JOIN USIt is not an everyday sight to see someone leaving a lucrative job on a fine day and venture into a whole new level of a daunting task–make people laugh.
Well, critically acclaimed and popular stand-up comedian Sanjay Rajoura, who recently had the City in splits with his rip-roaring stand-up act ‘Aisi Taisi Democracy’ has certainly been able to achieve the impossible. He shared some light moments in a tête-à-tête with Metrolife.
Talking about how the concept of ‘Aisi Taisi Democracy’ was conceptualised, Rajoura said, “Being good friends, Me, Varun Grover and Rahul Ram of Delhi-based band, Indian Ocean decided to come up with an idea especially after the elections. Stand-up comedy in India has always been a stereotypical one, it was never utilised as a space for satire and protest. So we came up with an idea that tells the audience how in our country the concept of democracy is being royally abused”.
“We don’t really deserve democracy as most of the times we tend to abuse it,” says Rajoura, adding emphatically, “Most of us never even miss an opportunity to abuse others. We are the ones who elect the corrupt representatives to govern our nation. In fact, there is no standing of democracy in our society which is divided in terms of caste and class. Democracy is being used as a tool of the privileged class,” he says.
As a curious observer, the stand-up artiste finds certain aspects of Indian society very annoying.
“There is a lot of hypocrisy, lack of civic sense and respect for others, especially for women amongst most of us. If we just look around we will find that we are the biggest racists amongst all and yet, we blame others for being racist. Thus, it is through my art, this medium that I express my anger and frustration,” says Rajoura.
The Delhi-based comedian, who was earlier pursuing a successful career as a software engineer in Silicon Valley, San Francisco, for more than 10 years, prefers his act to be called not as a ‘profession’ rather a ‘form of storytelling, just like a writer or a filmmaker’. When asked about the influence of Rahul Ram’s music on the show, he says “Being a brilliant musician, Rahul’s music has been able to strengthen the show tremendously. Things we couldn’t express in the show, we add them in the songs and Rahul delivers it impeccably”.
Rajoura also believes in doing a limited number of shows to avoid monotony and retain its freshness. “Though we have been receiving a good response, I prefer performing the act once in a year, and only when I have something to say,” he says.