Jaipur Bytes

Neelesh Misra in conversation with Amitava Kumar. Neelesh Misra is the essential ‘storywallah’, a master of narrative across genres, platforms and media. His cohort of writers, the Mandali, share radio stories that resonate across India. In conversation with Amitava Kumar, he speaks of the many lives he inhabits as a writer, journalist, editor, mentor, oral storyteller, rural raconteur, scriptwriter and lyricist. A session that provides fascinating insights on content and commitment, community journalism and the authentic voices of rural India. This episode is a live session from Day 3 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Devdutt Pattanaik, introduced by Ira Mukhoty, discusses his 2018 bestseller 'Shyam: An Illustrated Retelling of the Bhagavata" and shares several stories about Shyam, Krishna, Kaali, Shiva, Radha, and several other mythological characters. This episode is a live session from Day 2 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Venki Ramakrishnan in conversation with Priyamvada Natrajan. Nobel laureate Venki Ramakrishnan is a British-American structural biologist of Indian origin. He is also currently President of the Royal Society. His recent book, Gene Machine: The Race to Decipher the Secrets of the Ribosome is about the quest to understand the enormous ancient molecular machine, the ribosome, that decodes genetic information to build all life forms. But the book also is a frank description of what it was like for an outsider who found himself in a race to solve one of the most fundamental problems of biology. He will speak not only about the scientific voyage itself but also about the human side of science, including blunders, dead ends, changing careers, egos, competition and collaboration. The result is an insider look at how science actually works and what it felt like to be in the middle of it all. This episode is a live session from Day 2 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Andrew Sean Greer, Ben Okri, Sebastian Barry, Tania James and Vikram Chandra in conversation with Chandrahas Choudhury. This episode is a live session from Day 2 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Javed Akhtar, Pavan K. Varma and Shabana Azmi in conversation with Rana Safvi. India’s iconic Bollywood couple, actor Shabana Azmi and poet and lyricist Javed Akhtar, carry poetry in their genes. Akhtar’s father, the late Jan Nisar Akhtar, was a legendary Urdu poet. Azmi’s father, the late Kaifi Azmi, was an enduring icon for generations of revolutionary poets. In an extraordinary session, Akhtar and Azmi celebrate this literary legacy, its impact on contemporary culture and the continuing traditions in Urdu literature. In conversation with writer and diplomat Pavan K. Varma and author Rana Safvi, a session of readings and discussion. This episode is a live session from Day 2 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Gulzar and Nasreen Munni Kabir in conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy. The most beloved of Indian poets and lyricists, the legendary Gulzar Saheb guides us through the stories behind the stories of his most iconic and enduring songs. Written over half a century of his creative ouvre, they chronicle the emotions and intuitions of successive generations and remain as markers of their times. Jiya Jale: The Stories of Songs has been written by Nasreen Munni Kabir in collaboration with Gulzar Saheb. Documentary filmmaker Kabir is the acclaimed and prolific author of several books on music and cinema. In conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy, they discuss the backstory of the music, the verses and the spirit of these songs that have become such an intrinsic part of our popular culture and heritage. This episode is a live session from Day 2 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Gulzar and Meghna Gulzar in conversation with Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri. Acclaimed film director Meghna Gulzar is the author of Because He Is, a tribute to her father, the legendary Gulzar Saheb. In conversation with editor Shantanu Ray Chaudhuri, she speaks of her childhood, the tender parenting she received and the creative connection that she continues to share with her extraordinary father. The session also records his professional and personal life, and offers insights into his phenomenal oeuvre as a poet, lyricist and film director. Gulzar Saheb will be on stage with his gifted daughter, giving us his memories of parenting and the father-daughter bond. This episode is a live session from Day 1 of #ZEEJLF2019.

The versatile Usha Uthup sings in 15 Indian and eight foreign languages. She has beguiled generations of music lovers with her charismatic style and her distinct and powerful voice. In conversation with Sanjoy K. Roy, she talks of what music means to her and the passion and commitment she brings to it. A fascinating sing-along recountal of a unique musical odyssey, with a legend of our times. This episode is a live session from Day 1 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Sachin Pilot in conversation with Sreenivasan Jain. This episode is a live session from Day 1 of #ZEEJLF2019.

Neeta Gupta (festival co-director of Jaipur BookMark) in conversation with Lakshya Datta (founder of Launchora). Neeta talks about how she got into publishing, how Jaipur BookMark came out of the ZEE Jaipur Literature Festival, what collaborations and ideas have come out of JBM over the years, and how this year’s JBM - which will host over 100 speakers - was curated. Neeta Gupta is also the co-founder and publisher at Yatra Books, as well as the Joint Secretary of Bharatiya Anuvad Parishad and editor of their quarterly journal, Anuvad. JBM 2019 will take place alongside #ZEEJLF2019 at the Diggi Palace from 23 to 26 January. You can learn more about JBM and its 2019 programme at jaipurbookmark.org.