BENGALURU: Laughter is the best medicine, and having donned the role of part-time comics, these medicos have come to believe just that. Five city doctors participated in a first-of-its-kind comedy show, ‘Prescription for laughter’, an initiative by ENT specialist Dr Jagdish Chaturvedi. They are on a roll to make others laugh their hearts out.
‘Feedback from senior comics help’
Dark comedy is Dr Rohini R’s forte. An ENT, head and neck surgeon, she says she has always been a huge fan of stand-up as an art form. Being good at writing humour, she decided to pursue this art. “Mostly, people do observational or anecdotal comedy. I make short jokes with mostly one-liners. For longer performances, I draw instances from my personal life so that people can also relate to it,” she says. Calling her journey ‘incredibly fun’, she says she tries her jokes at open mics.
“That’s the best way to check with an audience of about 20 to 30. Also, feedback from senior comics help. If they say the joke will work, 90 per cent of the times it will work,” she says, adding that she hasn’t had any hecklers in her shows. “I do get some stares. Women comics usually do not get hecklers.” To which, Dr Pragnya Rao, another comic, adds, “We face hecklers every day and they are called men,” and the group bursts into laughter.
Dr Rao performed for the fourth or fifth time. She watches a lot of stand-up shows and tries to incorporate the styles she likes. “I follow Amy Schumer, Hannah Gadsby and Aditi Mittal. Aditi is bold in her approach,” she says.
‘I have done comedy standing atop bar counters’
But mostly, women are hecklers at the shows, says Dr Jagdish Chaturvedi. “I once had a government employee who works at the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship. She started talking to someone next to her. Later, the entire audience got into the discussion. I then asked if these are the skills she’s been developing at work. Sometimes, hecklers can be good.
It helps break the ice with the audience,” says the doctor. He adds that a major challenge to perform is when the bar counters open. “I have had to perform standing atop the bar counters while the drinks were being served in between my legs. Comedy is an active format. You need to have eye contact with your audience,” he says. He adds the conversion rate has been good at his shows. “Every one in 20 people have turned into surgeries. I sometimes come to the show with autoscope. I have reviewed CT scans at the shows. At a show like this, people need to pay just `299 to get a consultation from a panel of doctors,” he says. Comedy has been an advantage. “Patients watch comedy shows while they await their consultation. They don’t get angry at me if I take longer,” says Dr Chaturvedi, who is a doctor by day and a comic by night.
‘Mainstream comedy is juvenile’
Managing time with practice and comedy can be planned. Dr Aditya Sridhar, who completed a fellowship in emergency medicine, says during studies, it was difficult, but once they start practising, they get their schedule a month in advance and hence, can plan their shows accordingly. But convincing his family wasn’t easy. “I was my parent’s favourite kid until I started doing comedy shows. I understand where they come from.
Mainstream comedy is very juvenile, they use a lot of innuendos and sound effects of laughter. They have been watching them and don’t consider respectful. I showed a couple of stand-up videos to my mother and that’s when she realised what I am exactly doing,” he says. Dr Sridhar has been into writing humour since he was 16. Though there is fierce competition in the market, he believes content matters the most. “If people find you funny, they’ll come and watch your show. You will always find a space if you have good content,” he says.
But Dr Shridhar Bodapati, a paediatrician, relies more on Bollywood films for his material. “I watch a lot of films. I observe the walking styles and behaviour patterns of these characters,” he says. Dr Bodapati is a ‘default entertainer’ at all shows organised by friends and relatives. “I have a long list of hobbies. People have said I am funny and so, when I saw there was a spot for comedy available, I thought of giving it a try,” he says.