Renowned storyteller, author, poet, and lyricist Neelesh Misra sits down for an engaging conversation with Pankaj Mishra, Oneindia, to delve into the world of storytelling, literature, and the evolving landscape of Indian creativity. From his accidental start in radio to becoming a celebrated voice in contemporary storytelling, Neelesh Misra shares insights into his artistic journey, the power of words, and his vision for a culturally enriched India.
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#NeeleshMisra #OneIndiaExclusive #Storyteller #KahaniyonKaSafar #IndianLiterature #Lyricist #Poet #Author #RadioStorytelling #SlowLiving #BanarasLitFest #IndianMusic #CreativeJourney #InspiringTalk #NeeleshMisraLive
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NewsTranscript
00:00All of a sudden, I was going somewhere, and I saw a small lane on the way, and when I went there, I saw the whole world.
00:14The invisible virtues that I am talking about, like decency, being rooted, pride, all of this is lost somewhere.
00:26We know that there is a scar on the moon, but we can't live without seeing it all night.
00:32He says his own thing over and over again. I have a small city inside me.
00:39Friends, my name is Nilesh Mishra. Let me tell you a story.
00:43From Bollywood's Rupehle Parde to Netflix's Narcos, Nilesh Mishra is here with us for different reasons.
00:52He needs no introduction.
00:54His trademark is that he tells stories.
00:57Nilesh, over to you.
00:59The age of stories, storytelling, a new fashion, a new fad, and you are alive again. How?
01:05My life is a series of beautiful coincidences.
01:14I have never written or told stories in my life.
01:20I made a music band. It was a story of coincidences.
01:25There was a story that I was narrating.
01:32I was narrating it because I didn't want to get out of the band.
01:36I am not a trained singer, so I thought I would have to do something to stay in the band.
01:44I cleverly decided to narrate a story.
01:48I made a scratch out of it.
01:52I was looking for a radio partner.
01:55One thing led to the other.
01:58The show was on.
02:01Suddenly, I was going somewhere.
02:10On the way, I saw a small lane.
02:15When I entered the lane, I saw the whole world.
02:18Nilesh, the way you took from that hiatus,
02:25somehow revived the radio.
02:29In metropolitan cities, the radio culture was becoming limited.
02:34The background medium had become a car medium.
02:38In this particular show, your voice, your storytelling,
02:42Anulata Rajnayar, Manjeet Thakur, the way they revived it,
02:47did you ever feel it was necessary?
02:51I am writing a book on my storytelling journey.
02:56When I look back,
03:00it was a time for our country's audiences.
03:06We were entering a new era.
03:13In content, there was a time of ringtones.
03:20In films, there was an era of item numbers.
03:25There was a time for Munni and Sheila.
03:27Content-wise, there was a lot of innovation.
03:32But in Jaddu Jihad,
03:35the content of item numbers was disappearing.
03:39There was a time for Durdarshan,
03:41a time for All India Radio,
03:43and even today, I think,
03:45there is a lot of Manak content.
03:50The dust of urban life
03:55settled on our existence.
03:59Coincidentally, we removed it.
04:03We made people self-realize,
04:08our relationships, our roots.
04:13I had no idea.
04:16It was the first season.
04:17I had written all the stories.
04:19I couldn't even imagine.
04:22I just needed a partner for my band's CD.
04:28We just had to make the CD famous.
04:31Suddenly, people started listening to Corona.
04:36I felt like I had touched an Indian's sad rug.
04:44A rug that we had forgotten about.
04:53I got a chance to become a postman.
04:56I am very grateful.
04:59I try to keep it honest.
05:03I don't write for the market.
05:07I try to make good content,
05:10decent content, and purposeful content.
05:15You keep giving new talents a chance.
05:18It's a unique approach.
05:20You don't write for the market,
05:22but for purposeful content.
05:23You have written on your Twitter handle
05:25that decency is your business model.
05:27Many MBAs are being hired on the business model.
05:30You have invented something new.
05:32Along with that, there is a slow movement.
05:34You are part and parcel of the same thing.
05:36Absolutely.
05:37I feel that decency and invisible virtues
05:46like decency, being rooted, and pride
05:52have disappeared.
05:56Pride has become a masculine show-off.
06:09There is no authenticity of being rooted.
06:16Whether it's content or politics,
06:20whether it's the products you eat,
06:24the chemicals you use,
06:27or how you conduct your business.
06:29I feel that if we keep talking about decency,
06:34and I am very adamant about these things,
06:40then it ties up with slow living.
06:50Uncluttered, simplified life.
06:53A life with a lot of values,
06:57which you have left behind.
