Q1. You began building communities and organising events during your college days. What inspired you to establish Tanza Talks?
Manish KR: My early experiences at Lovely Professional University helped me understand the power of conversations and shared experiences. I wanted to create a platform where people from different backgrounds could share their journeys and perspectives. Tanza Talks gradually evolved from conversations into podcasts, creator collaborations, campus engagements and broader storytelling initiatives.
Q2. Tanza Talks has featured over 200 personalities. What have you learnt about audience behaviour?
Manish KR: Audiences today have access to an enormous volume of content, making authenticity and relevance increasingly important. People want to understand the experiences, challenges and decisions behind someone’s journey, rather than just their achievements. Our experience has reinforced the importance of creating content that offers genuine value and encourages meaningful engagement.
Q3. Why are brands increasingly exploring storytelling beyond conventional advertising?
Manish KR: Traditional advertising remains important, but storytelling allows brands to communicate their values, purpose and experiences more meaningfully. A compelling narrative helps audiences understand the people and ideas behind an organisation. The objective should be to create content that builds credibility and lasting connections rather than simply delivering promotional messages.
Q4. What inspired Journey of Legacy, Tanza Talks’ documentary series exploring educational institutions?
Manish KR: Educational institutions have stories that extend beyond infrastructure and achievements. Their identities are shaped by people, decisions and defining moments. Through Journey of Legacy, we want to explore these human stories in greater depth. The project marks an important step in our expansion into long-form documentary storytelling.
Q5. As the founder of a growing content and media venture, what are the biggest challenges in building a sustainable storytelling business in India’s competitive digital ecosystem? What trends do you believe will shape the future of content marketing and branded storytelling over the next three to five years?
One of the biggest challenges is balancing creative quality with commercial sustainability. Good storytelling requires time, research and execution, while the digital ecosystem often rewards speed and volume. Building a business means finding clients who value the process, developing repeatable formats and ensuring that each project delivers value beyond its initial release.
Over the next three to five years, I expect brands to invest more in original content, creator partnerships and long-form storytelling, with distribution increasingly spanning multiple platforms. AI will also influence production and research, but it cannot replace sound editorial judgment or a genuine understanding of people. The businesses that sustain themselves will be those that combine strong ideas with disciplined execution and a clear understanding of what their audiences want to engage with.
