Neelesh Misra: The Pied Piper

TV on the Radio. Image copyright Neelesh Misra. Graphics by Neeraj Bhushan.This is TV. No, this is Radio. THIS IS TV. Nooooo, this is radio.

Well, you may confront yourself likewise if you happen to switch to 92.7 BIG FM at 9 p.m.

At dot, you are seduced to walk down the memory lane, by a voice so very own.

This is the time when India’s first ever radio show of its kind is heating up heartbeats in 35 cities – Monday to Friday – as Neelesh Misra begins telling stories of the imaginary cities that he’s created, for you. The programme is called Yaad Sheher wherein you are promised some favourite numbers for one full hour. Simply ♪ ♫ ♪ ♫

I asked Neelesh, “9 p.m. Prime Time !!!” “Yes”, he replied with confidence, “I’m trying my best.” He indeed is; and people are responding too. At 9, when they have hundreds of TV stations to choose from, viewers are turning into listeners, to hear some beautiful, intoxicating narrations, to re-live nostalgia.

yaad shehar with Neelesh MisraAnd you feel so content and composed as Neelesh takes you back in time, narrating stories of his childhood, growing up in a small town, leaving home, making it big, his isolation and the pain of migration. He shares his experiences with you and strikes a chord with the individuals who have led similar lives. He says, “All of us, in some way or the other, are part of the imaginary city Yaad Sheher.” Yes, this town indeed is a world of some golden memories; memories that every individual wants to relive and hold on to.

Having covered war, tsunami, militancy, flood, earthquake and naxalism, Neelesh has personally felt the rock-solid conscience of the nation and here, in ‘Yaad Sheher’, he tries to take the magma out to comfort his listeners.

His narratives cascade through times and cities as he emerges as a fine story teller, an art he learnt while working with the American news agency Associated Press, while the background simply freezes the watch, mesmerizing you with matching themes… as if everything is happening before you… before your eyes.

Also, Neelesh’s voice has both jaadoo and nasha, a combination that led him to pen the famous Jism number ‘Jaadoo Hai, Nasha Hai’. Certainly, he is a man to be watched — a man who understands the aspirations of small towns, a man who dreams of the metropolis, a man who feels the pulse of the new India and a man who respects values.

“With three-fourths of Indians under the age of 35, I find these dreamers at every corner when I travel across the sidestreets and village squares of this country. They are the stories of the changing India. They are India. This is the face of the young Indian living out a new freedom – to dream, to aspire, armed with the reassurance that it is now OK to dream bigger in the new India – and those dreams could well come true,” he says.

And yes, it is none other than Neelesh who can liken a barber with a painter or a classical singer. It is Neelesh who sees old grandmothers laugh like schoolgirls with two plaits. And it is also Neelesh who can hear rains. It is this Neelesh which India is listening to at 9, the prime time.

“Small towns exist in each of us. We carry a small town as we make our journey through the mazes of the metropolis. And hidden inside me too, is a small town guy,” he adds.

Neelesh calls himself a writer at large with dreams in his eyes and dust on his shoes. But since I started hearing him on the radio, I feel he is a Pied Piper. A Pied Piper who has become a sensation drawing fans and listeners now from 16 other countries also who are visiting him through social networks, to hear him. “This is a totally overwhelming response, way beyond expectations. Don’t know what to say, except: Thank you … keep listening!”

98 comments

  1. Neelesh Sir, main aapki story and dil ko chuu lene wali voice ka fan hoon. Mera sundy ka din apki story ke saath jaata hai.

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  2. sir main apka fain hun. main apki episod ki sari kahaniya sunta hun aur kahaniya likhta hun. sir meri kahaniyon ko apne episod me shamil karne ka mouka dijiye na please Imamuddin Ansari

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  3. Hello sr aap ka kahani sun ke bahut achcha lagta hae aisa lagta hai ki ham us kahani me ghum rahe hai aap ka bahot bahot suqriya sar

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  4. sir me aapke story ke fain hu sir aapke voice bahut sweet hai aapi story dil ko chu jati hai aap ke aavaj sunte he dil me hal cal hone lagte hai mai apke story daily sunti hu
    i love your voice ….

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  5. hiii sir…. me anuradha sharma gujrat me rahti hu. sir me apki story last 1 week se sun rhi hu pr jb se sunna start ki hu ek b show miss nhi krti. har story ko sunte vakt meri aakhe nam ho jati he me puri tarah kho jati hu apki story me… sir me singal hu par lagta he mujhe pyar ho gaya h apki aavaj se… apki avaj sun k to me sari problem bhul jati hu such me apki avaj me jadu h.me yahi chahungi ki ap hamesa aise hi jadu karte raho mujh pr or sab k upar… i really love your voice…

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  6. hi , sir i am om narayan from hamirpur uttar pradesh but i live in surat gujrat ,
    sir aapki story ki aavaj esi hai jisko koi bhi sunta hai vo deevana ho jata hai ,
    ye kahani ko sunkar jo log pyar karna nhi jante vo bhi pyar karna shuru kar dete hai ,
    dinbhar kam karne se jo thakavat mahsus hoti hai vo sham ko aapki kahani sunne ke bad gayab ho jati hai ,
    thanks sir
    my no 08460464149 and email id karndharo @gmail.com

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    • hi sir i am Poonam from Bhayendar in Mumbai . Sir aapki story ki aavaj nd apke wors munjhe boht pasnd hy. but us se b jyada mere Boss apko boht Pasand Krte he He is Blind person nd he is Builder. wo apse milna chahte he wo apk boht bde fan hy

