Silchar’s Susmit Bob Nath Wins Filmfare Award For Best Sound Design

Silchar’s Susmit ‘Bob’ Nath has won the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Sound Design for the critically acclaimed OTT series Stolen (2023), marking a major milestone in his career. The prestigious Filmfare honour, awarded on Monday (December 15) in Mumbai, is one of the most popular recognitions in Indian cinema. The award acknowledges Nath’s ability to use sound and silence to heighten tension and emotion in the series, which has been praised for its gripping narrative and atmospheric storytelling.

Stolen, a tense thriller starring Abhishek Banerjee, relies heavily on sound to build suspense, mood, realism and psychological depth. Nath’s work on the series stood out for its subtle layering, restrained use of background score and immersive soundscape, making sound a central storytelling tool rather than a mere technical element. The Filmfare win has brought a moment of pride not only for Silchar but for the entire Barak Valley.

Hailing from Vivekananda Road, Silchar, Nath’s journey to national recognition has been shaped by perseverance and passion. In an earlier interview with Barak Bulletin, he had said that music always inspired him from a young age. He was once part of a local band in Silchar, long before entering the world of cinema. Nath completed his schooling at Silchar Collegiate School (1999) and later studied at GC College, Silchar.

Life, however, was not always easy for Nath. Due to financial stress at home, he moved to Delhi and joined a call centre, where he rose through the ranks over three years. “But that is not what I wanted to do and where I wanted to be,” he recalled. Determined to follow his passion, he appeared for the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) entrance examination and cleared it in his very first attempt.

Nath joined FTII for a Diploma in Sound Recording and Engineering, the same year that sound designer Resul Pookutty won the Oscar for Slumdog Millionaire, a moment he described as deeply inspiring. He credits FTII for grooming him as a sound designer and for exposing him to Indian independent cinema and global film movements. He studied at FTII from 2007 to 2012, after which he moved to Mumbai to pursue a professional career.

Over the years, Nath has built an impressive repertoire that includes work on Oscar-nominated documentaries such as Writing With Fire, where he served as Supervising Sound Editor and Sound Designer, and All That Breathes, where he worked as a Senior Sound Design Consultant. Known for his belief in continuous learning, Nath often speaks of striving to achieve a sense of “Zen” in the art of sound design and mixing. Over the last decade, he has worked on several critically acclaimed national and international films showcased at major global festivals, including Cannes, Sundance, Toronto and Venice.

His Filmfare Award win for Stolen now stands as a testament to his craft, resilience, and vision, inspiring artists from Barak Valley and the Northeast to dream beyond boundaries.