At the e4m Screenage Conference 2023, Mehta shared her journey of storytelling and how it has evolved. “From long posts and heartwarming images to podcasts today, the formats have changed at a quick rate. But the essence remains the same - authenticity is still at its core,” she shared.
Speaking of evolving storytelling formats, Mehta underlined, “We gained a community of 5M+ followers who loved consuming stories and we still have our loyalists who play with us to post the stories in the format we’re so well known for. But then we also have the quick binge bunch who really want the quick format of storytelling. We never thought we could tell a heartwarming story in 15-45 seconds, but here we are today, doing that every single day,” she added.
With each passing year, everyone craved newer ways to communicate but with time, the Humans of Bombay community was always hungry to do more, the executive highlighted. “We get 2,200 characters on Instagram to tell a person’s life story and by no stretch of imagination is that enough. So, as a content business, it was logical for our platform to explore a longer format of storytelling. Not just from a content perspective but also for diversified distribution. That's how the YouTube channel and our podcast came into being.”
As a storyteller, conversations are at the very core of what Humans of Bombay does, Mehta mentioned and is grateful to have them with the most special people on a day-to-day basis. “It has introduced me to a world of perspectives that I otherwise wouldn't have.”
You can get the biggest names on the episode but the ones that are loved the most are where the conversations felt real. She opened up about how when they got the opportunity to interview Aamir Khan. They were all a bit starstruck but never expected him to be so honest with the team, to the point where he broke down. It was so raw that even the audience resonated with it, Mehta said.
Sharing another incident, she said when the content company interviewed Mr. Mariwala, Mehta watched him work with laser focus as their team was setting up the entire shoot. He was working on his laptop as if they didn't exist. The second the cameras rolled, he became the charming and wise man everyone knows.
Mehta said she believed there’s something truly magical about a person being vulnerable and narrating their own story. “Moreover, what that one conversation can do to the audience is truly special.”
On often asked questions like ‘How do you do a podcast?’ and ‘What does it take to make a podcast?, Mehta noted: "So here’s the thing, the first bit is always about making the guest comfortable and that alone can give you authentic content in a conversation. You’ll be surprised to know how many of our guests prefer candour over structure. But it's not like we learnt this on day one, we experimented with multiple styles of conversations."
The basic idea is to humanise the guest and show their most authentic side to the audience that they don't generally get to explore publicly, she shared. “Being a content company it became crucial to optimise content as per our goals, while keeping the sense intact.”
“At the end of it all, we are all stories. Whether you’re looking for your dream job or wondering how to introduce yourself to the potential love of your life, how you tell your story matters. So, be you unabashedly, authentically, fiercely. Ultimately every day, you are penning a page in the book of your life,” concluded Mehta.
