UneRase Poetry – The Collective That Made Spoken Word Feel Personal Again

Founded by spoken-word poet Simar Singh, UneRase Poetry emerged during a time when spoken-word poetry in India was still niche and largely underground. Inspired by global slam poetry movements yet deeply rooted in Indian emotion and multilingual storytelling, the platform created a space where vulnerability was not seen as weakness, but as an art form. Blending Urdu, Hindi, English, and conversational storytelling, UneRase Poetry gave young audiences a language for emotions they often struggled to express. The collective focused on relatable emotional truths — failed relationships, parental pressure, mental health, self-worth, gender expectations, nostalgia, and urban loneliness. Their performances did not feel like rehearsed stage acts; instead, they resembled deeply personal confessions spoken aloud. Over the years, UneRase Poetry became home to some of the most recognised voices in contemporary Indian spoken word, including Yahya Bootwala, Aranya Johar, and Priya Malik. Each poet brought a unique voice to the platform while collectively shaping the modern spoken-word movement in India. Yahya Bootwala became especially popular for his emotionally intense poetry surrounding heartbreak, memory, masculinity, and family. His performances such as Maa, Tumhari Yaad (Memories of You), and Jhoot Bolta Hoga (He Must Be Lying ) resonated deeply with audiences for their simplicity, honesty, and conversational style. Meanwhile, Aranya Johar emerged as one of the most influential feminist voices on the platform. Poems like A Brown Girl’s Guide to Gender and To All The Boys I Have Loved Before tackled sexism, body image, womanhood, and identity with striking vulnerability and political awareness. Priya Malik added literary richness and multilingual elegance to the stage, often blending Hindi, Urdu, Punjabi, and English into powerful reflections on womanhood and social conditioning. The collective also featured several other well-known performers, including Nidhi Narwal, Amandeep Singh, Pallavi Mahajan, and Tarun Gupta. Through emotionally vulnerable writing, relatable urban language, and Hindi-English mixed expressions, these poets helped make conversational-style poetry mainstream among young audiences. Some of the most iconic performances associated with UneRase Poetry include: • A Brown Girl’s Guide to Gender — Aranya Johar • Maa — Yahya Bootwala • To All The Boys I Have Loved Before — Aranya Johar • Kahaani Suno (“Listen to the Story )— Nidhi Narwal • Why Not Me? — Nidhi Narwal • Women Like You — Priya Malik • Main Tumhara (I Am Yours )— Amandeep Singh These poems became cultural touchpoints within contemporary Indian performance poetry because they captured emotions that many listeners felt but could not articulate themselves. The platform’s signature aesthetic — dimly lit stages, intimate camera framing, soft background music, and emotionally charged delivery — transformed spoken-word performances into immersive storytelling experiences. UneRase Poetry ultimately became less about poetry itself and more about emotional recognition. It introduced young audiences to performance poetry, slam culture, modern Hindi-Urdu expression, and deeply personal storytelling. More importantly, it proved that poetry did not need to remain confined to textbooks or traditional literary spaces. Anyone with a microphone, a story, and honesty could find an audience. The impact of UneRase Poetry can still be seen across Instagram poetry pages, YouTube spoken-word channels, college slam events, and independent storytelling communities throughout India. By making spoken-word poetry mainstream, the platform inspired thousands of young writers and performers to step onto the stage and share their own truths. In many ways, UneRase Poetry gave an entire generation permission to feel openly — and to turn those feelings into art.