Mumbai: Studio9, the premium content production arm of TV9 Network, has officially entered India’s mainstream OTT space with Jazz City, a ten-episode historical espionage series now streaming on Sony LIV. Set in 1971 Calcutta against the backdrop of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the series marks a significant milestone for Bengali-language storytelling and signals Studio9’s ambitions in premium digital content.
Jazz City centres on Jimmy Roy, played by Arifin Shuvoo, a Park Street jazz club owner drawn into the dangerous world of espionage. Recruited by Indian intelligence officer Sinha, portrayed by Shantanu Ghatak, Jimmy’s nightclub transforms into a covert hub for spies, revolutionaries, journalists, and refugees amid wartime unrest.
Created, written, and directed by Soumik Sen—known for Jubilee and the feature film Gulaab Gang—the series is produced by Studio9 in collaboration with StudioNext. The ensemble cast includes Sauraseni Maitra, Sayandeep Sengupta, Shreya Bhattacharya, Shataf Figar, Tanika Basu, Aniruddha Gupta, Amit Saha, and Alexandra Taylor.
Creative Producer Arpita Chatterjee led the production alongside Sen, executing a complex multi-location shoot spanning West Pakistan, East Pakistan, and Calcutta. The show’s visual authenticity is shaped by cinematographer Pratik Parmar, while the soundtrack—composed by Arka Mukherjee, Diptarka Bose, and Sen—blends jazz with Rabindra Sangeet to reflect the cultural tensions of the era.
“Jazz City is my love letter to Bengal’s untold post-Independence saga,” said writer-director, Soumik Sen. “Delivering this under tight timelines without a single compromise on creative excellence has been thrilling. It’s proof that bold Bengali storytelling can command global stages. Studio9’s backing has unleashed our most ambitious work yet.”
Arpita Chatterjee, Jazz City’s creative producer, added, “Jazz City on Sony LIV marks Studio9’s entry into prestige OTT content. It is our statement of intent: world-class narratives rooted in cultural truth, executed with precision. Our recent Asian Television Award for Fan and Fanatics showed what we are capable of. Jazz City is another testament to our growing capabilities.”
Since its launch on March 18, 2026, Jazz City has received early critical acclaim. IWMBuzz.com noted that “the show deftly conjures an atmospheric tapestry, weaving noir sensibilities that render the club an ambiguous sanctuary—simultaneously a refuge and a crucible of danger. Shuvoo combines charisma with world-weariness to create a believable transition from sceptical observer to unexpected hero.” Meanwhile, NewsBytesApp described the series as “moody, politically charged, and artistic…Shuvoo’s sensational performance makes it an engaging watch. Sen constructs the era gone by with intricate details, and Kolkata’s iconic Park Street gradually turns into a crucial character.”
Studio9’s OTT debut follows its recent win at the Asian Television Awards, where its docu-series Fan and Fanatics secured the Best Documentary Programme (OTT) honour. The company is also in post-production on Duologue with Barun Das Season 4, featuring Sourav Ganguly, Vijay Amritraj, Lothar Matthäus, Bianca Balti, and Aamir Khan, which is slated to premiere on Jio Hotstar.
