The stage was set and the audience was waiting with bated breath when Neelesh Misra, celebrated journalist and lyricist, embarked upon his very first performance in Bengaluru on January 6 at Ambedkar Bhavan. As the city’s notorious traffic stood absolved for once, his delay was due to a late flight, leaving eager fans anticipating his arrival two hours past the scheduled time. Despite the holdup, the evening unfolded into a symphony of his narrated stories harmoniously accompanied by film and non-film songs penned by Misra himself.
Neelesh Misra’s résumé brims with eclectic experiences, from his start as a meticulous journalist who has covered events like the Kargil War and various insurgencies to becoming the Editor and co-founder of Gaon Connection, a rurally-focused media platform. He has donned hats as an author of five books and has emerged as a popular Hindi film lyricist, enchanting listeners with melodies like ‘Jadu hai nasha hai’ from the film ‘Jism.’
In an intimate conversation with Metroplus from his base in Lucknow, Misra delved into his journey traversing the arenas of journalism and music. He passionately spoke of his innate curiosity and unquenchable thirst for human stories across spectrum and space. His pursuit of these narratives didn’t discriminate, whether he was reporting from conflict zones or immersing himself in the vibrancy of the Olympics in China; people and their stories consistently captivated him. His art is underpinned by an acute sense of empathy, which he identifies as a cornerstone of his multifaceted career.
Misra laments the modern shift in journalism where the storyteller often usurps the story. Recalling an era where journalists were akin to postmen, anonymously and humbly delivering the news without the intrusion of ego, he expresses concern over the ‘I’ eclipsing the spirit of objective reporting. He describes how his steadfast commitment to ‘presenting news and facts as they are’ has transcended mediums, characterizing his journalistic integrity and writing ethos.
His transition to fiction writing and lyricism, spurred by a journalistic attention to detail, allowed for a seamless blend of real-world observation and creative imagination. Misra’s acute awareness for the seemingly insignificant details, like the color of a beer can during a hijacking event, enriched his storytelling with a cinematic texture. This attention to minutiae, he explains, often sets apart the mundane from the extraordinary. To Misra, even the most mundane objects and actions hold the weight of narrative gold, a principle that has guided his literary and lyrical craft.
Tackling the subjectivity of cinema and emotional depth of music, Misra describes how his disciplined agency background laid the framework for a fiction writing style that initially echoed the clarity and precision of reporting, later evolving into richer, more imaginative storytelling. He charmingly recollects moments when his professional worlds colluded; songs for Bollywood films materialized during on-the-job travels, bridging his journalistic inquiries with melodic introspections.
One such spur-of-the-moment act of creativity led to the conception of the song, ‘Maine Dile Se Kaha,’ for the film ‘Rog,’ as he found himself ensnared in the quagmires of Delhi’s traffic. Collaboration with the composer MM Keeravani during that halted journey yielded a completed track by the time Misra reached home—a testament to the unpredictable muse that drives his songwriting.
Misra also shared the whimsical origins of his band ‘Nine,’ humorously referring to its formation as a ‘con job,’ given his lack of formal singing training. His role in the band was carved out spontaneously when challenged to define the contribution of a writer on stage. Storytelling—reluctant yet ingenious—became his unique act, an impulsive decision that inaugurated his journey into public narrations.
The Bengaluru performance, despite its delayed commencement, was met with unfaltering adoration by an audience who resonated with his tales, presented with both vulnerability and grace. Moved by this unconditional reception, Misra pledged refunds for the audience as a token of his heartfelt appreciation. The intimacy of the event revealed itself as attendees lingered afterwards, sharing life experiences and personal tribulations. It was a powerful confirmation of the human connection that story and song can forge, a connection that Misra cherishes deeply.
The profound intimacy Misra shares with his audience through the universal language of stories and songs was evident in Bengaluru. His journey, built on patience, empathy, and an enduring curiosity about the human condition, continues to unfold—one story, one song, one concert at a time.
