Janaki spreads cheer, hope with stories

If you are an ardent movie buff, you would surely remember the pretty Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s mother from Jeans or Jyothika’s mother in Kushi or the doting mother to Anushka Shetty’s character in Singam II or the lady who played the role of nun in the hit Kajol-Arvind Swamy starrer Minsara Kanavu. Actress Janaki Sabesh might not be doing too many films on a regular basis but she surely is a popular face in southern cinema. As she is all set to return to the screen with S3 this year, Janaki is  equally excited about an upcoming storytelling session with kids at a Starmark store on Saturday. 

She says, “I have always narrated bed-time stories and sung songs to my daughter, when she was growing up. Eventually I realised storytelling is a great way to make an impact on kids and adults alike. These days’ kids hardly read books and even parents don’t have time to narrate bed-time stories. Golpo is my small effort to ensure that art of storytelling helps bring cheer, joy and hope among all.” Golpo, which means story in Bengali was launched in May 2014.

But why did she pick a Bengali name for the venture, we ask? “I was born in Bengaluru, brought up in Kolkata, studied in New Delhi and post marriage, moved to Mumbai. Although I moved to Chennai about 23 years ago, Kolkata remains close to heart since I spend my growing up years there. So the word ‘Golpo’ was my first choice,” she says. 

Janaki has been conduct ingnumerous storytelling sessions across the city over the last two years and even hosts workshops for parents, teachers and students ,which centre on motivation and the productive uses of storytelling. “Every time I go in for a storytelling session, it is a new audience. It is a challenge to know my audience and proceed with the stories. There is constant improvisation and the format has to be flexible. I ensure I pepper my stories with music and lot of gestures and movements,” she adds. 

Stories are also a great way to convey a message or make the kids and adults think outof-the-box. “In the present world, it is important to come up with innovative ideas. The mundane ideas don’t exactly impress people anymore. Stories help in opening up minds and conveying new ideas,” she puts forth. 

She also says that stories are interpreted in different manners by everybody and can help make a difference in lives of people. “I remember once while performing a storytelling session at a paediatric cancer ward. I was narrating tales and these kids were so happy to participate in it. They even sang songs with me. After the session, a parent just walked up to me and blessed me. She said ‘I hope you continue to spread so much joy and hope in their lives forever’. I literally had goosebumps and almost cried with happiness,” she recollects. She also tell us she is really looking forward to a storytelling session with specially-abled children on Sunday.

Acting is more a passion than a full-time profession, she says. She consciously takes up a film a year, or even one in two years. But having studied filmmaking and with a clear knowledge of all that goes on the sets, she appreciates the hard work put in by actors. After acting in almost 28 films, she is also seen on the popular Tamil web series Black Sheep and viewers love her character. “Web series is a fun experience. I work with a very young team and there is so much energy on the sets. I completely am in love with the medium,” she says.