Spoken Fest Has Become The Festival Of Choice For Mindful Millennials

Roshan Abbas, one of India’s most versatile and celebrated storytellers, is a true actor, TV and radio host, producer, director, entrepreneur, and mentor.A seven-time national award winner, he founded Kommune, India’s leading performing arts collective, and co-created the Spoken festival, a platform uniting global voices in storytelling, poetry, and performance.

With a legacy of transforming experiential marketing through Encompass and empowering creators via ventures like The Glitch, Abbas continues to inspire individuals and brands alike, championing the power of authentic communication and narrative artistry.

In an exclusive conversation with Loudest.in, Roshan Abbas shares insights about Kommune’s Spoken Fest and his vision for the future of festivals in the coming years.Here are edited excerpts:

Q1. What inspired you to start Kommune, and how has its journey evolved over the years?

Kommune started as a simple storytelling community but has evolved into India's premier storytelling platform with 23 city chapters and an international presence in Vienna. What makes us truly unique is our ability to be a transformative platform—just ask Mohammad Muneem from Kashmir, who credits us for his new artistic journey, or watch Srushti Tawade's evolution from a shy performer to a confident rapper. Winning the Best Culture and Arts IP award three years running validates our impact.

Q2. What inspired Kommune to take Spoken Fest beyond Mumbai and expand to Shillong and Bangalore?

When Meghalaya Tourism and Jason from the Cherry Blossom Festival approached us, we knew this was destiny calling. The Northeast, with its rich tapestry of untold stories and extraordinary voices, was a natural fit. As for Bangalore, with its youth population and cultural appetite, where else would our travelling caravan of dream weavers find such eager hearts? Our aim remains unchanged: to inspire the world with stories that change lives, poetry that touches hearts, and music that becomes the soundtrack to life.

Q3. How will the festival incorporate music, theatre, and poetry to reflect the cultural ethos of each city?

Take Shillong, for instance. Our programming celebrates local heroes like Khasi Bloodz and Meba Ofilia who've taken their art global while staying true to their roots. We seamlessly blend English, Hindi, and Khasi performances, creating a multilingual tapestry that reflects India's diversity. From poetry about homeland to hip-hop that speaks of local realities, each performance is carefully curated to resonate with regional narratives while connecting to universal themes.

Q4. Festivals often bring diverse audiences together. How do you cater to varying tastes while staying true to Spoken Fest’s core identity?

What's fascinating is how Spoken Fest has become the festival of choice for mindful millennials. We see a strong female demographic, speaking to our inclusive programming. Our billion-plus views on community content and million-plus social media following show how stories transcend boundaries. Unlike music festivals restricted by licensing, our original stories travel freely from the US to Europe across the subcontinent.

Q5. Spoken Fest has been described as “the Mecca of the mindful millennial.” How do you keep the festival fresh and relevant for its audience year after year?

We're constantly evolving. Post-COVID, we've seen audiences crave authentic, live experiences—what we call our 'never before, never again' moments. Our multi-stage format keeps things fresh: Modern Voices for contemporary narratives, Virasat for traditional art forms, Guftagu for creative insights, and Mehfil for showcasing India's finest performers.

Q6.How do you strike a balance between featuring well-known musical artists and giving a platform to emerging talents?

Our programming is designed to celebrate both the well-established and the yet-to-be-discovered. For instance, we feature local heroes like Khasi Bloodz and Meba Ofilia, who have gained international acclaim while staying connected to their roots. At the same time, Spoken Fest has been a launchpad for talents like Srushti Tawade, whose journey from a shy performer to a confident rapper exemplifies our commitment to nurturing emerging voices. This blend ensures our audience experiences the best of both worlds—renowned names and fresh, authentic talent.

Q7. How do you ensure that brand collaborations align with the festival’s ethos and storytelling culture?

Spoken Fest's ethos is deeply rooted in authentic storytelling and inclusivity. When collaborating with brands, we prioritize partnerships that resonate with our core values and audience. With a recent foray into culture consulting, led by our COO, Rachna Panniker, we are crafting compelling propositions for brands that complement our festival’s narrative-driven approach. Each collaboration is carefully curated to ensure that it feels organic, adds value to our community, and enhances the overall festival experience.

Q8. What does the future hold for festivals in India over the next five years? What can we anticipate?

Under our COO, Rachna Panniker, we are growing our Events team with new festival IPs and with a recent foray into culture consulting, we are making compelling propositions for brands. We're also exploring exciting expansions into schools because we believe storytelling will be crucial in the AI era.