Question- What advice you give to those students who are trying to make a career in other fields without any experience?
Answer- Nowadays it has become a very easy to try out different fields. If I talk about myself, I didn’t have a degree of any sort. I was the only student in IIMC who did not appear in the final examination. I did not give the paper of Audio Visual. I went to ‘Rioters’ before exams. That is why I was not present at the convocation. After some years, IIMC gave me the degree on my work. I appeared in the IAS examination too but did not get selected. I also appeared in the exam of International Relations in JNU but failed. “Your failures are not related to your degrees.” I support those people, who can show their talent to the world without having a professional degree.
Question- You’ve worked in journalism as well as on other platforms. How do you see yourself as Neelesh Misra?
Answer- I am a storyteller in different platforms. Songs in films are also stories. As a journalist, I’ve worked in long form writing which is also storytelling. In different fields, I am telling stories. Radio was the most effective part of this.
Question- Goan Connection is giving much importance on farmers’ issues as compared to Modi - Trump meet. Also, the youth is coming to cities and leaving farming. Don’t you think it is a big clash between these two mindsets?
Answer- We are doing what we want and they are doing what they want. We are trying to develop villages and towns so that the youth can return to villages again. I also returned home to Lucknow from Mumbai. As a matter of fact, it might be a possibility that I begin to reside in my village for 2-3 days in a week. May be from this year or the beginning of the next year.
Question- In today’s era of songs, lyrics are being taken over by music. Conversely, your songs are much more lyrical and people are still fond of it. What is your opinion on this transition of songs?
Answer- In the last few years, the production of songs have increased tremendously and music is getting heavy over the lyricist. That is why lyricist is facing problems. And not only music even instruments are taking over the lyrics. I too am fed up with such Bollywood songs. That’s why I don’t write many Bollywood songs now.
Question- How’s Gaon Connection performing?
Answer- The existence of Gaon Connection is important in itself. That is the reason even other newspapers are writing about village issues. It is important that Gaon Connection does not get disconnected from the roots. If it happens then nothing will be left.
Question- What’s your advice to people who want to pursue voice acting as their career?
Answer- Well, I’ve never trained myself in voice acting and neither had an experience on radio. So I don’t find myself a worthy adviser on this matter. But I feel, training kills the natural talent of a voice actor and hence should never be given.
Question- Sometimes the thought process of your readers do not match with your news articles. As a result, they blame you for printing sponsored news. For example, some people didn’t like your analysis on GST. What’s your opinion on this?
Answer- We are not facing any criticism on GST. Where on one hand some people are criticizing us, others are appreciating us for such analysis.
Regarding GST, just like many other fellows Indians, I too, am not clear about it. I’m trying to have a view on it from village’s perspective. After that, I’ll look from cities' perspective, laborers' perspective and then try to deliver these viewpoints to the readers.
