Mumbai gets a taste of Pecha Kucha, a Japanese audio-visual form of storytelling, which is narrated with 20 slides for 20 seconds each
Mumbai experienced a unique form of audiovisual storytelling known as Pecha Kucha recently. A format that gives each presenter a chance to share their story with 20 slides for 20 seconds each. Stretching their creativity to its limits, the speakers present stories stories of self-belief, struggles and inspiration. Imagine telling this story in 400 seconds, which is six minutes, forty seconds. Based on a concept introduced by Tokyo-based architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham in 2003, it has, in a span of 15 years, caught on in more than a thousand cities across the world. The Mumbai chapter had seven speakers, who held the audience in rapt attention as they gave a glimpse of varied experiences in their lives.
‘MUMBAI HAS MANY STORYTELLERS TO INSPIRE OTHERS’
In a bid to make Mumbai the official host city of Pecha Kucha, Nikita Koka wants to ensure that it meets the mandatory four regular events criteria. “Creative stories from regular people always receive good response and Mumbai has many storytellers, who have stories that people would want to listen to. After the encouraging response to our first session, we have planned our next session in September. Artistes, professionals, students, entrepreneurs... anybody who has had an interesting encounter can narrate their stories in the given time frame.”
The 200-plus audience spanned from young professionals to families, who had come to experience this unusual evening. Rahul Paankhi (26), an IT professional was impressed with the experience. He says, “This is an interesting addition to all the stand-up comedy, open mics on music, poems and stories that we have seen till now. Not only was the format interesting, it was intriguing to hear the presenters narrate their personal moments in public. While it requires strength for them to share their stories, they are inspirational for us who are listening to them.”
Akshita Bikram (24), who had tagged along with her friend, was glad that she came. “Each of these stories was like a pep talk. Listening to people’s experiences and how they have overcome challenges helps us to cope with our own struggles. I’m taking back so much with me.”
STORIES THAT CONNECT
Esha Sridhar, a public policy student had perhaps the toughest story to share — as a child abuse victim. “Over the past year, I’ve spoken about it, but never in front of such a huge crowd. My parents were in the audience while I spoke. It was a therapeutic process for them as much as it was for me,” she says.
Elita Almeida, an expressive writing facilitator, spoke about being bodyshamed for being too thin and how she found solace in writing and travel.
“The concept struck a chord as it was not just audio, but also had visuals attached to it. The response was overwhelming. Parents came up to me and said we identify with your story as we can see our kids going through it too. I realised the power of storytelling and its unspoken degree of connection,” she says.
However, not all stories were serious. Munaf Kapadia, described as the guy who gave up a high-profile job to sell samosas, had everyone laughing with his experiences. “It was a challenge to communicate in around six minutes what I normally do in 15-20 minutes. All of the others had a serious narration while mine was more easy-going, but the vibe was good and my story was appreciated.”
Teena Kaur Pasricha, too had a serious topic to discuss but she did it with a comic flair, leaving the audience teary-eyed yet laughing. A filmmaker, she is this year’s National Award winner for Best Investigative Film — 1984: When The Sun Didn’t Rise. She spoke about being diagnosed with breast cancer two months back. “I wanted to talk about breast cancer as there’s still a stigma attached to it. I addressed the topic in a light manner and conveyed that women
need to get regular check-ups done, so that life doesn’t spring surprises on them as it did with me.”
CAUSE WORTHY
Dedeepya Reddy, an entrepreneur along with her team who’s on a mission to make Mumbai slums colourful, says, “After the talk, we got many people who volunteered to be a part of the Mumbai expedition. One person from Delhi wanted to incorporate the same idea over there.”
Many were also inspired to join marathons after listening to Kaushik Mukherjee, who spoke about his experience of completing the Ironman triathlon in Austria. “Finishing your talk in six odd minutes along with the 20 slides was just like participating in a race,” he quips, adding, “But it was a great to inspire others to take part in marathons.”
Astrid Rao wanted to introduce youngsters to the tranquil life she now leads in Kamshet. “I live a farmer’s life and wanted to spread the message of how simple living is fulfilling too,” she says.
A rapt audience
L-R (standing) Astrid Rao, Elita Almeida and Teena Kaur Pasricha (Sitting) Munaf Kapadia, Esha Sridhar, Dedeepya Reddy and Kaushik Mukherjee
Kaushik Mukherjee
What is Pecha Kucha?
Pecha Kucha means chit-chat in Japanese.
It’s a presentation style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each.
That means the presenter gets six minutes and 40 seconds in total to tell their story.
The format was first devised in Tokyo in February 2003.
Today over 1,000 plus cities worldwide organise Pecha Kucha Nights.
It’s a unique, informal setup of social networking.
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