Actor, storyteller, poet, writer, TV personality… there are many ways to describe Priya Malik. But how does she describe herself? “I always call myself a poet first,” says the vivacious girl who shot to fame with the reality show Big Brother in Australia. “I was a very young child when I started reciting and writing poetry, so I really do identify more as a poet than anything else. However, with art comes an amalgamation of other forms of art and I am grateful that I have the ability to be able to try my hand at some of them as well,” she says.

From starting her journey in stand-up comedy to becoming a poet with a distinct voice, Priya’s popularity and influence can be gauged from the fact that she has over 3,00,000 followers on her Instagram account alone. The writer-performer shares her incredible journey with TMM…

Tell us how your journey with poetry and prose started?
My first brush with poetry recitation was at a very young age. I was one of those kids in class who always loved to take the stage. That was something my teachers identified early on and I was part of elocution competitions which were an integral part of the school I went to in Dehradun. I must have been 7-8 years old when I started representing my house, then my school, and then my district. I took to writing very early as well. As far as I can remember, I wrote my first poem when I was about 12 years old. My most viral poem – Main 2019 mein 1999 dhoondh rahi hoon – is actually a remembrance of that time. I started performing my own poetry when I was around 28-years-old. I started doing spoken word poetry because I realized this is also something that happens, that I can combine my passion for performance and my passion of writing in one art form.

Can you tell us how the brush with comedy happened?
I was a high school English teacher in Australia and my humour actually sprang from a place of repression because I was really angry at the racist attitude towards Indians in Australia. Most of my stand-up comedy at that time was either around that or the political scenario in Australia. Also, I wanted to just get back on stage. I had spent so much time on stage until I was 17-18 and for 10 years, I had just left the stage. It was that adrenaline rush that took me there. I never thought I had a funny bone, but that I had that cheeky, satirical side to me which is also reflected in most of my poems. I participated in Raw Comedy, a national competition in Australia and I was the finalist from South Australia, so that acted as an impetus. The encouragement kept me going for a bit but would I call myself a comedian? No. It was while I was doing a bit of stand-up that I discovered spoken word poetry and I took to that completely. I knew that this is what rocks my world. I still enjoy watching comedy but poetry is where my heart is.

You use your words to address various issues, whether it’s slut-shaming or the rape culture, or body positivity among others. Can you tell us what inspires you?
I like the idea of socially conscious art. I like the idea of some kind of impact with the voice I have been given. I try to keep that intact in whatever I do, whether it was my comedy or it is my poetry or my influencer work on social media. I also have a large following by the youth of the country and I think it’s important for me to do my bit, no matter how small it is.

There are so many young people who look up to you. What is your advice to them?
My biggest advice is don’t let anyone tell your story. Be the author of your own story. It is really important to be able to navigate your way and find that voice for yourself.

How do you deal with stage fright?
Oh, I still get stage fright and I am happy that I do. I still have that nervous tingling in my ears. There is a slight shake in my hand when I am performing as well, but I really like that because I think it pushes me to be a better performer. It is always better to be a slightly nervous performer than be an overconfident performer. I never want to walk on stage and think that I own it. I always want to have that little part of me that is constantly trying to be better as an artist and trying to please the audience who has made me what I am today.

I like getting into my own zone before performing on stage. I prefer a bit of solitude before I get up on stage and the day I am performing, I can’t do anything else.

You have spoken about dealing with depression in the past. How do you think talking about it has helped you and helped others as well?
I think it is important to acknowledge mental health issues in order to be able to solve them and that is not just applicable to mental health issues, but everything else in life. You have to be able to acknowledge it and then take an action to change something about it. Also, I think being vulnerable is a superpower. I think it is so important for the audience to see that side of me as well.

Can you tell us about the book you are writing?
Yes, I am writing a book for HarperCollins. It is slated for release early next year. It is fiction and my protagonist is a grey character who is trying to navigate life. It doesn’t come easy for her. She achieves clarity towards the end of the novel but she is not the most loved character in the book. I am not trying to show a whitewashed protagonist in my book just as I don’t show a whitewashed image of myself on social media.

You made your acting debut with a queer love story Sheer Qorma. Can you tell us a bit about that experience? What are the kind of stories you want to be part of in future?
I am so lucky to have had my acting debut with a movie such as Sheer Qorma. Thanks to my friend and director Faraz Arif Ansari, I was able to share screen space with accomplished actors such as Shabana Azmiji, Divya Dutta, Swara Bhaskar, Jitin Gulati and Kalyanee Mulay. I am so glad that I was able to keep intact the art for impact, even with my acting debut. I am a big believer in inclusion in our society and I am glad that the film talks about inclusion and acceptance.

What’s next for Priya Malik? Where are you focussing your creative energies?
I love doing a little bit of everything. I think the day I can answer what I do with just one word, I will be very unhappy so I am so glad I have to use a string of words and explanations about who I am and what I am, and what all I can do. I have had such a whirlwind of a journey, both professionally and personally and I can’t wait to see what else is in store for me.

I am focussing my creative energies mainly on writing, whether it includes writing my book or writing my poems or writing scripts or writing song lyrics. I mainly see myself as a writer-performer and that’s where my heart lies.