EventMag (EM): Gauri, thank you for speaking with us. Your presentation emphasized that we are all “natural-born storytellers”. How does this philosophy translate into creating a successful event, especially in the luxury space?
Gauri Chadha (GC): At The Big Night, storytelling is what we do. Concepts are what truly transform an experience. We are all humans with real emotions, and that’s what makes storytelling so special—every event has something different to offer. Sometimes we receive event briefs that look mundane on paper, and the challenge is bringing that to life and taking it a step further.
EM: When you receive a brief—whether for a corporate function, a social gathering, or a wedding—where do you begin the creative journey?
GC: You have to find the purpose. What are we really trying to achieve? Do we want people to feel hopeful, or connected to a brand? Then, because I come from a screenwriting background, I write a backstory. Every event has characters and a very long backstory.
I need to dive into the world of bringing that characteristic to life before I even start creating the design. You need to step back, go a bit deeper, and ask yourself, “How do I build the world around it?”.
EM: In the world of high-end events, uniqueness is key. How do you ensure that your work has that unique “WOW effect” and isn’t just a repetition of previous concepts?
GC: What we do at The Big Night, we do once, and we never ever do it again. Why? Because a story can only be told once exactly the same way. Ultimately, I have to find my own truth in what I am creating before I can ever expect anyone else to feel it. If you find your own truth and you follow that truth, I promise you it will protect you, and people will connect. Event briefs are beyond just words written on a page; they are the stories that are inside you.
EM: You shared several fascinating case studies. Can you tell us about “The Mirage Effect” and how you realized the client’s emotional desire?
GC: “The Mirage Effect” was a 50th birthday. The dynamic woman who was the client told me, “I just want to relax, I want to let my hair down, I want to feel beautiful”. I was inspired by the Greek goddess of beauty, Aphroditi, who emerged from the sea foam.
My vision was to create an event that was the meeting point between the ocean and earth. We wanted guests to feel that connection. We created a floating staircase that appeared to be floating in midair, and curated handpicked entertainment where the characters felt like they had walked completely out of the water.
EM: You also discussed “Served,” an event centered around the color red. It demonstrated how deep storytelling can emerge from a very simple initial request.
GC: Yes, the client came to us with just one request: “I love red”. I started diving in deeper—what does red mean? For me, it evoked a feeling of fury and a little bit of a rebellious rebel energy. This 50th birthday event became about breaking down the wall of societal restraint and allowing people to unapologetically be who they are.
We used a bold color and customized costumes. One unique act started simply with characters eating at a table, watched by the audience. They suddenly broke out into a dance, which ended with one character taking a big, fat, juicy bite of a red apple in the middle of the dance floor. The audience roared because it was truthful and relatable.
EM: You mentioned the difficulty of corporate briefs, citing the “Into the Void” event, where you were only given the company name, Cipher Capital, and the idea that they were “limitless”. How did you break through that creative block?
GC: I struggled for two weeks; I thought I had reached the end of my creativity. I kept going back to the venue, panicking, thinking about the saying, “The sky is the limit”. I realized we needed to break that idea.
I ran home and told my husband: “We’re going to take skydivers and put them at 6,000 feet in wingsuits.”. Right when the CEO was speaking, we had them jump out of the plane with 20-meter-long fireworks coming from their legs, flying right over. It sounded crazy, but we had to make it happen, and we did. It shows the kind of emotion it takes to first have the idea, then believe in it, then convince everyone, and finally execute it.
EM: Based on your experience, what is the most critical piece of advice you can offer to event creators looking to maximize their creative impact?
GC: Don’t let anyone ever dim your light. We often feel afraid that our idea is bad, or maybe people have done it already, or it’s not unique enough. But if you find your own truth and follow that truth, your arts will always have your back. Please unleash your stories; they will guide you to creating real storytelling events.
