Sure, everyone can narrate tales and stories, but storytellers have the magic to do the same. The lyrical and smooth recitation of these recollected memories and anecdotes weaves magic. There is indeed a tone, a narrative style, and a beautiful synchronization of the words in a storytelling performance. While we believe most stories are spun out only fictionally, it is quite wrong. Non-fiction and real-life stories teach us more about our world, our surroundings, and ourselves. Our experiences define us and the experiences of others become a medium through which we can view ourselves in the other person’s shoes. It becomes both a hope and a warning for us. Storytellers Priya Malik and Rakesh Tiwari share some small snippets from their lives. They bring out the essence of seemingly insignificant moments of life, and make us aware of the complexities and simplicity of life. 

Here we bring two of these storytelling performances by Priya and Rakesh. A tale narration which will win your heart, and maybe resonate with your soul too. 

Bade Hokar Kya Banoge? – Priya Malik 

Priya Malik is a poetry writer, poetry performer, and a storyteller. In this standup performance of hers, Priya gives us a glimpse of her life, who she was and who she is now. This is a story of passion, dreams, and desperation. Priya Malik wasn’t always a poetry writer, and she never even considered it as her career, even though she loved the arts and theatre from the very core of her being. Born in a middle class Indian family means one has to find a stable financial route, and unconventional career paths like acting, dancing, singing are looked down upon. Priya kept her artistic hobbies aside, and did all kinds of jobs, from call centres to teaching at the best school in Australia, yet her life was still missing an essential scoop of it. She still wasn’t satisfied. Priya, through her life story, beautifully laid down the dilemma in which we live, but at the end of the day, we must respond to our heart’s calling. Listen to her story, and you’ll be amazed to listen to Priya’s undulating journey, and how she finally reached her desired destination.

Papa, Waqt Aur School – Rakesh Tiwari

Rakesh Tiwari is a splendid storyteller and a poetry writer. His words bear so much thought, symbolisms, and metaphors. It is a treat to listen to his tales, poetries, and anecdotes. In this episode of another of his standup performances, he brings to light the mystery of time. Narrating his childhood days, back from 1999, Rakesh recalls about his childhood. Although he wanted to impress his dad with a good score in his board examinations, he failed with an average percentage score. Through this experience, Rakesh learns that time is indeed a powerful play. It is time which has the control over many aspects of our lives. You’d be fascinated to listen to Rakesh’s point of view, his perception towards time. And the ending of his story will make you look for the hope and comfort you thought you lost. Applause to Rakesh Tiwari for bringing such a thought-provoking story on time and its enigma. 

Breakups are often the worst nightmares for people. People perceive breakups as the dead end, a complete failure of themselves. True that betrayal, dishonesty, wrong timing, or any of the other reasons completely shackle us into little rooms of unhappiness and feelings of unworthiness, however, it is important to always see some good in the bad. On the internet, in books, in songs, you must have listened and read a gazillion rendition of breakup stories, moving on from breakups, or the heart wrenching effects of a broken relationship. Learning and growing are the processes of life, and many people express that through different artistic mediums. We present you two artists, not singers or songwriters, but poetry performers and storytellers, who have penned the experiences of breakup, love, and self growth in the most lyrical, warm and self introspective manner. Rachana Patil and Helly Shah, yet bring us poetry performance pieces worth listening to! 

Sorry, I Cheated On You – Rachana Patil 

Rachana Patil, through her effortless poetry performance, takes us on a story of ‘cheating’ in a relationship. This is not your conventional story of cheating through acts of adultery. Rachana Patil beautifully narrates how sometimes we lie to ourselves and our partners, and try to distort reality into moulding what love is and not. Rachana Patil puts a crucial question in front of us, “What is the definition of Love?” It is different for different people, and changes as we move from people to people. Therefore, how are we then not supposed to feel anxious about it? Rachana, through her story, takes the listener to a series of events and brings to spotlight breakup, cheating and love in a new perspective. Listen to her poetry performance now to have those eye-opening realisations.

