Mehak Mirza Prabhu on Keeping The Art of Storytelling Alive

“As a performer, performing in front of a live audience, even if it is just two people, is much more fulfilling than your video going up on Youtube and the number of likes.”

Mehak Mirza Prabhu talks about following her intuition and choosing storytelling. She says that she writes and composes original fictional stories for adults.

“As we grow older, we lose touch with stories.”

She talks about how in today’s age, the craft of storytelling is missing, especially stories that have contemporary relevance. She is trying to fill this void by her own efforts.

“I teach and so I aim to create more storytellers.”

She says that she never planned it, nor did she begin storytelling as a child. At the age of 33, it was a sudden realization. She knew she was no longer interested in being a businesswoman. This was followed by a few events that eventually encouraged her to change her path altogether. She says that she felt bound to follow a path that was not corporate and hence stressful. Her intuitive response was storytelling. However, she was aware of how it would be equally stressful.

“The difference was I enjoyed this stress and the toughness of this. So I knew that this is it.”

She says that she actually craves for a live performance. Even if it requires extensive traveling, it doesn’t really matter to her.

“I know that the audience is moved and that just pushes me to do it again. That’s my fuel.”

She says how as a storyteller, as she tells stories about people, it is important that people listen.

“A storyteller needs an audience. Without an audience you are nothing.”

When the listener is right in front of you and you can assess the expression in their eyes, nothing is better than that, she says.

Talking of Roar, the event she was part of, she says that she was impressed by the positive energy. She highlights how everyone was calm; everything was planned, which is a rarity especially when organizing an event.

“When things are not working out, how one handles it then, that’s more important.”

She says how this particularly is a perception of strength and in Roar this was abundant. Everybody was in perfect sync with their energies, striving on positivity.

“You’re talking about being a rebel in a very positive way.”

She says that the fact that being a rebel is not negative, everybody else needs to understand that!