Leeds 1888, Issue-22, Let's Understand Author Surrogacy

Hi Readers,

Welcome to Leeds1888. If you're looking for captivating stories and insightful information about the media, entertainment, and gaming industry, look no further than this newsletter. This week's Story of the Week delves into the world of storytelling and explores the fascinating narrative technique of author surrogacy. We'll also examine the earliest use of this technique by Rishi Valmiki in his epic, Ramayana.

In this Issue ,you will find :-

• Box-office collection of the top Hollywood & Indian movies

• Spotlight on the technique of Author Surrogacy by looking at Rishi Valmikis- Ramayana

• Buzz from the media & entertainment industry

• Pearls from the past

STORY OF THE WEEK

Today I am going to talk about an interesting style in writing stories called ‘Author Surrogacy’.Author surrogacy is a technique where the author inserts himself or herself into the story as a character, thereby becoming a medium through which the story is conveyed. We could find instances of this writing style in the epic Indian tale of Ramayana Written by Maharishi Valmiki. He is considered to be Adikavi or the first poet in the world.

Rishi Valmiki's use of author surrogacy in the Ramayana can be seen in two instances where he makes brief appearances in the story. The first instance is when Rama, accompanied by his brother Lakshmana and wife Sita, is travelling to Chitrakoot from Ayodhya. Valmiki's ashrama is located on the way, and when Rama passes by, Valmiki welcomes him with love and requests him to spend some time there. Rama graciously accepts his request, and Valmiki is greatly honoured to have the divine prince as his guest. In this instance, Valmiki is portrayed as a hospitable and wise sage who receives the divine prince with love and respect.

Author surrogacy is a technique where the author inserts himself or herself into the story as a character, thereby becoming a medium through which the story is conveyed. Valmiki's appearances in the Ramayana serve to connect the author with the narrative and to provide a sense of authenticity to the story. By portraying himself as a character in the story, Valmiki lends his own authority to the narrative and reinforces its moral and ethical values.

Valmiki's use of author surrogacy in the Ramayana is an example of how ancient Indian mythology is filled with narratives that teach us the concepts of such storytelling with such intricacy.This narrative technique introduced by the Adkavi Rishi Valmiki is now widely used in stories and movies in the modern era.

Stan Lee, the co-creator of Marvel Comics, has been a part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) for years, making cameo appearances in numerous movies. His appearances in the movies have become a beloved tradition among Marvel fans. However, his appearances were not just a fun nod to his legacy but also an example of author surrogacy.

He often appeared as a minor character, such as a security guard, a bystander or a delivery man. These roles were often brief, but they served as a way for Stan Lee to acknowledge his role in the creation of the Marvel Universe and to connect with the audience in a more personal way.

Stan Lee's first cameo in a Marvel movie was in the 2000 film "X-Men," where he appeared as a hot dog vendor. He has since made appearances in almost every Marvel movie, including the "Iron Man," "Avengers," and "Guardians of the Galaxy" franchises. His appearances are often humorous, and he sometimes makes references to his other cameos or to his work with Marvel Comics.

I get fascinated and amazed by how various storytelling techniques, forms, and characters that are commonly used in modern-day storytelling have been extensively used in ancient Indian stories and recorded texts. I will continue to delve deeper and bring to you such fascinating examples of the intersection of the old and the new in storytelling. Stay tuned!

BUZZ FROM THE MEDIA & ENTERTAINMENT WORLD

Coachella, the renowned annual music and arts festival, takes place at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, located in the Coachella Valley in the Colorado Desert. Founded in 1999 by Paul Tollett and Rick Van Santen, the festival has featured performances by some of the world's top musicians and singers over the years. This year, Diljit Dosanjh made history by becoming the first Indian Punjabi Singer to grace the Coachella stage. His electrifying performance had fans dancing and stomping to his tunes, and he was praised by industry elites for his captivating show.

PEARLS FROM THE PAST

While movies, TV shows, and OTT platforms have become the go-to for visual entertainment, there was a time when other forms of performance-based shows captured the audience's hearts. One such medium was the Circus, which featured a large group of performers, animals, and props, camping at a location for some time and conducting shows. Gemini and Jumbo Circus were two of the most prominent names in this field. However, the end of an era has arrived as M.V Shankar, the patriarch of Modern Indian Circus, passed away at the age of 99 this week. His captivating performances will be missed by those who loved and admired the Circus. Discover more about the fascinating life and times of this Circus legend.

And with that, I conclude this week's Leeds1888.

See you again next week!

Take care,

Vipul.