Break Up Ke Baad – Helly Shah 

Helly Shah just debunked and sifted away all those google search advice on ‘How to get over a Breakup,’ Helly Shah, through her poetry performance, gives us an honest, raw and a much needed tale of self love and self worth. Like everyone else, she tried google’s advice to run away from her feelings of sadness and go on a trip, and so she did. Helly Shah found in this trip, and amidst the waves of the free-flowing rivers, the real answer she was looking for. In nature, and away from the city, in moments of fear and laughter, Helly Shah understood the secret to life and love. Helly’s lyrical and natural poetry performance is like a breath of fresh air.

According to National Crime Bureau, 139,123 people commit suicide in India every year, and 5.6% of these cases are directly related to alcohol and other substance consumption. The short film”Shrab Band, Zindagi Shuru” discusses the direct causal relationship between alcohol addiction and miseries such as strained family relations, mental disorders and frequent suicide attempts. 

“Sharab Band, Zindagi Shuru” and fourteen other such short stories are part of the “Meri Zindagi Campaign with Neelesh Mishra.” The campaign is a collaborative effort of ‘The WHO Southeast Asia Regional Office’ and Mr Neelesh Misra’s creative team. It brings forth the dangerous outcomes of alcohol or other substance abuse in front of the youth and guides them on how to quit it. The many audio stories released under the campaign discuss various aspects of alcohol use. 

Story

The short film “Sharab Band, Zindagi Shuru” is the story of Yash Badal, the hero who, after 17 years of severe alcohol addiction, successfully reclaimed his life from alcohol. It is the story of his family who chose to seek help from professionals. A supportive family who stood by him in bad and worse is essentially the reason behind his revival. 

Yash’s alcohol addiction started when he was in school. Under peer pressure, he started drinking every week and soon, this weekly habit turned into daily practice. His addiction didn’t allow him to complete his graduation, have a promising career like his friends, or even a stable married life. Daily skirmishes and violence were usual at home, and soon, Yash, tired of daily fights with family and his addiction, got trapped in the web of depression and attempted to take his own life. 

But, Yash’s story is not about the struggle he faced due to alcohol addiction. His story is about acceptance, second chances and breaking the stereotypes related to alcohol addiction by talking about it. With constant support from family, he finally accepts his addiction and how lethal it is for him and wins his battle with alcohol. 

Today, Yash’s relationship with his family has improved, and he enjoys a blissful married life. Now, professionally, he is a well-known certified counsellor who helps alcohol-addicted people reclaim their lives back from the jaws of alcohol. He has also presented papers on alcohol at European Council and a conference in Dubai.

Yash’s story shows that addiction is not limited to the poor or uneducated, and neither it is impossible to overcome. If only, as a society, we could talk about it more openly rather than brush it under the carpet by demeaning the addict. In that case, we can push the youth of our country in the right direction, which makes an alarming 35% of total alcohol consumers in the country.

Writers and poets have the exceptional talent to describe incomprehensible emotions, be it the feelings of love, hope, desires, helplessness, in perfect and coherent words. It feels a sense of relief to see that complex knot untied with a few words on the paper, or even through spoken words. Writers and poets, and their work, are our driving force in our lives. In times of relaxation and wanting a companionship, a book, or spoken ghazals and poetries, become our recluse. Here we’ve some beautiful, and thought provoking, absolutely gratifying stand up performances, each with a unique tale, each speaking one part of our lives. 

Woh Keh Na Saka – Mehak Mirza Prabhu 

Mehak Mirza Prabhu launches a captivating performance with her exceptionally sweet and cheerful tale. A single artist, she plays multiple roles in this one performance, and what a delivery, what weaving of the story, and what presentation! Her grace and poise never left her, and she made her audience swoon, excite, anticipate and laugh at the same time. The story is written by Mehak Mirza Prabhu, and its narration is enthralling, and will immediately grasp you in. Who doesn’t get excited when listening to a sweet and coy love story? Like a cherry on top, Mehak ends her stand up performance by singing a ravish ghazal. 

