Page 64 - Mann Ki Baat - English
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Kutty Kahani: Reviving Indian Folklore
for Young Audiences
involving our history and past,
as children often connect
deeply with these characters.
The response we received was
overwhelming. Children from
all corners of India, speaking
various languages and skilled
in diverse forms such as dance,
music, and ayurveda, eagerly
contributed their stories.
To make the storytelling
experience more engaging, I
Ananda Shankar Jayant
decided to incorporate digital
Founder, Kutty Kahani design and animation into
the videos. What started as a
small project soon grew into a
collection of 55 episodes. These
episodes were then broadcasted
Kutty Kahani is an initiative on DD Bharati during prime time
that is very close to my heart. when movement was restricted
It all began with the inspiration due to pandemic, reaching a
I received from Prime Minister wider audience and capturing
Narendra Modi's ‘Mann ki their attention.
Baat’ programme. When the But I didn't want to stop
Prime Minister emphasized the there. I wanted to ensure that
significance of stories and the children could access Kutty
values they carry in one of his Kahani in multiple ways. So,
episodes in September 2020, I I compiled the episodes into
was deeply moved. I realized an e-book, accompanied by
that stories have the power to "Did You Know" snippets that
engage, educate, and entertain provided additional information
children, and I wanted to create and encouraged learning. This
a platform that would harness combination of information,
that power. entertainment, visuals, and
With this vision in mind, I learning, all within the span of
started Kutty Kahani. I reached around five minutes per story,
out to parents and asked them made Kutty Kahani accessible
to encourage their children to and captivating for young
share stories they knew. We viewers.
specifically focused on tales The real turning point for
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