In Kerala, the concept of audiobooks found a place in 1995, when writer and film director C Radhakrishnan introduced the concept. “Audio film cassettes were moving, so I thought why not deliver novels and story books in the same format? I wasn’t aware whether the concept was already done in the West. I delivered 5,000 cassettes of my first novel Nizhalpadukal, but the idea didn’t work out the way I expected,” he says.

The writer says he initiated the idea at the wrong time with wrong technology. “However, now, a remarkable surge has happened in the industry. Since my books are available on these platforms, I get recognition and reviews from worldwide,” he says.

Teachers also explain that audiobooks can help students. KMA Salim, headmaster of a school in Manjeri, stumbled upon Storytel through Facebook ads. He promptly introduced the concept of audiobooks in his school, starting with Prof T J Joseph’s Attupokatha Ormakal. Salim believes audiobooks can be executed in schools. “Students will be able to enhance literacy skills, improve comprehension, and engage with diverse learning styles. Teachers can incorporate audiobooks into their curriculum and promote a love for reading. Listening to audiobooks can help students to reduce anxiety and alleviate stress,” the headmaster says.

Boon for the visually impaired

For individuals with disabilities, there are many ways to access written content, screen-reading software and volunteer readers at blind schools are long-established methods. However, audiobooks serve a distinct and vital purpose. Braille, while an option, can be prohibitively expensive.

Aswin E R, an office staffer at a private school in Palakkad, has been relying on audiobooks since 2016. “Not many books are available in Braille script. We have a group on Telegram and WhatsApp, through which links to multiple audiobooks can be accessed. If the narration is at its best, it is easier for us to visualise,” he says.

Devi Krishna, founder of Hidden Voices, has done audiobooks in almost 17 languages so far. “We render audio to content upon request on Telegram and WhatsApp. Let’s Record, Vasippom, Shravyam. Dwiithi are other platforms we use,” she says.

The craft

What makes audiobook experience special is the narration. It can significantly impact how deeply a listener connects with the story. According to Damodar Radhakrishnan, artist and founder of DR Audios, audiobook narration serves the same purpose as the text in a printed book.

“It is an art form. When we read a text, a voice plays in our mind. However, not everyone possesses the ability to effectively read a text and connect with it. It is a skill which requires practice and only individuals with strong reading habits can excel as narrators,” he says.

According to him, narration is a flexible art form, but liberty should be exercised only when it’s necessary. “Getting the pulse of the character is what is required,” Damodar explains.

Artist M D Rajendran, who has 30 years of experience in the field says the secret of getting it right lies in voice modulation. “When there are multiple characters, it the narrator who gives a distinct image to them. Narration is the soul of this medium,” he says.

The history

Audiobooks first emerged in 1932 with the formation of a recording studio by The American Foundation for the Blind, which created recordings of books on vinyl records. Each side held about 15 minutes of speech. Earlier the medium aimed at helping the visually impaired. Later, in the 60s and 80s, audiobooks grew with cassette tapes and compact discs. The trend caught on the Indian landscape only in 2010. However, there have been records of a gathering held in the household of Bangla novelist Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay where he read out his first novel, Durgeshnandini (1865), this event could be an early precursor to India’s audiobooks.

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