Raghav Bhutani is a liar who speaks the truth. A poet, storyteller, and a tailor of words, he is known for dazzling the audience with his charming delivery. Through his art, he explores the themes of love, loss, and life in general. His words draw vivid imagery of the ordinary into extraordinary.
Team Storiyaan got to chat with this sorcerer of words. Take a look at what he had to say about his work.
Interview
Questions and answers
Raghav, where do you derive the inspiration to pen down your thoughts?
I do not have a definite source of inspiration, but I guess I’ve tasted life in all forms. I love nature and inanimate objects. Ordinary things like curtains, doors, windows or a cup of tea often inspire me. They don’t seem lifeless; they are, in fact, the greatest examples of one-sided love.
You are a storyteller, a poet, and a writer. Can you tell us a bit about your pre-writing phase before writing any poem or story?
In the past, I used to dwell in this man-made world, which was anything but kind. I felt overwhelmed with mixed set of emotions. As my mindset was different, I was not achieving anything. Now, I’ve created my own world out of my imagination where anything can take place.
When was it when you had started developing an interest in writing micro-poems and Shayari?
To be honest, I don’t remember, but I guess it announced itself all of a sudden.
Apart from writing, what are you passionate about?
I love to read. I used to play basketball. I was good at it before, but now I’m not sure. I also like connecting to people.
You have performed spoken poetry as well. Can you tell us something about that?
I have performed Spoken Word before but prefer I writing over performing. I’m not a Spoken Word Performer because it causes me a great deal of discomfort. It is a commercial art form, and maybe what I write is not commercial because it feels unreal to me.
What role does writing play in your life?
Writing has a humongous role to play in my life. I have learned to respect other artists. The way I look at life has truly changed. Like I mentioned before, writing has become my way of breathing life to lifeless things.
If there is one thing that you could change about your audience/readers, what would it be?
When you read my work, read it more than once, or listen to it. As everyone has their own perspective on what they come across, it helps a great deal. If I come face to face with a reader or listener who has gone through my works and feel the exact same, that would be a totally different thing.
What advice would you like to give to people who express themselves through writing?
Whatever you write, write from the bottom of your heart. Always appreciate good work.
Don’t ever force rhyming while writing. When you force the rhyming, the emotions fall apart and feel unreal as well. Mostly, read as much as you can, especially books of classic poetry or Shayari.
Most of your poetry revolves around love. Is there any motive behind writing only for a specific niche?
No, No! Love is the only thing that’s set in my nerves and it’s the only thing that has tied the world to each other. I do not consider love to be a niche. It is rather universal.
What are your plans for the future? Do you intend to become a full-time storyteller?
I can be a storyteller or a writer or a shayar. I can’t say anything for sure, but I’ll definitely try to earn a living out of something that I love to do.