Utkarsh Pathak and Shivani Lalan
Open Sky Slam, a community of performers, consisting of both professionals and amateurs, is on its way of getting increasingly popular. Its Mumbai organizers Utkarsh and Shivani interacted with Spectralhues about the excitement the slam generates, Spoken Word Poetry, challenges and a lot more. Below are the transcripts of the interview:
So, two twelfth graders spearheading a poetry slam, how exciting is it?
Shivani: It’s a brilliant experience. Not many people believe that I’m in the twelfth to begin with. When I tell them that I organize poetry slams every month, they’re a little taken aback. All in all, it’s an amazing learning experience for me. I’m inclined toward PR in general and organizing Open Sky Mumbai helps me hone those skills
Utkarsh: Extremely exciting. There’s a huge sense of satisfaction when a slam goes through with no (minimal) (ok, substantial but bearable) hiccups. The age factor, however, is something that doesn’t figure into the equation at all. We’re twelfth graders, and we have a lot to learn, agreed. But things like Poetry slams can be organized by any Tom, Dick and Harry with enough time on their hands and passion to go along with it.
Organizing a poetry slam must be difficult, right? Where do you get sponsors and funds from?
Shivani: We have a crowd funding process that we call the Daanpeti project. Since we don’t charge any entries or registrations, we pass around a daanpeti during every slam. People contribute any amount they feel like.
Utkarsh: Our main trouble almost every month is trying to get a place large enough for our audience at no or at least minimal cost. Once that is sorted, however, things go relatively smoothly. We like to keep things casual and friendly, so no compulsory charges are levied against the people who come in, but we have a pay-what-you-can system called the Daanpeti Project, where people drop in however much they can spare.
How would you describe OSS in your own words?
Shivani: OSS is like a family that keeps getting bigger, but without the formality of introductions and whatnot. In Mumbai, we succeeded in bringing like minded people together.
Utkarsh: OSS in Mumbai is the culmination of the thought that no man is an island. As opposed to an organization, it’s meant to be a community, almost a family, where talent is allowed to grow and evolve through interaction and performances. As opposed to catering for just the talented, OSS in Mumbai aims to be the ladder with which people can grow and nurture their talents. For example, when I finish writing a slam poem I have been working on for days on end, I know that at the end of the month I’ll always have Open Sky as a podium on which I can share and discuss it with other people, and get constructive feedback.
Spoken word poetry is an alien topic in India. How would you describe spoken word poetry to someone who has no idea about it?
Shivani: Spoken word poetry is the emphatic performance of a piece of poetry. It involves connecting with your audience so they can feel the intent or emotion behind your words.
Utkarsh: Spoken Word poetry is often referred to as Slam poetry, for a very good reason. As opposed to written poetry which is meant to be read and re-read and ruminated over, Slam poetry is meant, as the name suggests, to be a virtual SLAM in the listener’s face, and often works best when the interactions between the speaker and the audience are maximum. It’s an incredibly beautiful form of writing, with an incredible amount of energy and passion attached to it.
What made you take forward this initiative?
Utkarsh: It was probably the overbearing guilt of having done nothing in life, as well as a need to meet other people, more talented than me, to grow from.
People are generally afraid of being judged when they recite their own creations, how does OSS help such people?
Shivani: OSS is a very informal and cosy setting. No one judges at all. Everyone applauds the mere effort and courage hag people have taken in coming up and performing anything – stand up, music, poetry, magic. Unlike other events, we don’t have winners or any categories suchlike, because we believe that the action of deciding to perform in itself is a big win. For the Open Sky family as well as for the performer.
Utkarsh: I’ve always said that the best part of an Open Sky Slam is the audience. I have no idea what instigates it, but there is always a very homely and beautiful atmosphere in the room. Also, since Open Sky is more about the community than just the performances, I do a thing in the beginning where I make everyone change their seats and sit next to strangers, which acts as a lubricant for an easy-going and amiable atmosphere to settle in.
As the organizers what has been the biggest challenge?
Shivani: The biggest challenge, according to me, would be building a base for the Slam. It wasn’t easy to get the initial momentum going. We weren’t really sure of the turnout, and whether people would appreciate it.
Utkarsh: Getting a venue.
What would you say to someone wanting to get involved?
Shivani: You can wait, but only till the last Sunday.
Utkarsh: Anyone wishing to get involved can like our Facebook page, Open Sky, for more details, or just give me a call on 9619275992! No, really: Please get involved.
Tags: Indian Mumbai Open Sky Slam poetry Shivani Lalan Utkarsh Pathak
