Stand-up comedy has become more innovative: Romesh

Actor and standup comedian Romesh Ranganathan's new show is both enlightening and educative

Sony BBC Earth has launched its new show which includes a number of series presenting a real, unfiltered, extreme and non-touristy stories of some of conventional and unconventional destinations.The show is hosted by popular presenters and one of them is Romesh Ranganathan. His series is called ‘Misadventures of Romesh Ranganathan’. Standup comedian, presenter and actor, Romesh is known for his sharp humour and insightful presentation. His new show goes on air in August as a part of Couch Travel anthology. In a chat with Metrolife, Romesh talks about his show and more.

How did you get drawn to standup comedy?

As a child, I was obsessed with standup comedy. I remember my parents taking me to the video rental shop near our home, and we would all get to choose a film each and we used to watch it over the weekend. I would always pick comedies. I soon became obsessed with Eddie Murphy films. I first followed his films and later began following his standup comedies as well. I remember watching Eddie Murphy as a kid and being blown away by the whole concept of stand up. What started as a hobby turned into a profession.

You have a good mix in all your shows?

My travel show-- Misadventures-- is the first show that I’ve done which is pure comedy. And while we want Misadventures to be funny, the other side of it is making very genuine reflections on the country and its culture. And to be honest, that is what takes up most of our thinking time when we’re doing the show. The challenge is to strike a balance between comedy and being serious. But people who have watched our shows say that while they are being entertained, they’re also learning stuff about these countries without feeling like that information is being forced down their throats.

What kind of humour do you bring into your shows?

My humour is deadpan. That’s the best way to describe it. I’m always trying to find the truth in everything. So, whether observations about the visiting countries or my family, I try to be as honest as possible. One of my favourite stand-up comics of all time is Richard Pryor. I enjoyed his work because he’s so honest. And so, in my career, I always try to be as honest as possible.

How has the concept of comedy changed over the years?

I think stand-up comedy in Britain in particular has changed a lot over the years.

The nature of stand-up comedy and comedy in general has branched out into different aspects and there’s a huge lineup of different stars in the comedy circuit in the UK and worldwide as well. The truth is that it is blown up. I mean, it’s got much bigger, and many are into it. The other thing is that there are more platforms to perform comedy. You can do it on stage, you can do on television and you also don’t have to be on a specific channel. We have seen different types of comedy, particularly during lockdown, where people are finding newer ways to present their work.

What kind of innovation do you bring into the show?

I have been experimenting with different ways to deliver comedy. Since we’ve been all locked down, I’ve been doing live chats and live interviews on Instagram and Facebook.

I am finding new routes and formats to bring comedy to people.If you have to survive, you have to be able to adapt and that’s what I’m trying to do all the time.