MUMBAI: 93.5 Red FM, India’s leading private radio and entertainment network announced the fourth season of Poila Boithak, a three-day radio festival celebrating the culture and heritage of Bengal. Scheduled from April 12th to April 14th, Poila Boithak was an immersive experience of the art and soul of Bengal.
Poila Boishak also known as the Bengali New Year amongst the most significant cultural festivals of the region. On that occasion, Red FM introduced a first-ever three-day-long celebration on air. The diverse sounds of Bengal’s music took the center stage. From the soulful tunes of Baul to the mesmerising tunes of Rabindra Sangeet, from narratives of Bengali theatre and popular audio plays; each hour slot was dedicated to a specific theme within Folk Music, Theatre, Independent Bengali Music, Rabindra Sangeet and Bangla Band music.
The festival featured up-close performances by key artists such as Debshankar Haldar, Usha Uthup, Srikanta Acharya, Iman Chakraborty, Sourendra Soumyajit, Dohar, Fakira, Kartik Das Baul, and Bikram Ghosh, among others. Additionally, listeners engaged with renowned personalities like Poushali, Aditi Munshi, Teertha, and many more.
Speaking on the wins, “Nisha Narayanan, COO and Director, of Red FM & Magic FM, said, "Red FM’s narratives of breathing life into the unsung forms of music and cultures has once again led us to celebrate the spirit of Bengal. Festivities mark the dawn of a new year in Bengal, and Poila Boithak brought just that. Considering the election season, we decided to take the festival on air. Reverberated 36 hours of on-air melody of Bengali music, in it’s purest form. From Baul music to Bengali independent music, from urban folk to Rabindra Sangeet, this year’s Poila Boithak left no stone unturned. Each theatrical performance unfolded stories that are seeped in tradition and emotion, giving us all a glimpse into Bengal’s artistic heritage.”