Harkat Nahin – Spruha Joshi

Spruha Joshi delivers a thought provoking and wondrous piece in Malayalam. This short poem talks about growth, differences, and love. As people, we’re always changing, adapting, learning, and acquiring new skills. We’re bound to change and grow, and while some view it in negative connotations, like the most heard statement, “you’re not the same”, one often forgets that growth is not necessarily about changing, but about becoming a better version of ourselves. Spruha Joshi, through her poem, talks about how love can still bloom in these moments of growth and differences. 

Lifaafa – Shilpa Varma

Lifaafa by Shilpa Varma is an honest and an eye-opening tale of a woman. Shilpa Varma, through her tale, represents all those women who are striving hard to achieve their dreams, but find themselves bound by the shackles of duties, commitments, and, well, the duties of being a woman. Shilpa Varma narrates her desire to pursue her higher studies further, but what of her duties as a housewife? One of the most compelling lines she says is, “Mansi Mishra. Lifaafe pe yeh naam padhkr kitna acha laga …. is par Monty Guddu ki Mummy ya fir Mrs. Mishra Nahi Likha Hai. Mera Pura naam likha hai. Mansi Mishra.” Women have somehow lost themselves in the household drudgery, as playing the role of a mother and a wife, and through this stand up performance, Shilpa Varma open our eyes.  

Woh Akhri Khat – Krishna Singh and Rakesh Tiwari 

Krishna Singh and Rakesh Tiwari have a beautiful way with words. Presented as a series, titled, ‘Alvida’, ‘Woh Akhri Khat’ is the last part of the series. Krishna Singh and Rakesh Tiwari immerse each other in the characters, and present a stand up performance on a love story, and the harsh realities of it. A love, even though honest, can not go on for a long time. Both Krishna and Rakesh just find the right words to explain the distressing feelings, the acceptance of it, and continuing one’s life, regardless.

Consumption of alcohol is increasing day by day, and so do its unbearable consequences. As a result, according to the World Health Organization, 3.3 million people die every year due to alcohol-related problems and approximately 5.5% of the global burden of diseases results from alcohol consumption. The consequences of alcoholism don’t just end at depreciating health; it has far-reaching psychological, social, and legal consequences. These include domestic violence and strained relationships with family members to an unending financial crisis and even premature death. The intoxicated state forces people to indulge in violence, road accidents, and other serious conflicts. A study conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health and Neurosciences (NIMHANS) in 12 major hospitals in Bangalore city found that nearly 28% of road accident injuries directly resulted from alcohol intake.

Background

The short audio story Jhoola, written by Anulata Raj Nair, is a part of the “Meri Zindagi Campaign with Neelesh Mishra.” The campaign is a collaborative effort of ‘The WHO Southeast Asia Regional Office’ and Mr. Neelesh Misra’s creative team. It brings forth the dangerous outcomes of alcohol or other substance abuse in front of the youth and guides them on how to quit it. The many audio stories released under the campaign discuss various aspects of alcohol use. 

Story

Jhoola is about a joyous girl Radhika who adores the village she recently got married in. She loves its fertile land, greenery, and mango gardens. But, dark reality of the town couldn’t evade her for long. Radhika observes that the alcohol-addicted village makes it impossible for women to go out after dusk while during the daytime, scars are to be seen on every women body . People are in a deep financial crisis that hampers the education of the female child, and daily quarrels are common after dark.

After a lot of hesitation and thinking, she starts a campaign with the village women. Together, they work towards spreading awareness about alcohol abuse and its brutal consequences. Initially suffering some resistance, Radhika and other women successfully convince the whole village and its head in favor of the alcohol ban.

Gradually, the nights in the town became equally blissful as days. Now women don’t hide their hurt bodies. Family relationships are improving, and better financial conditions allow girls to rejoin the school. The village youth is pushed in the right direction and now focuses more on getting a good job.
One step taken by Radhika changed the direction of villagers forever. It shows that sometimes all we need to do is take a step forward, and the rest will follow.

In collaboration with great storyteller Neleesh Mishra, WHO rightly uses this platform to spread awareness, help people quit alcohol addiction, and bring about a significant societal change.