Standing up for comedy

Stand-up comedy is becoming popular with the City-folks and they are becoming more attuned to the kind of content that is being thrown at them.

Whether it’s the ‘Pretentious Movie Reviews’ by Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath or shows by ‘The Improv’, which tickle the funny bone, comedians are playing smart and trying to make their content more ‘relatable’.

Talk of corruption, scams, music and pop-culture are doing their rounds and the number of comedians has gone up exponentially. A few students spoke about why they like stand-up comedy and what they look for in an act.

West calling

Nilesh Rebello, a student of St Joseph’s College of Business Administration, says that he wouldn’t pay to watch a stand-up comedy routine.

“I don’t like all kinds of stand-up comedy, just certain people. I find the Indian comedians like Kapil Sharma and Raju Srivastav to be crass, at times cheap, degrading and more slapstick than anything. The Western comedians are more intelligent, base their jokes on daily observations and make their routine laughable. I really enjoy Russell Peters and Jeff Dunham, and get most of my dose of comedy from movies. I’d rather watch the shows from the comfort of my house.”

A slice of life 

Stephen J Baptist, a student of St Joseph’s College of Business Administration, says that stand-up comedy is relatable.

“It’s something real. You can watch a match on television too but it’s better to watch it live, it’s the same with this. Even though the comedians are prepared, they don’t get retakes. And they are witty – they talk about scams, politics or things we can relate to, unlike the comedy we see on cinema, which is boring. As long as they come up with their own lines and are original, it’s fun to watch. I like comedians like Danish Sait.”

Conveying the message

Jovita D'Costa, a student of St Joseph’s College of Business Administration, says that she doesn’t like stand-up comedy television shows. 

“I like stand-up comedy when it is in social gathering because you get to differentiate the real talent from those who can’t make you laugh. Not everyone has the ability to make you laugh. And there is no possibility of retakes. Also at live shows, a performer can get an on-the-spot reaction from the public so that they can frame their jokes accordingly. A good comedian is someone who is able to convey his/her message and make you laugh at the same time.”

Spontaneity speaks

Arash, a student of St Joseph’s College of Business Administration, says that he likes how comedians are spontaneous.

“I was introduced to stand-up comedy a few years ago. The first show I attended was Russel Peters’ ‘Red Brown and White’. I really liked it because it was in the moment and spontaneous. People call Canada the ‘stand-up comedy hub’ but we aren’t far behind, and people from all over the world are getting to know our comedians. When there are shows like ‘The Improv’ and comedians like Kenny Sebastian and Danish Sait in India, you don’t need to look up to people from Canada. ”

A way to socialise 

Shivaprakash, a student of MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology, says that stand-up shows are a good way to socialise.

“I go to a lot of shows, whether it’s ‘The Improv’ or to watch Vamsidhar Bhogaraju. It’s better than hanging out at regular places with the same old music. It’s better than watching Russell Peters on a screen. It’s also good to see local talent get some light...most of these guys are probably your classmates or schoolmates. As long as the jokes are funny, original and not repetitive, people will like the jokes.”