Khwaja Ahmad Abbas was the “genius” writer behind most of Raj Kapoor’s superhit (and on one occasion flop) films- Awaara, Shri 420, Ram Teri Ganga Maili and Mera Naam Joker. However these came later. K.A Abbas had already proved his mettle as a writer with Shantaram’s ‘Dr. Kotnis ki Amar Kahani’ and Chetan Anand’s ‘Neecha Nagar’. He helped “strugglers” like Dev Anand and later Amitabh Bachchan. His stories were often considered not “literary” enough but he stood steadfast in his belief that writers should tell the stories of everyday people in language that was theirs.

‘Ababeel’ is a simple story about a complicated man.

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#KhwajaAhmadAbbas #rajkapoor #shri420 #awaara #devanand #hindicinema 

Born in Amritsar, short story writer Ghulam Abbas moved to Pakistan at  the time of the partition. One of his short stories, Aanandi was adapted  into a film called 'Mandi' by filmmaker Shyam Benegal.  

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Listen to Hindi kahaniyan and Urdu Kahaniyan by famous as well as lesser  known writers. You will find here stories from everyone from Premchand  to Ismat Chughtai ; Suryabala to Mohan Rakesh, Kaleshwar and Mannu  Bhandari. 

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#ghulamabbas #entrepreneurship #storyjam #partitionstories #pakistan #india #humor #funnystory #hindistory #hindi #hindikahani #urdustory #urdukahani #urdukahaniya

Amarkant was a writer in the tradition of Premchand. This made him stand apart but also often relegated to the shadows. As his contemporaries Mohan Rakesh, Kamleshwar and Rajendra Yadav dazzled readers with the Nayi Kahani movement, Amarkant stayed steadfast to his realism, often employing satire and humour to make his point.

This seemingly simple story about the first night of a newly married couple carries in it seeds for multiple questions. About women as storytellers, as heroines of their own stories and subjects of stories….but also about art and its inspiration.

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अमरकांत का जीवन परिचय

अमरकान्त का जन्म उत्तर प्रदेश के बलिया जिले में 1925  में हुआ। इलाहाबाद विश्वविद्यालय  से बी.ए. कर उन्होंने लेखक बनने का निर्णय लिया, और साथ ही वे स्वतन्त्रता-आंदोलन से जुड़ गए।  उनके साहित्य जीवन का आरंभ एक पत्रकार के रूप में हुआ और उन्होंने आगे चल कर  उन्होंने कई पत्र-पत्रिकाओं का सम्पादन भी  किया। उनको अपने समकालीन लेखकों की तुलना में कम ख्याति मिल पायी  उस समय तक कहानी-चर्चा के केंद्र  में मोहन राकेश, कमलेश्वर, राजेन्द्र यादव ही लोकप्रिय रहे। कहानीकार के रूप में उनकी ख्याति  'डिप्टी कलेक्टरी' कहानी से हुई।

उनकी कहानियों में मध्यवर्गीय जीवन की छवि मिलती है। उन्होंने काशीनाथ सिंह  से कहा था- "बाबू साब, आप लोग साहित्य में किस भाषा का प्रयोग कर रहे हैं?  भाषा, साहित्य और समाज के प्रति आपका क्या कोई दायित्व नहीं? अगर आप लेखक  कहलाए जाना चाहते हैं तो कृपा करके सृजनशील भाषा का ही प्रयोग करें।" अपनी रचनाओं में अमरकांत व्यंग्य का खूब प्रयोग करते हैं।

A funny take on New Year's eve by Amrit Rai. 

Son of famous writer Premchand and his wife Shivrani (also a writer), Amrit Rai had a unique voice of his own. His most famous work however was the biography he wrote of Munshi Premchand, 'Qalam Ka Sipahi'

Link to StoryJam episode about Shivrani : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ryoRARPxZk

Link to song : “Aye bhi who…” : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LNwI7Slgq0

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#premchand #munshipremchand #amritrai 

Abraham Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States was one of the most revered presidents of his country. He wrote a letter to his son’s teacher on the first day of school, not as the president but as a parent, outlining what education means to him.

In a world that’s turning more ruthless, less compassionate every day, these may seem to some like platitudes. And yet, if ever there ever was a time to rethink priorities not just for our children but ourselves, it may be now.

After a brief hiatus, I return to StoryJam. With a story about returning.

Do you ever really return home? Can we go back to being who we once were in that space that was after all made from a part of us.

