Recollecting cherished childhood memories, we often find ourselves nostalgic about the captivating tales that transported us to enchanting realms filled with fairies, demons, and magical creatures. While books provided solace for some, the allure of listening to stories and letting our imagination take flight was undeniable. In today’s era, we are fortunate to have storytellers who, through various platforms and live storytelling shows, have the ability to whisk us away to entirely different worlds, transcending the boundaries of reality. Here are some of India’s finest storytellers who possess the extraordinary power to transport you to extraordinary realms.
Neelesh Misra
This journalist turned lyricist turned storyteller is amongst the most notable storytellers of our times. His passion for writing has led him to different avenues, yet his stories seem to transport us into a world of everyday stories with a generous dose of romance in them. His radio show ‘Yaadon ka Idiot Box’ made him a household name as he was able to touch the hearts of many with his stories that dealt with human emotions. During his LIVE shows, the audience hangs on to each word of his, and re-living the tale as he unfolds it, bit by bit. He has launched a podcast, ‘A Slow Journey with Neelesh Misra’ where he embarks on a journey to discover the stories of people and places.
Sudhanshu Rai
India’s favourite storyteller Sudhanshu Rai is the undisputed king of thrillers as he has more than 200 thrillers to his credit. From detective stories to murder mysteries to horror stories, his stories have been much loved by viewers aged between 13-60 years old. Detective Boomrah, a character that he created has become immensely popular, not just through his stories but also through a web series by the same name where Sudhanshu played the titular role. The storyteller began his career with social media, and reached out to a larger audience through radio shows and various other digital platforms. His LIVE storytelling sessions offer a cinema like experience to the audience, replete with sound effects, visual effects as well as music. Check out his YouTube channels if you would like to listen to thrillers rooted in Indian culture, where he regularly posts new stories.
Vikram Bhatt
Wasn’t Vikram Bhatt a film director? Well, he dabbled with the audio medium a while ago with his show, ‘The Audio Film Project’ on a popular radio channel. This thriller had elements of horror thrown in and managed to spook the audiences and keep them on the edge of their seats. The tagline of the project says, ‘aankhein band karkesunna’ or listen with your eyes closed to be able to catch on to every word and sound effect without any distraction. It is the story of Simran who is a daring journalist and her sister Sia, who comes all the way from Kanpur to Delhi when her sister is not reachable. Upon reaching she finds that her sister is missing and she immediately wants to find out more about her.
Mahmood Farooqui
Dastangoi is Persian art of storytelling where the storytellers tell the story in Urdu, while sitting and using more of their torso and hands to express his emotions. Deep diving you into history, such performers will leave you completely speechless.Mahmood Farooqui has worked hard to revive this dying art form since 2005, and now we have some more performers in this category. This winner of Ustad Bismillah Khan YuvaPursakarawardee has become popular as the storyteller in white kurta pajama and cap. He has retold classic tales like Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass and also Rajasthani Folktales. Saadat Hasan Manto’s life enacted by him has always gotten the loudest applause from the audience. He has also told tales of Karna Az Mahabharata in Urdu, based on Persian, Urdu and Sanskrit literature.
Parvathy Baul
This is a traditional method of storytelling used by Bengali singers, which tells tales of not so long ago past, transporting us into a historical world full of romance and bravery. An ektara or a single stringed instrument is often accompanied as these folk singers tell us glorious tales. Parvathy Baul, one of the ledingBaul singers has received her training from ShashankoGoshaiBaul and Sanatan Das Baulsince 2015. She has also performed at national and international stages, taking her mesmerising work to newer worlds. You can see some of her latest performances on her YouTube channel and calm down with her musical renditions.
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