A 3-year old girl would climb on her father's lap and nag to hear the 'Tilak Hati' story that she has already heard a million times from the same person, her father. Years later, the girl, Priyanka Chatterjee, now an acclaimed international storyteller, in her eighth standard, outgrew Tilak Hati but never outgrew stories This time, holding onto her mother, she would reach Nandan, Rabindra Sadan, Lighthouse, New Empire...all the halls designated to run the films from around the world invited to Kolkata Film Festival.
Her Bengali middle class household could not think of anything beyond a doctor, engineer, lawyer, or CA. So be it! Bagging an engineering degree, she landed in the corporate world where only facts ruled and there was no place left for stories. But it made her realise that "the world is not made of atoms, but stories." Every product or service, organisation or individual needed stories day in and day out, since "facts tell but stories sell".
Wanting to dig deeper into the cause Priyanka went to International School of Storytelling, Emerson College, UK to study storytelling to explore its immense possibilities, beyond entertainment alone. Once back in India with her bagful of tools, she became one of the pioneers in the field of 'Applied Storytelling' .
You work with a wide age group- from children to adults. How do you mold your skills to suit each age group?
Storytelling transcends age, class and geography. It is a tool to educate, communicate, inspire, heal. I became ‘Golpodidi’ and engage with diverse audiences—from rural India to corporate boardrooms and international storytelling platforms. I use methodologies like Draw- and- Tell, Puppets, Shadow Art, sensory storytelling , integration with real –world stories, workshops, data storytelling and such.
What is the contribution of storytelling in the contemporary corporate world?
Storytelling is a must-have leadership skill for the 21st century. Through my workshops I focus on Leadership narratives, Team building and collaboration, Sales and marketing, skill building like better communication etc. People don’t want more information, they want a story they can relate to. Stories make messages memorable and relatable. Golpodidi's storytelling in the corporate world helps organisations move beyond data-driven messaging to emotional connection and authenticity.
How is Indian storytelling and the art form as a whole seeing a major revival on global maps?
The contemporary storytelling movement began gaining momentum in the U.S. around the 1970s, coinciding with the rise of television as a dominant medium in households. The wave of renaissance reached India in the beginning of the 21st century. India, known for 'Shruti' and its rich tradition of folktales, epics, and oral narratives, is now experiencing storytelling from a different perspective. Today there are Storytelling Festivals, Advocacy organisations, Awards and recognitions of storytelling, global collaborations and corporate and education sector integrations which sees a major revival of this art form.
What goals do you have for 2025 in terms of taking this art form to the people?
For 2025, I envision to make storytelling an accessible, impactful, and recognised art form—one that educates, heals, and connects people across cultures and professions. I look forward to creating more platforms for storytelling, mentoring young storytellers, and developing digital content that makes storytelling accessible to a wider audience.
Through Arts4Change, a social impact initiative, I want to expand the horizon of storytelling for Social Change and reaching out to marginalized communities and help them find their voices.
My main goal is to make storytelling not just an art form or a mode of entertainment, but a life skill that empowers individuals across various walks of life.