“No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man.” said the wise Greek philosopher Heraclitus.

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Listen to stories in Hindi and Urdu on StoryJam. 

Kahaniyan ho ya kisse, nayi kahani ya classic stories. Saath hi lekh aur kavita bhi. 

When a film starts with a short story by Premchand and is then turned into a screenplay by Satyajit Ray, it is destined to be a classic. That was only the start of the journey though. Many gifted people joined the crew and as they say, rest is history!

Javed Siddiqui was a young writer, hired by Ray to write the dialogues for this jewel of a film. Not only did Siddiqui sahab live upto the great filmmaker’s expectations, he gained his well deserved stardom as a writer for films like Umrao Jaan, Mammo, Darr, Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge...and many many more.

Today Javed Siddiqui’s memoir about his meeting and his work with the master of cinema.

Do check out my instagram page (@arti_Storyjam) for images from the exhibition, from Suresh Jindal’s (Producer) precious book, “My Adventures with Satyajit Ray- The Making of Shatranj Ke Khiladi”

If you love cinema, you can’t miss this!

Thinking of Ismat Chughtai today as we come closer to her death Anniversary. 

Ismat boldly went where few women then or even now dare to go. She took on the world of men, including their writings, and turned it all on its head. She appropriated their language, their stereotypes, their prejudices and shaped bold narratives about women that unmasked the genteel society’s hypocrisy and bigotry.

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Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/StoryjamArti 

Instagram : @arti_storyjam 

Club House : @artijain 

-----------------------------------    इस्मत चुग़ताई का जीवन परिचय  ------------------------------------- 

 इस्मत चुग़ताई की कहानियों में मध्यवर्ग और निम्न मध्यवर्गीय के जीवन पर से  पर्दा हट जाता है, खासकर उन तबकों की औरतों के जीवन पर से।  उनकी बेबाक  बातें अक्सर समाज के ठेकेदारों को चुभ जाती थी। सो उनपर मुक़द्दमे भी चले और  उनकी किताबें बैन भी हुईं।  उनका भाषा प्रवाह अद्भुत था और लिखने की शैली में  ठेठ मुहावरेदार गंगा  जमुनी भाषा का उपयोग होता था, जिससे उनका लेखन बेहद लोकप्रिय रहा। लकिन  उनके लेखन की सबसे आकर्षक बात थी, उनकी निर्भीक सोच , जो एक अनूठा  दृष्टिकोण और सोच पेश करती थी।    इस्मत चुग़ताई, जिन्हे लोग प्यार से इस्मत आपा कहते थे, का जन्म 21 अगस्त  1915 को उत्तर प्रदेश के बदायूं में हुआ। इन विख्यात इस लेखिका का निधन 24  अक्टूबर 1991 को हुआ। उनकी वसीयत के अनुसार मुंबई के चन्दनबाड़ी में उन्हें  अग्नि को समर्पित किया गया।   

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My podcast on other platforms:  

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 Apple  Podcastspodcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/storyjam-hindi-urdu-audio-stories/id1513845846   

Gaana.comgaana.com/podcast/storyjam-hindi-urdu-audio-stories-season-1  

RadioPublicradiopublic.com/storyjam-GmywpN

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Overcastovercast.fm/itu     

 #Hindi #StoryJam  #hindikavita #Urdupoetry #urdu #IsmatChughtai #Ismat #IsmatAapa #gangajamuni #lihaaf #lihaf #Manto #Feminism #indiafeminism

Krishan Chander, best known for his stories about the aftermath of partition and the Bengal famine, spent his early years in Poonch, Kashmir. His love for the valley took him back to this “heaven on earth” again and again and he kept his memories alive sometimes with stories about its people and at other times by using it as a backdrop to share his views on society and the changing world around him.

This is a special story in the way it's constructed. There’s no three act structure, no character arcs, no denouement. Instead, there is a fleeting glimpse of several worlds through many physical and metaphorical windows.

And last but not the least, it was an utterly delightful read for me as a performer.

I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed reading it to you.

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Send me your comments on :

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Clubhouse : @artijain

My story “Skyward Bound” was a winner of the EShe story writing competition earlier this year and became part of a brilliant book of stories by women called “Everything Changed After That- 25 Stories 25 Women”

I translated it in Hindi so I can share it here on StoryJam. Hope you like it. If you do, don’t forget to share, send a comment and a “like” my way. Keeps me going!

Thanks!