Thought Factory

THOUGHT FACTORY: STORYTELLING ART AND NARRATIVE PACE

by Vinta Nanda March 16 2025, 12:00 am Estimated Reading Time: 7 mins, 5 secs

In the times digital excess, storytelling's power lies in its pace, emotion, and authenticity — why great cinema transcends technology and captivates through nuanced performances and immersive experiences. Vinta Nanda takes a look at how cinema had to go in retro mode to save itself…  

In today's digital age, where rapid editing and visual effects dominate, the art of storytelling risks being overshadowed by spectacle. However, films like Mrs., Bada Naam Karenge, Dabba Cartel, and an obscured 45-minute film, Avval, prove that pacing, performances, and emotional depth matter more than technological gimmickry. Audiences crave immersive narratives that connect on a human level rather than just dazzling visuals. As independent filmmakers reclaim storytelling, cinema is witnessing a resurgence of compelling, character-driven narratives. Discover why storytelling’s pace and emotional core are greater than technology in shaping truly memorable cinematic experiences.  

Narrative Pace Matters More Than Technology

There was a time when filmmaking and television storytelling followed a rhythm that mirrored real life. Before the digital revolution, when editing was a painstaking process done on Steinbeck machines and celluloid was an expensive commodity, the pace of a film was determined by the nature of the story rather than the availability of technological tools. It didn’t matter whether a film was a Bollywood potboiler, a slow-burning drama, or an experimental indie film—each story had a natural cadence that respected the viewer's emotional engagement.

However, the advent of digital filmmaking, non-linear editing, and easily accessible visual effects changed the industry forever. From the early 2000s, the cost of raw stock ceased to be a prohibitive factor, and suddenly, editing was no longer an arduous craft mastered by a select few. With the click of a button, shots could be cut, effects could be layered, and sound could be manipulated with ease. Instead of using these advancements judiciously to enhance storytelling, most filmmakers fell into the trap of technological excess, overwhelming audiences with a sensory onslaught rather than an emotional journey.

For a while, audiences were enthralled. The novelty of rapid-fire editing, hyper-realistic CGI, and relentless soundscapes was enough to hold their attention. But over time, something was lost. The human connection between the audience and the story began to erode. Spectacle replaced substance. The rhythm of storytelling, so vital to its emotional resonance, was sacrificed at the altar of technical prowess. As a filmmaker and cinephile, I wasn’t fooled by this. I chose to step aside, allowing the storm of visual excess to pass, waiting for a time when storytelling would once again take centre stage.

That time is now.

The 'cinema of plenty,' as I call it, has reached its endgame. With theatres becoming elusive and audiences yearning for deeper emotional experiences, a new wave of filmmakers is emerging—those who resisted the circus of excessive technology and remain true to the craft of storytelling. These filmmakers understand that a story dictates its own pace, not the capabilities of the machine wielding it.

Take, for example, the spate of films and series, which I’ve recently seen, that have reinvigorated Indian cinema with their storytelling finesse. Bada Naam Karenge, Mrs., Dabba Cartel, and Avval are all exemplary narratives that prioritize storytelling over technological gimmickry

Story Over Spectacle

In Mrs., a remake of the Malayalam film The Great Indian Kitchen, director Arati Kadav and actress Sanya Malhotra present a gripping feminist drama that doesn’t rely on flashy visual effects to make its point. The film is steeped in realism, allowing its audience to feel the protagonist’s suffocation within patriarchal traditions rather than being distracted by unnecessary technical embellishments. The film’s pacing is deliberate, mirroring the slow but inevitable realization of its central character as she struggles to reclaim her agency. Nishant Dahiya, Kanwaljit Singh and other actors ably assist the story to unfold at the pace to which it belongs.

