Most of us can remember our grandmothers, surrounded by all the kids, screeching for just one more story before going to bed. Fueled by witty one liners, repetitive tropes, and characters that were very black and white, they became the first learning ground for most listeners. A sigh and we say, oh those were the golden days! And suddenly while channel hopping on the radio you see a gripping story with modern day circumstances and a fitting ending. Have you ever heard of people pausing everything to make sure they don’t miss the ending? Yes, we have done that. These modern-day popular Indian storytellers reach out to their audiences, and defy conventions not only in terms of themes and plot, but also through their choices.
Traditionally, storytelling goes back to pre-historic times when men carved illustrations on cave walls to communicate their thoughts and feelings. “As language developed, humans began to transmit their wisdom, fantasy, and mythology through oral stories with elements of fantasy and realism. Humans developed new ways of telling stories. They used them as plays. began to be staged as puppets, turning them into puppet-like folktales embedded in the region’s culture and heritage. They later found cinema as a medium to tell great stories. However, even with so many mediums of entertainment, oral storytelling The art of living has lived through the ages, and has in fact attained great heights,” says Sudhanshu Rai, story writer, filmmaker and actor.
In modern times, what began in Sweden in 1991 as a day to celebrate and revive the art of storytelling at the March equinox (20 March) soon became popular in Australia and globally as World Storytelling. came to be known as the day. “With many listeners and storytellers coming together to exchange oral stories in different languages, the program has not only gained international fame but has also become extremely popular among local groups and young listeners,” says Rai.
Present-day storytelling sessions presented in front of a live audience have become experiences similar to movies or theater shows. “With live music, sound effects, lighting effects and sometimes actors to support the narration, storytelling is now being taken to a different realm. It is not surprising to see that sound engineers and designers have become an important aspect of storytelling and create an environment that is appropriate for the setting of the story. The engrossed audience lives through the story, as if everything is happening right in front of them through the magic of words created by the storytellers. No wonder there are corporates and government offices, which encourage storytelling sessions as part of their recreational activities, which are not only entertaining but lead to overall well-being, diverting troubling thoughts and lead to better mental health,” Rai said.
These storytellers are telling stories in different formats and styles. In doing so, we are breaking many conventions to ensure that storytelling is even more engaging for young audiences who have access to many more digital forms of entertainment. “While experimenting with storytelling is essential, horror as a genre has grown in popularity alongside crime thrillers, horror stories and time travel stories. Thus, we are creating more stories from complex genres that have a lot to offer to the audience.”
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The consistent audience response during and after the show has given these best storytellers the confidence to experiment with different genres. Apart from simple stories, woven into classic tales or steeped in history, we also have stories that cater to the nostalgic needs of the listeners. On the one hand we have storytellers diving deep into the human psyche, and characters that are not only black and white but also grey. On the other hand, we have stories that are fulfilling the need for an adrenaline rush by making thrillers that have enough thrill and surprise elements.
Rai believes in catering to the needs of the tech savvy generation, some sessions are often recorded and available on various video streaming apps where they can be accessed. This has enabled the storyteller to have a global reach, where the audience can be in any part of the world. Social media has also played an important role in gaining a wider audience for the storyteller, as his narrations reach story lovers far and wide. Very often, listeners who fall in love with the stories of a particular storyteller can go to any extent to experience a live session of storytelling.
Though there was a small part where storytellers were at a loss, new age storytellers, with a tab on the nerves of modern listeners, are reviving this art which can possibly never die, as it always re-invents itself. Will do Changing Taste.
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