5 Indian storytellers for captivating & entertaining storytelling

(MENAFN- Life and Style News) .
Most of us might have memories of our grandmas telling us stories of fairies and demons, and how she would smartly weave the stories in a way that we ended up learning some life lessons too. This traditional storytelling approach focused on the reaction of the audience, giving them time to wonder and amuse at the tale unfolding before them. Thankfully, there are some new age storytellers who are keeping this art alive through their LIVE sessions where they read or perform their stories in front of an engrossed audience. While some bring alive the spookiness of the horror genre, others imbibe values to the little children through their stories and some bring to life long forgotten history. Here are some storytellers who will take you back in time as you immerse in their LIVE storytelling sessions.

Sudhanshu Rai
Popularly known as Kahanikaar Sudhanshu Rai, he is touted as India’s favourite storyteller whose LIVE Storytelling sessions are acclaimed for ensuring wholesome fun. Using the perfect sound effects and music, he creates an ambience that is close to the experience of a theatre or a concert. As the audience lives through the stories and their distinct characters, they are left spellbound, entertained, amused and also spooked. His Live Storytelling shows are also considered a great source of entertainment and engagement for students in schools & colleges, as well as the corporate workforce. In addition to Live Storytelling, Sudhanshu is one of the most sought after Indian storytellers on radio, podcasts and other mediums while he is also a filmmaker and actor. He is slated to soon release a one of its kind sci-fi thriller feature film in theatres, with captivating elements like time travel, Vedic scriptures etc.

Mahmood Farooqui
He is the flagbearer for Dastangoi in India, a captivating yet ancient art of live storytelling with roots in Persia. Since 2005, Mahmood has been working tirelessly to revive this art form. He has not only revived an old classic like Dastan e Amir Hamza, but has redefined the art form by narrating stories such as Alice in Wonderland, Through the Looking Glass, Rajasthani Folktales, and Saadat Hasan Manto's life and works, among many others. Dastan e Karan Az Mahabharata is his most recent work, in which he recounted the story of Karna from the Mahabharata using Urdu, Hindi, Persian, and Sanskrit to LIVE and very interested audience.

Neelesh Misra
He started out as a journalist and turned to LIVE story-tellingand there is no stopping him now. He loves writing and narrating stories. He began his story telling at a popular FM station, his show ‘Yaadon ka Idiot Box’ became a fan favourite. His stories touched many hearts and within no time he became a household name. His favourite line to begin any story- ‘Mera naam hai Neelesh Misra, Kahaniyaan sonata hoon’ creates euphoria among the audience. When he reads these stories to live audience they hang on to every word of his. The multi talented storyteller has also worked as a writer and lyricist in several Bollywood films and currently working on his podcast, The Slow Life.

Geeta Ramanujam
She is, without a doubt, the country's senior most storyteller.For more than two decades, the acclaimed storyteller has entertained story lovers. Her stories for young children are rich with moral elements that the children enthusiastically absorb while listening to her stories. She also founded The Academy of Storytelling, a globally acclaimed training facility for aspiring storytellers. The seasoned storyteller feels that each narrative can have a different and lasting impact on the young minds, as the way they think influences their creativity. Her stories contain anecdotes gathered from common people, since she believes in being a good listener first.

Himanshu Bajpayee
Himanshu, a journalist became interested in storytelling and found Dastangoi as the perfect medium for storytelling. His performances in MajazLakhnawi, Abdul Rahim Khane Khana, Amir Khusrau, Chandrakanta, and Sagar Khayyami catapulted him to stardom. What is most amazing about his stories and performances is that they all incorporate the history, culture, traditions, accent, and festivals of Lucknow. His passionate storytelling style is one-of-a-kind and unrivalled. Himanshu is also well-known for authoring the novel QissaQissaLucknowwa, which was published by Rajkamal Prakashan. It tells the story of ordinary people in Lucknow and how they live in the old city, the city of Nawabs and Tehzeeb.

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