Regional storytelling is finding audiences far beyond its traditional boundaries, with technology making stories in different Indian languages more accessible than ever. For storyteller, filmmaker and actor Sudhanshu Rai, the change is not simply about technology. He believes audiences, particularly Gen Z, are also becoming more conscious of culture and their connection with their roots.
“Regional stories are getting more popular and in fact, accepted far beyond what our imagination is,” Rai says.
He points to the success of films such as Rishab Shetty’s Kannada flick, ‘Kanthara’ as an example of how a story rooted in a particular region can find resonance across the country. “If you look at the filmmaking as well, the success of Kanthara… when they were actually going to produce the film, they never thought that this will become a hit or a rage nationwide.”
According to Rai, technology has helped give regional storytelling the amplification it needed. “People had no access to the content or the kind of storytelling we used to have from the region. The rise of OTTs made that happen.”
He says audiences are now willing to watch stories in their original languages rather than always looking for dubbed versions. “Today, I watch some Malayali film in their own language. I love it. I usually don’t look for the subtitles or look at whether I should get the dubbed voice in English or some other language. I usually prefer to have the same language, same emotions and the kind of storytelling I get.”
The shift, he believes, extends across languages. “Not only in Hindi, they are accepting stories from all the languages. I mean, you are talking about Kannada, Malayali or even Punjabi, all kind of languages are getting the kind of traction they need.”
Rai also sees a change in the relationship younger audiences have with culture. While it may seem that earlier generations were more connected to their cultural roots, he argues that Gen Z could actually be more aware of them.
“We were living in a different world altogether. So maybe we were at that time, we feel like we were closer to culture. But I will say Gen Zs are more closer to culture these days,” he says.
“They are more aware. They exactly know what they want and what kind of content they want to consume,” he adds.
Rai says the data from his own storytelling audience reinforces his observation. “You will be shocked to know that the maximum 80% of the age group which listens to my stories are between 13 years to maximum 30 years.”
For him, this audience is not moving away from Hindi because it is traditional. Instead, it is finding new ways to engage with the language. “They want to explore the culture. They want to be nearer to what they are into. They want to belong to their roots.”
That does not mean Hindi storytelling can remain unchanged. Rai believes the language itself has to evolve to remain accessible to newer generations.
“Earlier, most of the storytellers we look at used to have strong Hindi to communicate with the audience and do the storytelling. But we are making Hindi easier as well for the coming generations. They should be able to understand and love Hindi going forward. And they explore the language in their own way.”
He sees the same evolution across cinema, audio storytelling and digital platforms. “Hindi is now being presented in a format which is not that strong core Hindi we used to have. People can just relate to it, easily understand the overall language and process.”
Technology, including AI, will further change how stories are created and accessed, but Rai does not see it replacing the cultural connection at the heart of storytelling. “As a Hindi storyteller, I will always mention that the aspect of sharing stories in Hindi will remain as it is. In fact, it will get more deeper. AI will only make accessibilities easier.”
Rai’s own journey reflects the changing storytelling landscape. Known for ‘Baida’, ‘Detective Boomrah’ and ‘Chaipatti’, and for creating fictional characters such as Detective Boomrah and Doctor Shekhawat, he has written and narrated more than 125 stories in the digital space.
While horror and thrillers remain popular among digital audiences, he says storytelling itself has a deeper role to play, particularly in a world dominated by short-form content.
“Stories are something which can just cut you from the existing world,” he says, adding that after a day of work, audiences may simply want “a soothing night” and a chance to relax.
He also believes the current fascination with short-form content may eventually give way to a renewed interest in books, organic food, Ayurveda and slower experiences. “Every popular thing has its own phase,” he says.
“We are all turning back to our villages and want to be in regions with scenic views. It’s a cycle. Earlier, we wanted to be in city and grow. We wanted to have a career. Later, we decided we need a cup of coffee or a tea in a balcony looking at birds.”
For Rai, that story could come from a book or a narrator. What matters is the connection it creates. And as Hindi storytelling enters new formats and reaches younger audiences, he believes its future lies not in abandoning its cultural character, but in finding new ways to make that character accessible.
