EP-415 | Ramayana & Mahabharata in Urdu, and Art of Storytelling | Fouzia Dastango

In this edition of ANI Podcast, Smita Prakash speaks to India’s first female Dastango, Fouzia Dastango, about Urdu, theatre, storytelling, women in traditional art spaces, and her journey of keeping the 16th-century art of Dastangoi alive in modern India.She explains why people should not have any problem with her reciting the Ramayana and Mahabharata in Urdu, and how the art of storytelling must evolve with the current generation.00:00 - Introduction01:04 - What is Dastangoi?03:08 - Kathavachak vs Dastango04:37 - Real Identity of Urdu05:32 - Ramayana & Mahabharata in Urdu09:14 - Fouzia Dastango’s Story15:05 - Feminist Elements in Stories22:53 - Choosing Stories Based on Audience28:47 - Classical vs Folk Art33:14 - Inspiration Behind Performance37:05 - Gen Z Connect with Dastangoi42:03 - Hardest Emotion to Portray46:46 - Cultural Home of Dastangoi51:48 - Advice for Younger Generation