He watches the same set by the same comedian over and over again, till he knows the set as well as its creator. “I have to keep a close watch on the comic timing. I have to see whether the comedian is learning from past acts,” says the Bengaluru-based promoter of comedy shows.
It was because of Singh that Bengaluru got its first comedy festival in 2015. And it’s because of him that this year’s edition will see over 50 stand-up comedians perform over 10 days at different venues in the city. (Singh is also the co-founder of That Comedy Club, a dedicated space for comedy, in Koramangala.)
Australian comic Daniel Connell (Photo Courtesy: Jim Lee)
The festival, which opened on Friday, will go on till November 25. Remarkable about this year’s edition is the sheer variety of comedy formats to choose from. Besides standalone sets, the deftly curated show also features a three-hour long event (“The Big Show”) where 20 comedians will get eight minutes each to present their material.
Then there’s “The Good Lineup”, featuring women who are making a mark on India’s comedy scene, a lip sync battle where comedians present their bathroom singing skills, and a roast where they take their gloves off and come at each other. Comedians such as Rahul Dua, Pavitra Shetty and Gaurav Kapoor will also be playing football at Astro Arena on Sunday. “We have a few limited slots open so that people can book tickets and play along with the comedians,” says Singh.
Prashasti Singh, Stand-up comic
The lineup includes some of the hottest names on India’s laughter circuit, as well as a few comedians who are touring the country as part of the Melbourne International Comedy Festival Roadshow. While the international comedians include Australian Daniel Connell, who brings his brand of dry observational humour, New Zealander Guy Montgomery is also part of the troupe travelling in India.
Also expected to perform are those who’ve seen a meteoric rise in fan following. Among them is Deepika Mhatre, a domestic help by day and a comic by night, and Nishant Suri, winner of Amazon Prime’s first season of comedy competition series Comicstaan. Among Suri’s memorable and relatable quotes is: “I want to live every day like it’s my last, so now I live in Noida.”
What makes comedy festivals an un-missable learning opportunity, says upcoming comic Prashasti Singh, is the onstage variety of performances and backstage banter. “Comedians are usually people who don’t take themselves too seriously, so it can be a refreshing crowd,” she says.
It has only been about a month since Prashasti Singh quit her well-paying job with a television broadcaster. Realising that her scripts were well received during comedy events and then on online streaming services (she was part of Comicstaan, too), she decided to join the ranks of those who write jokes during the day and spend evenings preparing to talk in a room full of strangers.
While she uses anecdotal comedy to talk about her struggles with idealism, her work and her love life (or lack of it), fellow comedian Aishwarya Mohanraj is expected to be in form with her dark, candour-heavy material. Much like Prashasti Singh, it hasn’t been very long since Mohanraj quit her job as a research analyst to take up comedy.As the burgeoning crop of fresh quality content in India shows, this is only the beginning of the era for India’s funny women and men.
The comedy festival is on till November 25 and tickets cost between Rs300 and Rs1,200. For details about the shows, the battles or the football match, or ticketing information, visit www.comedywagon.com
 "Sumendra Singh, director, Bengaluru Comedy Festival (Photo Courtesy: Jim Lee)")