Gen Z Mythology Trend: Amish Tripathi & Sai Abhishek Insights

The collection is hosted by Amish Tripathi, the celebrated creator famend for his work on historic Indian narratives.

In an unique interview with NDTV, Amish Tripathi and Sai Abhishek (Head of Factual & Way of life Cluster, South Asia, Warner Bros. Discovery) gave a better take a look at the themes and concepts that drive Legends of Shiva with Amish.

The dialog touches upon the fusion of mythology and modern-day exploration, with discussions on religious quests, know-how and the resurgence of curiosity in historic content material.

Each Amish and Sai Abhishek shared their insights into the making of the present, in addition to their private reflections on the wealthy religious heritage and its relevance in the present day.

Listed here are just a few excerpts from the interview with Amish Tripathi.

Query: In your dialogue with Elon Musk, you touched upon interplanetary journey and its connection to religious concepts. Do you see any parallels between the journey of human exploration and the religious quests depicted in Indian mythology, just like the Kumbh Mela?

Reply: Sure, we mentioned the religious part of interplanetary journey, which I’ve already touched on in my earlier reply. Nevertheless, there’s one other hyperlink between this concept and the Kumbh Mela. The Kumbh Mela is definitely aligned with the actions of Brihaspati (or Guru), the Sanskrit phrase for the planet Jupiter. As you might know, Jupiter has an orbit across the Earth that takes roughly 12 years to finish, and the Kumbh Mela additionally happens each 12 years as a result of it tracks the motion of Jupiter across the Solar.

The Maha Kumbh, nonetheless, happens as soon as each 144 years – 12 occasions 12 – as a result of it additionally takes the moon into consideration and its particular cycle. So, the timing of the Kumbh Mela is immediately aligned with the actions of the planets.

Query: The Kumbh Mela is a profound religious occasion. How do you assume somebody like Elon Musk, who’s deeply concerned in know-how and house exploration, may view or expertise the essence of this gathering?

Reply: Fortunately, I haven’t got to guess what Elon Musk would assume. We really mentioned the Kumbh Mela. Firstly, Elon was fascinated by the sheer scale of the occasion – 415 million individuals. That was the quantity after we initially mentioned it, however now it is turning out to be round 500 million. If it have been an impartial nation, it could in all probability be the third-largest nation on Earth, simply the Maha Kumbh by itself.

So, the size of it fascinated him, as did the historicity – the truth that Indians have been celebrating and gathering for the Kumbh for millennia, with out fail. It is a custom, an unbroken custom that goes again so lengthy, and lots of different cultures couldn’t preserve their traditions alive. That fascinated him too.

He was additionally intrigued by the hyperlinks with the planets. I defined, as talked about within the earlier reply, how the timing of the Kumbh is definitely linked to the planet Jupiter. That intrigued him as effectively, and naturally, the religious dimensions of the occasion additionally caught his consideration.

Query: You’ve got undertaken a journey throughout sacred websites to retrace Shiva’s footprints. How did visiting these historic websites affect your understanding of the mythology surrounding Shiva? Are you able to share a particular expertise from this journey that deepened your connection to those locations?

Reply: On the journey to the sacred websites of Lord Shiva, one of many issues I mentioned with my father as soon as, however which grew to become way more entrance and middle throughout this journey, was that lots of Lord Shiva’s temples are in distant, faraway locations – they are not straightforward to get to. And it is a battle to succeed in them, just like the temple at Kalinjok in Nepal or Kedarnath. We determined we wished to stroll, and there’s a objective in going by way of that battle – assembly and seeing Lord Shiva on the temple, getting his darshan. The battle, in a means, is a tapasya. Your physique and thoughts get purified by way of the battle, so that you’re higher ready if you lastly see him at his temple.

Lord Shiva is endlessly fascinating, and we be taught a lot from varied specialists. Nevertheless, one factor I did not know, which I found throughout this documentary, is a temple in Maharashtra the place each Hindus and Muslims worship Lord Shiva. Kavita Kani spoke to us about it, and we cowl it within the documentary. I am certain you will discover it fascinating as effectively. It is a story of inclusion, the majesty, and the fantastic thing about Lord Shiva.

Check out the excerpts from the interview with Sai Abhishek

Query: The resurgence of curiosity in mythology and historic content material is notable in India in the present day. Why do you assume there may be such a rising urge for food for these themes, particularly within the digital house?

Reply: On the resurgence of the mythology style in India, my perception is that during the last 4 or 5 years, particularly after social media took over mainstream media, we have seen extra publicity to mythology. I might additionally say that, as Discovery, we deserve some credit score for investing in loads of mythology and history-based programming from India. We have developed a number of initiatives, such because the Secrets and techniques franchise, Secrets and techniques of Sanolia, Secrets and techniques of the Kohinoor, and The Buddha’s Relics, all drawing from the legends of the Ramayana, and Historical past Hunter and Thriller Hunter. We have been deeply entrenched in rising this class, constructing expertise, and revealing hidden tales from historical past. The truth that India is now seen in a different way on the worldwide stage means individuals need to perceive our previous. It isn’t nearly understanding our historical past however the way it’s related in the present day and the way we are able to apply it.

Mythology is required greater than ever as a result of it’s a type of storytelling and a perception system. You’ll be able to see the relevance in the present day, whether or not by way of podcasts, TV reveals, movies, or books. There are various authors writing on this style, and there is a rising curiosity in it.

Query: What position do you see mythological and historic content material taking part in in shaping the cultural discourse of in the present day’s audiences?

