There are so many art forms which make you feel alive. But poetry, as an art form has always been special. Poetry is considered as the crown of literature and being poetic is more a condition than a profession. Poets, the ever-dramatic, most romantic and not much realistic, play with words and make beautiful verses

Prankur Chaturvedi is one such poet, who not only expresses his emotions on a piece of paper but also communicates the same emotion in front of the audience in the most impactful manner.

His poetry videos “Mai, Ek Ladki Hun”, “Saala, Anti National Element” and “Ise Raat ki Subah Hogi” has created a buzz on social media.

Prankur’s main aim through poetry is to keep the art and heart alive. We got hold of Prankur and asked him to answer all our questions with the same impact.

IN CONVERSATION WITH PRANKUR:

AC: What importance does poetry hold in your life?

PC: It is an interesting question actually. And I will tell you why. I used to write since my teenage, but never had this intention of performing my pieces on stage in front of people.

Last year, I started doing that and trust me, the first time I went up on stage, it was magical. I felt alive. I still remember the title of my poem which I was reciting at THE HABITAT, “Aaina aur Asliyat.” I can still feel the love I got after I finished reciting that piece. It will always be special.

Since then, poetry has become an integral part of my life. Nowadays, wherever I go, I look for interesting encounters and inspiring stories which I can pen down in the form of a poem.

AC: What was the reaction of your parents when they got to know that you have started performing poetry on stage?

PC: Oh, well, they thought that I have quit my job and they would have to pay my bills [chuckles]. It took me an hour to explain it to them that I will be able to pursue both, my job and passion together.

Most of the poetry shows are on weekends. It is easily manageable. They are happy that I am managing both the things quite well. My dad shares my poetry video daily on Whatsapp with his friends. I am sure by now; his friends would have stopped replying [laughs].

Whenever I recite a romantic poem in front of my mom, she gives a standard reply: “Achi hai, Kiske liye likhi hai?”

AC: When did you think that you need to release a poetry video online? Tell us about your digital journey?

PC: As I said, nothing was planned, it happened quickly. You know, in this short journey, I have been lucky as well.

I went to an open mic at THE HABITAT which is located at Khar, Mumbai. This place is something else man. The vibe you get there as a performer makes you feel amazing. It almost felt like I have to come to my home, which is seriously a big motivating factor for a performer.

I met Balraj, who is the owner of The Habitat. Balraj is a very fun-loving, warm, affectionate person, a brilliant chap. There is one person you know who will support you till the very end. He is that kinda human being.

When I decided to release my poetry videos, he gave me quite a few valuable suggestions which helped us in editing the video quite effectively and efficiently.

When you are being supported by such people, your journey becomes easy. Whatever I have achieved in last one year or so, The Habitat has played a substantial role in that.

The effort Balraj and his team has put together to create a remarkable platform for artists be it stand-up comics, musicians, poets is unbelievable and extraordinary. You should check out that place if you haven’t already.

AC: Out of all the three poems that you have released online, which one is your personal favourite?

PC: “Ise Raat ki Subah Hogi.”

AC: And why is that?

PC: The main premise of that poem is hope. Hope that the other person is also missing you. Hope that one fine day you and your lover will meet never to get separated again. Hope is the most beautiful thing. A person can live his whole life on hope, just imagine. Whenever I read that poem or watch the video online, I feel satisfied that I have been able to highlight that part pertaining to hope properly.

AC: Do you think it is your best poem till date?

PC: No, best is yet to come.

AC: Did you ever think that your poems will go viral online?

PC: Nahi yaar, kaun itna sochta hai. I personally do not believe in this viral game. I would rather replace this word with “visibility.” I am thankful that because of poetry I have got some visibility, but that’s about it. I do not write to get visibility. I will never do so.

Visibility should be an outcome of your work and not an objective. The day I will start writing to get visible, I will lose my art. If you see, my favourite poem out of the released ones is “Ise Raat ki Subah Hogi” which is also the one with lowest views. So visibility is just one part of the process but should not dominate the whole process.

Like there are so many poets who do not post their material online but are much better than me and many others. I learn from them, their work, their performances. Just because they are not using the digital space does not mean their work or their contribution can be ignored. Having said that, I am thankful for whatever I have got and I promise everyone that I will keep on learning and honing my skills.

AC: Lastly, would you like to share few lines from any recent Piece which you have written?

PC: “Ise baar ke nisaab me,
Bas ishq ki baat hogi
Ek chaand hoga falak par,
Dusre ki khwaaish sar-e-baam hogi,
Ise Khuda ki azamat kahunga,
Ya mere ishq ki raghbat,
Jo tum aashiyaane me aaoge,
Toh ye haseen raat Gulzaar hogi,
Ise baar ke nisaab me,
Bas Ishq ki Baat Hogi !!”

You can connect with Prankur here on Facebook or YouTube