RJ Russell: Voice that launched a thousand screams

"Believe me, Russell bhai, I was not at all prepared for such a thing" had become a widely shared punchline on social media for years. 

For ghost story lovers in Bangladesh, Russell bhai is more than just a name. Late at night, his eerie voice used to cut through the silence, whispering, "Whether you believe it or not is up to you. I'm Russell, with you now. The time is 11:59 pm." As the host of Radio Foorti's iconic Bhoot FM, Russell bhai became a chilling yet beloved legend.

His reign in horror storytelling began with Bhoot FM and, with time, transitioned to Bhoot Dot Com. Starting from Radio Foorti, RJ Russell eventually built a world of his own.

In the hearts of countless night owls, RJ Russell became an inseparable part of their lives.

From copywriter to storyteller

Ashraful Alam, better known as Russell, started his career at an advertising agency while captivating audiences with his mesmerising voice. His connection to radio began early, inspired by his parents. Though he once dreamed of becoming a filmmaker, his passion for voice work grew through theatre, which sharpened his vocal expression.

"Just like singing makes someone a vocalist, working with voice slowly turned me into a voice artist," he said, evolving into RJ Russell. His first opportunity came from Keya Cosmetics.  "They were recruiting through voiceover tests, and I took part, got selected, and started from there." 

His voice became the soul of Bhoot FM, blending fear, emotion, and suspense into unforgettable radio storytelling.

Russell's fascination with fear began in childhood. He would get scared reading ghost stories in books.

With time, that fear evolved—fuelled by films like 'The Ring', 'Mirrors', and 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose'. In a way, the seeds of Bhoot FM were sown from the fears deeply rooted in his own mind.

"I thought," Russell said, "if my colleagues get scared by these stories, surely others would too. That's when I considered starting a horror show."

The journey of Bhoot FM wasn't smooth at first. Horror storytelling on radio was virtually unheard of, and the management showed little enthusiasm, as media trends favored Bollywood and regional content. 

"Eventually, they said, since there's no time slot available, it'd have to be aired at midnight. Not because that time was meant to be scary—but because there were no ads then. So, if I spoke for two hours, no one would mind," he laughed. 

Despite the odds, Bhoot FM launched in 2010 and became an instant success, with SMS messages pouring in after the first episode. Russell focused on real-life stories, beliefs, and fears. 

"Slowly, Ashraful the copywriter faded," he said. "I became RJ Russell—the storyteller clients wanted to hear."

Bhoot FM aired until 2019, and when it suddenly went off-air, devoted fans were left stunned. Russell was overwhelmed with calls and messages urging him to continue. "It made me feel that if people love it this much and are giving me so much courage, then maybe I should start again," he shared. 

In early 2020, Grameenphone approached him with a collaboration idea. 

"People now spend more time on digital platforms, so I thought I should take the show there." This led to Bhoot Dot Com on the Shadhin app. In just nine months, the app gained 1.5 million subscribers. 

"It showed me my audience was still with me," he said. The show continued until June 2024, before moving to YouTube in July, broadcast from a home studio.

YouTube—a different ballgame

Having worked across radio, apps, and YouTube, Russell explains that each medium requires a different strategy. "When we did radio, the show wasn't published elsewhere. If you missed it, you missed it," he said. 

Shows were live and straightforward, though piracy was a concern. On YouTube, he now does weekly live sessions, but the competition is fierce. "If I don't grab attention in the first minute or two, they're gone." 

Unlike Shadhin, where one show was enough, YouTube demands more—"We had to name the episode, design the thumbnail." Digital success, he adds, requires more than content. 

"Now we need to understand our audience deeply—it's a full production."

"Our audience today consumes digital media," says Russell, reflecting on a time when radio was the main source of entertainment. "We'd keep our headphones on all day. Phones didn't have internet, or it was too slow and costly. I knew my listener would stay with me for two hours straight." 

Now, listeners multitask—scrolling or texting while Bhoot Dot Com plays in the background. "Attention span has changed," he explained. Since 2016, radio drop-out rates rose sharply, revealing a shift to digital. "If they're not hooked in five minutes, they'll leave." With digital natives replacing analogue-era listeners, Russell now dreams of building a dedicated platform for uninterrupted ghost storytelling.

While Russell has received immense love from audiences, he's also faced criticism—especially regarding the authenticity of his stories. He recalls a tale of a man hearing horse hooves and seeing a headless horse. "If the story is from someone random, like a Mr Selim from Narayanganj, many people won't believe it," he said. 

But for Russell, credibility lies in trust.

"If your parents told you the same thing—even something more unbelievable—you'd probably believe them." Another frequent remark is that newer episodes lack the charm of the early ones. 

Has Russell ever encountered a ghost himself? 

Despite narrating ghost stories for 15 years, Russell admits he's never actually seen a ghost. But he has encountered strange, unexplained experiences.

One such night involved two guests—one from Dhaka's infamous "Bhoot er Goli" on Central Road, the other from Kurigram. Before going on air, guests usually share their stories in a group, to verify authenticity and avoid accusations of fabrication.

The boy from Kurigram instantly recognised the one from Central Road, saying, "You're going to tell that story about the coconut tree on your roof, right?"

Everyone was stunned. The two had come from different places and hadn't met before. Yet the boy not only knew the story but also claimed to know what had happened before and what might happen in the future.

When asked how he got this strange ability, the boy shared that he once helped a mad-looking man near a graveyard who claimed to be hungry. He fed him rice daily—and slowly, this mysterious power developed within him.

"I've never seen a ghost," says Russell, "but I've definitely encountered the inexplicable."

Ghost stories aren't just entertainment—they're part of Bangali cultural emotion. Whether during a sudden storm or in the quiet of midnight, ghost stories continue to stir imaginations across generations.

While rooted in emotion, Russell believes that the way we tell these stories must evolve. His advice to newcomers— "Telling a story isn't enough—it must have innovation, new formats, and fresh perspectives."

"In our time, it took ages to find information online. Today's generation has the world at their fingertips. They must use that opportunity to ask—what new formats can be brought to the genre? What new ideas can be explored?"