Reply: I broadly answered the primary and second questions collectively, however to be very particular in regards to the position mythology performs, I personally consider that, as human civilization, we have been telling tales for hundreds of years-in each form and kind that we might. Mythology is a part of each tradition. Each tradition has its personal mythology, perception programs, and faiths. As I stated earlier, we want mythology greater than ever now as a result of we’re additionally looking for who we’re, what it means to be alive in the present day, and our place on this planet. We come from a wealthy heritage. We have been one of many historic civilizations of the world that has survived to at the present time and is flourishing.

The youthful generations are extraordinarily interested in this, they usually search to seek out out extra past faculty textbooks and what they’re taught in tutorial settings. Positively, extra work has been accomplished round this, and there’s a lot of fabric to be ingested, whether or not in fiction, non-fiction, or literature. Mythology makes the whole lot related. All of the tales we inform are derived in some kind from these nice epics and mythologies. So, sure, this can be very related in the present day.

Query: How do you assume Warner Bros. Discovery is uniquely positioned to convey mythological content material to Indian audiences, particularly in an period the place there is a mix of recent leisure and conventional storytelling?

Reply: At Warner Bros. Discovery, we have been constructing this style one present at a time, spending months researching every mission. We make investments six to eight months in every present to get the analysis proper, chatting with authors, writers, archivists, specialists, and specialists in the subject material. This degree of analysis is one thing I consider has not been accomplished earlier than within the factual house in India. It is largely been seen in fiction or motion pictures, however we have been the primary to convey these tales to the factual facet.

For instance, there was the invention of a 4,000-year-old warrior clan in Uttar Pradesh, the place weapons and warfare chariots have been unearthed in a farm. This discovery rewrote historic Indian historical past. There are various such tales ready to be uncovered, nevertheless it requires a devoted group to develop and convey them to the display. We partnered with Neeraj Pandey, a famend Bollywood director, and Manoj Bajpayee for these tales. If you mix these proficient people with authentic music, good digital camera work, and modifying, the consequence turns into one thing palatable for a big viewers.

We have accomplished this repeatedly, from Legends of Ramayana to Legends of Shiva, with Amish Tripathi because the host. Although individuals who know the Ramayana could have lived with it their entire lives, when Amish goes on the journey and makes new discoveries, the expertise turns into revelatory, not only for the viewers however for him as effectively. These deep dives into the tales behind the tales present a world you may not in any other case expertise in a quick social media video or reel.

So, we have been constructing expertise by way of codecs like Secrets and techniques, Legends, and Thriller Hunter. We have additionally labored intently with organizations just like the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and different historians and specialists to repeatedly analysis and current these fascinating tales.

Query: Warner Bros. Discovery is understood for its innovation in storytelling. How do you proceed to push the boundaries of mythological and historic content material in India? Are there any thrilling new codecs or approaches within the pipeline that audiences can sit up for?

Reply: At Warner Bros. Discovery in India, we’re growing a number of initiatives concurrently, constructing out a style that did not exist earlier than us. We hope extra individuals will take part exploring historical past and mythology, as there are literally thousands of years of tales to find and share. Just a few key issues we’re engaged on embrace constructing mental properties (IP) like *Legends of Shiva, Legends of Ramayana, and others which are in growth.

For instance, Secrets and techniques began as a collaboration between Neeraj Pandey and Manoj Bajpayee, and it developed into Secrets and techniques of Sonali, Secrets and techniques of Kohinoor, and Secrets and techniques of the Buddha’s Relics. We’re working to create recurring franchises that folks can sit up for yr after yr, season after season. That is what each programmer and community hopes for: to create a key franchise with a devoted viewers.

We’re additionally specializing in constructing talent-not simply anybody who can learn traces, however individuals with experience who can maintain the viewers’s consideration, inform tales, and break down advanced historic data into easy language. Amish Tripathi, as an example, is an skilled on mythology and the Ramayana. His collaboration with us has been invaluable.

The opposite essential side is analysis. We make investments months of labor into researching these tales, utilizing a number of sources, first-hand and second-hand, and fact-checking the whole lot. Our group places loads of sources into growth to inform a very powerful tales of our time. Moreover, we have upped the manufacturing worth of Indian documentaries to match world requirements. We’re utilizing world-class expertise and know-how to create immersive experiences for the viewers.

We’re additionally testing some cool new know-how that we hope will additional immerse audiences in these mythological worlds. Whereas I am unable to reveal an excessive amount of but, it is one thing thrilling that can quickly be launched.

Query: How has the viewers’s notion of mythological and historic content material developed over time? Are there any particular shifts in storytelling preferences you’ve got noticed?

Reply: On the evolution of viewers desire and the recognition of mythology and history-based content material, I might say that the previous couple of years, particularly for the reason that pandemic, have seen an enormous improve within the consumption of native and world storytelling. The provision of content material has gone up, and so has the demand. This shift has modified the best way mythology and historic programming is perceived.

In earlier days, fiction movies took loads of artistic liberties, however in non-fiction, audiences get to see the true factor – tales backed by analysis, actual discoveries, and individuals who have labored arduous to uncover the reality. Documentaries have been as soon as perceived as boring, however that notion has shifted. Our documentaries now have the worldwide enchantment and manufacturing values to compete with worldwide content material.

With elevated content material consumption, the demand for each long-form and short-form content material, corresponding to podcasts and books, has grown. We, as a community, have been specializing in producing Indian tales with a world attain, and the response has been unbelievable. India is now telling its personal tales on the world stage, with satisfaction in our heritage and historical past.