Similarly, Bada Naam Karenge, by showrunner Sooraj Barjatya in his OTT debut, remains rooted in storytelling rather than spectacle. The story of Rishabh and Surbhi, who navigate their relationship through the lens of familial obligations, unfolds with the kind of measured pacing that allows audiences to truly connect with the characters. Rather than relying on fast cuts and forced drama, the film trusts the strength of its narrative and performances. Ritik Ghanshani, Ayesha Kaduskar, Jameel Khan and Kanwaljit Singh, once more, hold you captive with the pace of the drama one can savour, however much the series may occupy a place in a reality that’s sort of alien to me.

Dabba Cartel is another example of intelligent storytelling that doesn’t let technological ease dictate its rhythm. The series masterfully blends the spy thriller genre with urban realism, portraying how a small, home-run business shakes up the powerful corporate pharmaceutical syndicates. Here, the pacing is essential—the show’s slow build-up, punctuated by moments of tension, ensures that the audience remains emotionally invested rather than simply stimulated by visual excess. Exceptional writing by the series creator Shibani Dandekar, Vishnu Menon and Bhavna Kher ensures that every character arc is fully realized, proving once again that good storytelling doesn’t need overproduction to be compelling. Nimisha Sajayan, Sai Tamhankar, Anjali Anand, Gajraj Rao, Shabana Azmi, Lilette Dubey, Sunil Grover, Jyotika and Shalini Pandey fit like gloves to this story that compels you to suspend your disbelief yet feel it emotionally.

And then there’s Avval, a film that exemplifies the importance of narrative pacing in evoking nostalgia and emotion. Directed by Avneesh Mishra, Avval is a deeply personal tale of love and loss, made all the more poignant by its measured storytelling. The film allows moments to breathe, letting silence speak as much as dialogue. It doesn’t rush through emotions; it lets them unfold naturally, making them all the more powerful. Kumud Mishra, Arunim Mishra, Girija Oak and Kajal Chauhan inhabit a story which unfolds in the picturesque Bhawali in Uttarakhand, where the protagonist Amit Awasthi (Kumud Mishra) comes visiting to find himself served bhajiya, at a tapri chai stall, wrapped in an odd piece of paper which turns out to be his 12^th standard board exam mark sheet of over a decade or so ago. You need to watch the film to know what happens next in this languidly told story.

Avneesh Mishra's directorial approach in Avval is reminiscent of the legendary Ingmar Bergman, whose films were deeply entrenched in human psychology and personal introspection. Like Bergman, Mishra embraces minimalism, focusing on raw emotions rather than extravagant storytelling techniques. His theatre background lends his work a deeply intimate quality.

The Pitfalls of Technological Excess

When technology dictates storytelling instead of serving it, the art suffers. Rapid editing and overuse of CGI may dazzle in the short term, but they often strip a film of its soul. True cinema isn’t about how many special effects can be crammed into a frame; it’s about how a story makes an audience feel.

Excessive technology can also flatten performances. When actors are placed in front of green screens and asked to react to things that don’t exist, their performances often lack the nuance of those immersed in real environments. Similarly, when a film’s pacing is dictated by how quickly scenes can be cut together rather than how they should unfold naturally, actors lose the ability to fully inhabit their characters.

Sound, too, is often misused in modern cinema. Rather than subtly enhancing mood and emotion, many films use overbearing soundtracks and effects to force reactions from audiences. This cheapens the experience, making it more of an assault than an artistic expression.

Returning to the Roots of Cinema

Now that audiences are beginning to reject the hyper-stimulated chaos of recent years, we are witnessing a return to the fundamentals of storytelling. Directors like Avneesh Mishra, Hitesh Bhatia, and Arati Kadav understand that pacing, character development, and emotional truth matter more than any technological innovation. Sooraj Bharjatya, the showrunner of Bada Naam Karenge, never deviated from his oeuvre despite failure during those hectic times, and his director Palash Vaswani has lived up to similar standards.

It’s not that technology is the enemy of storytelling—it’s that it should be used with restraint. A well-placed edit, a subtle visual effect, a carefully designed soundscape—when used in service of the story, these tools can enhance cinema.