‘India is entering its storytelling renaissance,’ says Hamara Vinayak maker Siddharth Kumar Tewary - Exclusive interview

Siddharth Kumar Tewary, Founder and Chief Storyteller, Swastik Stories

With Hamara Vinayak, acclaimed storyteller Siddharth Kumar Tewary, the creative mind behind epics like Mahabharat and RadhaKrishn, is turning the spotlight inward. As the Founder and Chief Storyteller of Swastik Stories, Siddharth has long been associated with mythological grandeur and philosophical depth. But this time, he’s taking a quieter, more intimate route — one that merges faith with the fast-paced realities of modern life.

Through Hamara Vinayak, a 10–12 minute digital short, he reimagines Lord Ganesha not as a distant deity but as a relatable presence — a friend who understands ambition, doubt, and the search for calm in a chaotic, tech-driven world. The series marks Swastik’s foray into the evolving ecosystem of FAST channels and free digital storytelling, where accessibility meets meaning. In an exclusive interview with MoneyControl, Siddharth says it’s not just a creative experiment, but a cultural statement, “We’re not retelling mythology; we’re reinterpreting it for a generation that lives on reels, runs on startups, and still prays before an exam.”

Read the full interview to know more:

What was the initial spark for Hamara Vinayak? Why start with Lord Ganesha in this new-age digital short format?

When we reimagined Swastik Stories, the question wasn’t what to create — it was why. We wanted to build a storytelling space where India could see itself — not through nostalgia, but through relevance. Hamara Vinayak became that first step. Lord Ganesha felt like the perfect beginning as he’s the symbol of auspicious starts, but also of humility, learning, and the removal of ego. The idea of launching our first digital original with him wasn’t just creative, it was symbolic.

Given how people consume stories today — in moments between work, travel, and chaos — we created a 10–12 minute story that feels intimate yet meaningful. Hamara Vinayak is truly a conversation between the divine and the digital.

Why did you choose a start-up world as the setting for a spiritual narrative?

Belief and entrepreneurship are not that different. Both demand faith when there’s no visible proof of success. A start-up felt like the perfect metaphor for the modern spiritual journey. It’s a space where you fall, rise, doubt, and still show up again — just like in life.

We wanted to reimagine God not as someone above us, but beside us — a friend who understands ambition, fear, and uncertainty. The start-up world made that metaphor come alive, where God is seen not as a miracle, but as a presence.

At a time when spirituality, wellness, and technology are merging, how do you see Hamara Vinayak contributing to that conversation?

We live in an age of constant connection, and yet most people feel deeply alone. Hamara Vinayak is that 10-minute pause that reminds you - you’re not alone. It’s not about religion or sermons. It’s about reflection. It helps you reflect inward, not just look upward. In a world full of noise, it’s an emotional breather — reminding us that technology connects us to the world, but faith connects us to ourselves.

What were the biggest creative risks — in characterisation, tone, or format — that might surprise audiences familiar with your TV work?

We took everything people associate with ‘Swastik’ — scale, mythology, grand drama — and turned it on its head. Hamara Vinayak is the opposite of the epic format. It’s intimate, conversational, and rooted in realism. There are no celestial chariots or divine wars here — just two young founders, an invisible friend, and everyday life. The biggest risk was silence — allowing emotion to breathe without spectacle.

Television teaches you rhythm and engagement. Digital storytelling teaches you restraint. This show sits at that intersection — quiet, real, and emotionally alive.

What do you hope viewers feel after watching it, especially those who don’t know mythology deeply?

I hope viewers feel seen. One doesn’t need to know the Puranas to connect with Hamara Vinayak. You just need to have felt lost once in life — and who hasn’t? The show isn’t about religion; it’s about rediscovering your calm. It’s a small reminder that in a world obsessed with winning, there’s beauty in simply believing.

FAST channels and YouTube are booming. How does this show tie into that transformation?

The way India watches content is being rewritten — and I think we’re living through the most exciting creative decade ever. Swastik Stories already connects with over 10 million followers online, and along with our new FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) channels, we now reach over 50 million viewers.

What’s fascinating is that Connected TVs are taking storytelling back to the living room — but this time, it’s free. Hamara Vinayak is our first step into this hybrid world — where scale meets soul.

As Indian audiences expand beyond metros, how does your storytelling adapt to regional and multilingual audiences?

Language is no longer a barrier — emotion is the new language. Today a viewer in Lucknow can cry for a Korean drama and a teenager in Seoul can be curious about the Gita. That’s the world we’re creating for. AI has made dubbing seamless, but our focus is deeper — to make stories that feel Indian in spirit, global in emotion. We’re not making ‘regional’ or ‘national’ content. We’re making cultural stories with universal hearts.

You’ve created large-scale epics like Mahabharat and RadhaKrishn. How different is making a 5-episode digital series?

Scale doesn’t define emotion. Whether it’s Mahabharat or Hamara Vinayak, the question is always the same — what will the viewer feel at the end? Short formats demand precision. Every frame must carry intent. You can’t hide behind spectacle — you have to touch the truth directly. So yes, the format has changed, but the soul hasn’t. We still tell stories about courage, love, faith — just in a way that fits today’s rhythm.

As both creator and producer, how do you balance creative ambition and financial sustainability in this evolving digital economy?

We respect both art and arithmetic. Creativity without sustainability dies fast. Business without soul loses meaning. Our job is to balance both. Every story at Swastik Stories is built as IP — something we own, nurture, and distribute across mediums — from digital to FAST to audio and beyond. The ecosystem itself is the new business model.

Subscription fatigue is real. How do you plan to stand out in such a crowded digital space?

We don’t want to add to fatigue; we want to offer relief. Hamara Vinayak is free to watch — on YouTube, and on FAST.. But the deeper differentiation is emotional. People don’t remember shows — they remember how something made them feel. Our stories are designed to leave a feeling, and not just a view count. That’s the true metric of success — when a story stays with you.

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With Swastik Stories expanding beyond TV into digital and FAST, what does this say about the evolution of storytelling in India?

I think India is entering its storytelling renaissance. The world doesn’t just want our technology or economy — it wants our stories. We’re not just retelling mythology; we’re reinterpreting it for a generation that lives on reels, runs on startups, and still prays before an exam. The mythological genre isn’t trending — it’s evolving. It’s becoming cultural storytelling for a new generation — one that wants wisdom with wonder.

If you were Vinayak today, what advice would you give to young creators balancing ambition and purpose?

Don’t chase the outcome. Water the roots. Keep creating. Keep learning. Everything in life — success, failure, recognition — comes when it’s meant to. As Vinayak would say, karma is your start-up pitch to the universe. Do your part with love, and the right investors — divine or human — will find you.

Hamara Vinayak premiered on October 31, 2025, streaming free on YouTube and airing on Swastik Stories’ FAST platforms — JioTV, LG, Xiaomi and RunnTV.