For decades, journalism and fiction sat on opposite ends of the storytelling spectrum – one tethered to facts and immediacy, the other free to explore imagination, subjectivity, and emotional arcs. But in the evolving Indian media landscape, the boundary between these two realms is becoming increasingly porous. Today, Indian writers are finding fresh creative energy in the in-between space, where reportage adopts the rhythm of fiction, and fiction borrows the credibility and relevance of journalism.
This convergence is not just a stylistic choice. It reflects a deeper cultural shift in how Indian audiences consume and respond to stories, and how writers are reimagining truth in a post-truth world.
The Rise of Narrative Journalism in India
The seeds of this blend were sown with the rise of narrative journalism—a style of reporting that treats real-life events with the depth and texture of a novel. While this mode of writing has been prominent in Western media for decades, its presence in Indian journalism was once sporadic, limited to long-form features in Sunday magazines or independent publications. But today, it’s thriving.
Platforms like The Caravan, Fifty Two, Scroll, and Article 14 have given space to writers who report with the attentiveness of a novelist. These stories don’t just ask what happened; they ask why it mattered, how it unfolded, and what it felt like. A farmer’s protest, a public health crisis, or a communal flashpoint is no longer covered only in facts and statistics. Instead, we get textured portraits of people caught in the storm, complete with dialogue, pacing, and emotional resonance.
This approach has not diluted journalistic integrity, if anything, it has deepened it. Writers are taking greater responsibility to document truth with care and context, using literary tools not to fictionalise, but to humanise.
Fiction That Feels Like Reporting
At the same time, Indian fiction—particularly in books and scripted content is beginning to resemble reportage. Contemporary novelists and screenwriters are taking their cues from real events, embedding journalistic detail into fictional frameworks. This is especially visible in political dramas, crime thrillers, and socially driven narratives on OTT platforms.
Series like Delhi Crime, Trial by Fire, and Scam 1992 exemplify this shift. Though dramatized, they are grounded in real incidents, built on thorough research, and often written with the sensitivity of a seasoned journalist. The creators aren’t just spinning stories, they are investigating, interpreting, and presenting versions of reality through dramatic form.
In literature, writers like Rana Dasgupta, Hussain Zaidi and more recently, Annie Zaidi and Meena Kandasamy, blur lines between public and private, reportage and rumination. Their fiction isn’t escapist, it’s urgent, aware, and unafraid to interrogate the political and social moment.
Why the Lines Are Blurring Now
This shift is partly a response to the crisis of trust in traditional media. With so much misinformation and polarisation in the news ecosystem, audiences are turning to longer, more thoughtful formats, even fictional ones, to understand the world around them. Fiction, ironically, is being seen as a space where deeper truths can emerge, unburdened by the pressure of headlines or the risk of censorship.
On the flip side, journalism is borrowing the emotional impact and immersive techniques of fiction to stay relevant in a crowded media landscape. The old, inverted-pyramid style of dry reportage no longer holds attention. Readers crave stories that move them, not just inform them. And writers, trained in both journalism and creative writing, are stepping up to meet this demand.
The Craft and the Caution
Of course, with this blending comes responsibility. Writers must tread carefully between fact and embellishment, especially when dealing with sensitive subjects or real people. The ethics of narrative storytelling demand rigorous sourcing, clear boundaries, and a commitment to transparency. Creative liberties cannot come at the cost of accuracy, especially when the story touches real lives.
Yet, when done with care, this hybrid form can produce some of the most powerful writing we have today. It’s no longer a question of journalism vs. fiction, it’s a question of what truth looks like in a country as complex, diverse, and fast-changing as India.
A New Space for Indian Writers
In this convergence lies a huge opportunity for Indian writers. They are no longer boxed into being “just journalists” or “just novelists.” They can be both investigators and storytellers, analysts and poets. The platforms are expanding, and so are the tools.
The stories coming out of India today don’t fit neatly into one genre, and that’s what makes them powerful. In this blur, in this refusal to draw hard lines, Indian narrative writing is finding its most resonant voice yet layered, local, and definitely real.