Episode Number: 255

Filmmaking, Language, and Grounded Imaginaries | Mritunjay Kumar

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About This Podcast

What does it take to become a documentary photographer when you come from a place where art isn’t considered a “real career”? How does one capture the soul of communities through a lens?

In this deeply personal episode, we sit down with Mrityunjay – documentary photographer, filmmaker, and multidisciplinary storyteller. He shares his extraordinary journey of breaking away from the typical “engineer or doctor” path expected of academically bright students in India, leaving home early to pursue his calling, and building a career in visual storytelling without any formal arts background.

Mritunjay opens up about the challenges of representing marginalized communities authentically, his battle with stage fright despite being a public storyteller, and why he believes letting go is the most crucial part of the creative process.

Key Takeaways:

The moment he defied family expectations to choose photography over engineering
How leaving home at a young age shaped his artistic perspective
The reality of building a creative career without arts education or connections
His philosophy of "Grounded Imaginaries" and ethical storytelling
Why representing Bihari language and culture matters in visual media
Coping with stage fright while being a public artist
The art of knowing when to stop in documentary work

Episode Timeline

00:00

: Introduction: Mrityunjay - The Visual Storyteller

03:20

: "Good Students Become Engineers": The Societal Pressure

07:35

: Leaving Home Early: The Struggle for Independence

11:50

: The Challenge of Knowing When to Stop

12:20

: Letting Go: The Most Important Creative Lesson

15:15

: Language and Identity: The "Can You Speak Bihari?" Question

17:00

: Authentic Representation in Visual Storytelling

20:30

: Facing Criticism: "Don't Become an Actor"

24:40

: The Core Drive: "I Love to Tell Stories"

29:25

: Grounded Imaginaries: Mrityunjay's Storytelling Philosophy

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Disclaimer: The views expressed by our guests are their own. We do not endorse and are not responsible for any views expressed by our guests on our Show and its associated platforms.