Indian comedians decode humour world for online 'adda'

A comedian's joke which can generate the loudest laugh never makes it to a show. It is such insights and more into the world of stand-up comedy that popular figures like Tanmay Bhatt, Aditi Bhatt and Kanan Gill discussed on a common platform.

Film critic Anupama Chopra's digital platform Film Companion explored India's booming stand-up comedy scene in the special show "FC Adda".

Chopra spoke to artistes including Biswa Kalyan Rath, Vipul Goyal and Zakir Khan too, to understand their their initial days of struggle, carving a niche in comedy, and to the avenues that their "stardom" has opened up.

Bhat commented: "In every comedian's meeting room, the joke that's getting the loudest laugh is the one that isn't going to make it to the show.

"This is true with every single comic and they are lying if they disagree."

Considering the trouble that comedians keep courting every now and then, Goyal said: "Comedians are the most judged people, but we also judge people the most."

Rath said the shelf life of a comedian is more -- and risk is less.

"A lot of professions are a lot harder than being a comedian. Doctors, engineers, soldiers - their jobs are way more high risk. If a joke doesn't work today, it will tomorrow," he said.

Nevertheless, Khan stressed the "comedians in today's day and age are the country's most well read and progressive lot".

"They are educated and always cued in to what's happening in society," he said.

Mittal feels "there is a lack of investment in young women getting into comedy".

"While these guys (other male comics) have been making money for years, the ability to make this into a business came to me only a year ago," she said.

Gill said scripting comedy may sometimes be tough, but not unachievable.

"There's no such thing as a writer's block. There maybe writer's laziness or writer's frustration. You just have to approach it differently and keep hammering away at it till something clicks for you."

--IANS

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