality of joint-family bonds.
Where to watch: AddaTimes
Sharate Aaj
5 5
Released in 2019, Sharate Aaj explored a probashi Bengali community in London and their Durga Puja celebrations that came to a sudden halt after they became the target of a hidden terrorist conspiracy while preparing for the festival, aimed at disrupting the event. The series explores cultural identity, human resilience, unity across divides, and a battle between good and evil.
Where to watch: ZEE5