Bollywood Lyricist And Writer Neelesh Misra Reflects On Anger And Algorithms

“Kindly remove my name from the film credits,” read Neelesh Misra's email to a top film production house in India. Joyfully mastering the art of saying no, he feels that it is his super power and he vehemently denies creating any content that doesn't suit his sensibility. The master of words-with a rich repertoire in journalism, story telling, film lyrics, poetry, books, lectures and activism, was in Dubai for a family vacation.

“I am uncomfortable with sleazy lyrics and hook lines handed out to me with an expectation to write the full song. Envision this-if the hook line is indecent, the words I write leading to the hook line will have to be sleazier. So I politely decline such work,” laughs Misra known for gems like Jadu Hai Nasha Hai (Jism), Kyun na Hum Tum (Barfi), Zindagi Kuch Toh Bata and more. What's more, he is self depreciative of his stand and adds,“Sometime I have shelled out my own money to bail myself out of situations when I say no. My wife is always reprimanding me,” says one of the biggest wordsmiths and voices out of India.

The power of the word underlines his career-be it story telling, podcasts, his movement called Slow that promotes slow living and a simpler lifestyle.“I have come to realise that if children are taught the power of the word from an early age, it would be life changing and transformational. They would be able to express their ideas in an impactful manner.”

Misra believes that the person of words can hold attention in any situation, be it any industry in the world. He plans to start the Neelesh Misra School of Creativity to enable children from an early age to express better.“In the era of AI too, the power of the word dominates because we do give commands to the AI engines.”

However the basis of creating a powerful speaker is ardent reading and a curious mind that is not distracted by social media.“Today we're looking for ways to get angry.“Aaj kis se upset hona hai” (Who should I get upset with today?). Our trigger points are very high. The angst that we need to fire in the real world is fired online and we are strangely and funnily gratified. It is fake, it is make-believe.”

So, there is wrong story-telling in the world?“Absolutely. Biased story-telling has become a prominent and twisted voice today. The loudest voices might not be the right one. Be it history, faith, celebrations, etc., are we sieving out the rubbish to go for the profound? We will, only if we know enough,” says the former journalist.

Misra believes that the one big basis of change is empathy.“One of the most powerful qualities of any person is to become the other. To be able to look at life from someone else's point of view, even if there is disagreement. Empathy is my secret sauce, my core. It helps me tell stories of people from all over the world-to understand their lives and add to my point of view,” he adds.

Misra believes that in today's world decency is not incentivised-its opposite is.“On the road if there is a bully driver, you don't want to fight with him and carefully stay in your lane. The same with content. Good content is often sidelined because it doesn't bully back bad content.”As for films, he is vehement on the way we talk of numbers and not content today.“We go for a Rs 500-1,000 crore (Dh 205.2 million-Dh410.4 million approximately) film or a book that has sold one million copies presuming it is better than everything else. That an ad with a leading film star or cricket star, a cause with vested interests or a propaganda film-is better.”

So, has the power of numbers come into the power of the word?“Yes just like how film festivals are known for its red carpets and sponsors and not for the films they show.”

And his answer, is his movement called Slow that encourages people to adopt a slower, mindful lifestyle. Misra has had several known celebrities visit his village and sit down with him for long-form interviews. The idea isn't just the interview but to show an alternative way of life to celebrities who are hugely followed and revered.“I simply extended who I really was to this movement. As a journalist I created long form content, narratives and that did become popular but it wasn't written for quick fame and glory. My lived experience added to many things-I decided to call it Slow.”

“We are living in a world of great negativity-the content we watch that shapes our world is not positive in nature. Since the advent of short form videos, we have lost millions of bright minds who are wasting hours hooked to it. We have sacrificed inventions, richer relations between friends and family and real conversations."

Do stories heal the world?“When I do live story-telling sessions, parents come to me with their kids and tell me how my stories make a child less anxious. We want to sharp focus that in the school that I am about to start.” He encourages parents to tell stories to their children and children to relay back the stories to him.

As for his lyrics, his dipstick is if it will make a person in a small town sing his song in the shower.“People are best unmasked when they are in their private spaces. They have to feel it is there song, their emotion, but someone else just wrote it.”

“My core is that of a journalist-saying no has been consistent. But I have said no to the wrong things too. Pritish Nandy (the Indian poet, journalist and filmmaker) asked me if I wanted to direct a film and I said no. Maybe I should have.”

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