06:59The food you don't eat,
07:03the clothes you wear,
07:07the way you talk,
07:12sitting in cafes full of noise,
07:16where you can listen to each other.
07:18Very rare.
07:19This is turning slow for me.
07:21Slow is not about speed.
07:23This is slow.
07:24And when you do this,
07:26you get mental peace,
07:31you get mindfulness,
07:33you become healthy,
07:35and your life span increases.
07:37You live longer.
07:38So turning slow will make you live longer.
07:40You mentioned the healthy part.
07:42I follow you on Twitter.
07:44I saw that you changed your personal regimen.
07:47On the morning walk,
07:49you mentioned your daughter,
07:51who is very dear to you.
07:53She also supports you.
07:55You share stories with her.
07:57How important is the health aspect?
08:00Prime Minister Modi has also mentioned it.
08:04How important is it?
08:05Absolutely.
08:06I am very happy that
08:08it is becoming a part of the national narrative.
08:10And since the Prime Minister is doing it,
08:13there is a different kind of
08:16acceptability and validation.
08:20After COVID,
08:22I was diagnosed with diabetes.
08:27Which was probably
08:29one of the aberrations.
08:32Although I have never had
08:35such a simple meal,
08:39I think that also reminded me.
08:47I am a frugal eater,
08:48a simple eater.
08:49I try to lead a healthy lifestyle.
08:56I am happy that it is slowing down.
08:59Like I eat millets,
09:01or locally grown vegetables.
09:05Recently,
09:07I went for a blockage test
09:09of my heart.
09:13Thankfully,
09:14the result was 0%.
09:16I feel that
09:18this lifestyle
09:20has a lot of benefits.
09:24I know that your fans
09:26are waiting for you here.
09:28Nilesh,
09:29you have spent a lot of time
09:31in a big city like Mumbai.
09:33You have made your mark there.
09:35Your acceptance among the people.
09:37We often see that
09:39you give credit to the singers
09:41and the musicians.
09:43You have raised the flag
09:45to give credit to the lyricists.
09:47Which is a must.
09:49You have been to Mumbai,
09:51Delhi.
09:52Now you have returned to Barabanki.
09:54Where you are now,
09:56near Lucknow.
09:58There is a line in your song,
10:00that there is a stain in the moon.
10:02We know that.
10:04But we can't stay away from it.
10:06Do you feel that you are going back?
10:08Even if it is a stained world.
10:10Do you feel that
10:12you will be back there with a slowdown?
10:16Actually,
10:18I don't want glory.
10:22The glory I got was a coincidence.
10:24I never imagined
10:26that I would get it.
10:30It was a bonus.
10:32It was not part of the plan.
10:34Right.
10:38Being famous was never a goal of my life.
10:46Whether people recognize you
10:48or like you.
10:50More than that,
10:52when people come and say
10:54that you said this
10:56or did this.
10:58This changed my life.
11:00It helped me become better.
11:02My work has
11:04only one prism. Impact.
11:06Whatever I am doing,
11:08whether I am speaking in public,
11:10or making a song,
11:12anything.
11:16What is its impact?
11:18To have that impact,
11:20I feel good to be famous.
11:22But to be famous and
11:24live in a room,
11:26this is not necessary.
11:28I can live in a corner and watch.
11:30It has a good impact.
11:34When I left Bombay,
11:36I got down
11:38from a highway
11:40and went to Pabdandi.
11:44I thought that I am on my own journey.
11:46I was content
11:48that I have achieved a lot.
11:52I never thought that
11:54I would achieve this much.
11:56But when I looked back,
11:58I saw that
12:00lakhs of people are coming to Pabdandi.
12:02Because they also wanted the same.
12:04They were also looking for the same.
12:08Nawazuddin Siddiqui
12:10once came to our village and said
12:12that you are very stubborn.
12:14You came from Bombay and sat here.
12:16And you are saying that
12:18whoever wants to meet me,
12:20will come here.
12:22Naturally,
12:24your interviews are there.
12:26Nilesh, it was good
12:28to meet you.
12:30Amitabh Bachchan's eternal lines
12:32are in my heart and in his narration.
12:34In the same way, I would say
12:36that the second genre
12:38is your signature tune
12:40which tells you stories.
12:42For our viewers,
12:44if you could narrate it.
12:46Of course.
12:48It says its own thing
12:50on its own.
12:52My small city lives inside me.
12:54Friends,
12:56my name is Nilesh Mishra.
12:58I narrate stories.
13:00Thank you very much.
13:02I will keep this taste
13:04with you.
13:06I will keep my closing lines limited.
13:08Thank you very much for watching
13:10this special presentation of One India
13:12with Nilesh Mishra.