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  7. appkea kahea huea har story bohat khubsurat hota hea,par app jab kaheta ho to us storyko jan milta hea.
    appkea har ake kahani jab ham sunta hea,tab ham v pohach jata hea yand sahar,or dhund nea lagta hea khudko us kahani mea.(shahed kahi mil jae,thorasa sakun panea kealia)*._.*

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  8. sir please consider my story i have also a story a true story *a uncomplete luv story*….only u can make it complete…only one chance make it complete…u r last hope…please consider my requst…
    +917415666021

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  9. Hi Nilesh
    dear i really miss you sir i want to talk you but i am unable to attend your story and does not listen your story dear sir i am a engineering student and i am also very greatest fan of you sir when i was io kota(Rajasthan) then i listen your story daily but now i am in Gorakhpur(uttar pardesh) and yahan par 92.7 BIG fm nahi catch karta and i want to listen your story “sir apke awaj mein khuch alag jadu hai “dear sir pls contact me on this number 8574131158 i want to share some best moment of my life sir apki awaj ka main bahut bada fan hoon apki awaj me kuch alag hi jadoo hai jub bhi apki kuch story sunta hoo to meri ankh mein aanso aa jata hai
    sir kya apki story ko download karke sunna chahta hoo sir pls send me your mobile number on my number or meri email id i miss you sir

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  10. Neelesh ji me aapka ek bohot bara fan hu…me ek college going studnt hu,uske sath,sath job bhi krta hu…. muje jabbhi time milta hai tab me aapka show sunta ho….. mujhe aapka sunaya huya” aalu ka paratha” sabche aacha lagatha….aap jo kahani sunate hai…..kahi na kahi aapna kahani lagta hai…. so, thanku aapko or aapke pure tem ko,hum lisiner k liye atna khubsurat sunane k liye….. frm: nabin aapkahi ek fan…..

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  11. DEAR SIR, DONT FORGET ME. B’COZ I HAVE 1 STORY ABOUT MY GRAND FATHER, SIR I WANT TO SHARE THIS STORY IN YOUR VOICE, SIR THIS IS URGENT, SO PLEASE TELL ME YOUR CONTACT NUMBER IN THIS EMAIL ID (Bunty7405@yahoo.com). SIR, DNT FORGET THIS. COZ THIS IS REAL SAD STORY ON MY GRAND FATHER’S LIFE.

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  12. Sir mein aap kaa show daily to nahi sunta hu par jab bhi time milta hai apki kahaniyan mein kho jata hu apki kahaniyon ek alag hi tarah ka khichav hai

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  13. Hi Sir, U r my unforgotten friends, and your voice touches heart. It has become an addiction to listen to ur shows . Your stories teach us a lot and also inspired to make good relationship between our friends and knowns….like some stories is my real life ohh…..sir please call 09212150309 or email. manojg2319@gmail.com please send ur picture….?

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  14. kisi ki yad mi hum tarsti hai rat mi aakh mi ashu likar tarsti hai ye aakhi aap ki ek jhalk pani ko agr didar na hua aap ka to mar hi jaunga mai mujhi na milo to mar hi jaunga mai.

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  15. Hi Sir, U r awsm, and your voice touches heart. It has become an addiction to listen to ur shows and even on the YouTube for the missing show. Your stories teach us a lot and also inspired to make good relationship between our friends and knowns….

    Like

  16. Sir My father age is 70 years retd Defence employee he has tried many time by sending SMS to you to talk to you But Unable to talk to you He is impressed by you very much and he want to tell you some story Kindly call him 08938830148 &9410854262 Regds Harish Wadhwani Father Name ML wadhwani

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  17. aapki stories dil ko chu gye kayi baar rona aaya.most important think is that without your voice they are effectless ………….god bless u neelesh sir

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  18. nielesh ji i like ur voice,
    i hope i m a lonely biggest fan ur voice in world,
    i like ur that,s stoy”JAWANI MASTANI”..
    PLZ contact me on my phone no bcs i wanna lishen ur voice on phone..
    it,s my no…
    08126467113
    thanx nielesh ji…for lovely stories…

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  19. Namskaar Sirji, I really like you. You never know that what you are giving me or us. Its a humble privileged to listen you and feelings of your thoughts and emotions. You know very well that “Attitude, aptitude determines Altitude”. I really love your voice, nature, compatibility, vividness and and and much more.
    Apko dekhe bina apki aawaz he Dil or Dimaag ko chhu jaati hain. main apse bahut kuchh batana, bahut kuchh bolna chahti hu. I am in very BIG trouble. I am not able to understand that what to do or not. If you have a time and little bit friendliness that do please contact me and tel me what to do or not. And I have much more to share with you to say.
    Please take care of your self for me, for every one, who have feelings about you, for you, and of you.
    Thank You so much for giving me a way to live. In other words “The ray of Hope”
    Your Faithfully, Lily Raj

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  20. Hay sir aapki voice me vo jadu hai ki lagata hai mai kahani dekh raha hu kuch kahaniya to meri hi jindagi judi hui lagati hai u r great sir.

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  21. Neelesh ji i love ur voice. Aapke voice main ak jaadu hain. aapke bare main jitna kaha jaye utna kum hain. upar wala her kese ko ese aawaj se nahi navajta hain jese usne aapko di hain.

    aap jab bhi koye story sunate hain to esa lagta hain ki hum bhi uska ak hissa hain. hum bhi wahe pe hain. wo kahani nahi hakikat lagne lagte hain.

    thank you so much………………….

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