Hear me out

As a 90's kid, I think I was too young and a lot impatient for radio dramas in my childhood. The ones that were called Shruti Natok. In my very late teens, however, Radio Mirchi brought about Sunday Suspense — a show that magically transformed all your favourite books (and some unknown ones) into a format where you could listen to them along with the ambient sounds that were, till then, of your imagination. Just like how my Thammi used to tell stories to my brother and me at bedtime. 

 

Sunday Suspense started in 2009, I think. With Ray's 'Septopaser Khidey'. I was in my first year of college and had just discovered the benefits of using earphones on the public transport to college. Reading books on a bus, while very classy (according to me), was also difficult, and sometimes impossible, when it was standing room only. So I had taken to listening to music on my twice daily, hour-long commute. With a plethora of FM channels to choose from, and more songs stored in my mp3 player, I wasn't strapped for stuff to listen to. And then, on a Sunday afternoon, I discovered Sunday Suspense.

 

And it was a gift wrapped in all sorts of expectations, which it easily met. 

 

I'm an eternal fangirl of Ray. And Sunday Suspense opened my eyes to a whole new world. Maybe not my all-time favourite, but 'Septopaser Khidey' is a gem. The show started off with Ray stories and gradually ventured out to others. And into translations as well.   

 

Much later, in the era of social media, I was introduced to podcasts. What's a podcast but a non-radio radio drama? I listened to a few true crime podcasts. But the interest petered out courtesy of OTT platforms and a buffet of crime shows all in one space. But a few years ago, I discovered 'Bridgewater'. It was crime meets supernatural, and had one of my favourite actors in the lead. I binged it after all the episodes of the first season were released (I don't wait for single episodes). And I was hooked again. 

 

I've now restarted listening to podcasts. The latest is an ongoing one called 'Lore', by the same people who made 'Bridgewater', and is about creepy history. Episodes of 'Bridgewater' season 2 are also gradually being released and I will wait for all of them to come out before bingeing.

 

Podcasts are now so prevalenct that they've made a series based around it. It's a mystery series, of course. And I'm, as usual, late to the party. It probably released in 2021. I JUST watched season 1. I'm going to start on season 2 soon.  And I've read that filming has begun for a third season.

 

'Only Murders in the Building', starring the incredible actors Martin Short and Steve Martin, as well as a surprise in the form of Selena Gomez, revolves around a murder in the apartment complex they all live in and how they decide to band together to solve it and document their progress in 'Only Murders in the Building' — the eponymous podcast.  

 

I think I'm going to get into listening to podcasts more, discover new (and old) ones on crime, etc. They're fun. The only obstacle is me. I often get distracted by stuff. Like unread books, or a new TV show. But this year, I've decided to learn to divide my time better.

 

My list of earworms: 

Sunday Suspense: Radio Mirchi (98.3 FM), Sunday at noon. Repeated at 12am, and on the next Saturday at 4pm and 1am

Lore: I listen to it on Spotify. It's free. And there are very many episodes. All around 15 minutes long

Bridgewater: Also on SPotify. Also free. Listen to season 1 to make sense of season 2

Not a podcast, but 'Only Murders in the Building' is a fun watch. On Hotstar. Which I borrowed from a friend.