India, Feb. 3 -- It was a magical Friday evening at Delhi's Sunder Nursery as the 18th edition of Kathakar International Storytellers Festival kicked off in grand style. The opening night featured a stellar line-up of storytellers, including Usifu Jalloh from Sierra Leone, Polina Tserkassova from Estonia, and Na'ama Tel Tsur from Israel, who captivated the audience with their spellbinding tales.

That's not all as adding star power to this celebration of storytelling was filmmaker Imtiaz Ali alongwith singer Mohit Chauhan, the festival's chief patron. The Bollywood director and singer took to the stage, as part of a session, to share their thoughts on the enduring art of storytelling.

For Imtiaz, the experience was deeply moving. "It is ...