KOCHI: “This is a banana-cut jeans, said the person who handed me a pair to wear for this show. This is Kerala, what other cut could I expect,” says Manish K Tyagi, in his opening lines at ‘Saturday Night Live’, organised by Kochi Komedians at Panampilly Nagar. There is laughter as the audience appreciated his dig at Malayalees and their love for bananas.
Manish, who served as a naval commander with the Indian Navy for 23 years, opens up to Express about his new-found passion, his recent YouTube video on surgical strikes that went viral and his ex-Navy days.
This is quite unusual. You were a Naval commander, now you have become a stand-up comedian. Did you tell a lot of jokes while in the Navy?
Yes, there is a lot of humour that takes place in uniform. There are people from different communities, states and languages and hence there is a lot of crass jokes and banter. I remembered every joke I heard and used it wherever I could. My colleagues and friends loved it. However, back then, I had never heard about stand-up comedy, so it took me some time to enter the profession.
What makes a successful stand-up artist. Do you write down the jokes?
I have a very observant nature. Also, experience counts, too. There are a lot of funny people and things that are happening around you all the time. For example, when I stepped out of this hotel, I was amused to see a Youtube as well as a Facebook shop selling men’s wear. Where else will you find such shops? When I go back home, I develop a joke out of this. I don’t usually write down the lines. I have it all stored in memory. But yes, I know a lot of professionals who write it down.
How was it performing for the Naval officers and employees in Kochi?
I loved it. You see, there is a lot of hierarchy in the Navy. There are the stiff-muscled Naval officers who have a way of looking at you. They are the difficult ones to crack. Initially, though they were a bit stiff, but later, they were laughing a lot. The ice had broken. The younger generation loved it. I think this was the first time that an exclusive stand-up comedy night was being held for them.
Tell us more about your video on the surgical strikes that went viral
The video was taken nearly a year ago. Though I was in the Navy, I have never been to Pakistan. So, one day when I took a flight, the pilot announced we would be passing through Pakistan. I was glad and told the air hostess to bring me two bottles of water. I told her to inform me when we were flying over Pakistan. When she told me, I immediately went to the bathroom and did my business there invoking each Pakistan top official’s name.
I went back to the seat. However, I forgot one person. I went again to the bathroom. When the air hostess asked me, I told her I forgot about [Pakistan Prime Minister] Nawaz Sharif. This video was uploaded when the surgical strikes took place. I was surprised at the responses it generated.
What kind of topics do you usually cover?
I do stand-up comedy for corporates also. I am more refined there. With the rest of the crowd, I tell them before-hand to forgive me for being blunt. There is humour about relatives and family. You can joke about many things, but I feel people are better able to relate when you make it more personal. For example, one of the most common characteristics of Indians is sympathy, not empathy. My mother had undergone a surgery for breast cancer. One guy calls and tells me that I was not a good son because I did not feed her gooseberry. I said, ‘Your father passed away three years ago.
Why didn’t you feed him gooseberry?’
What inspires you?
The people. Also, my daughter. Whenever she feels low, she says, ‘Dad, tell me a joke’. She considers me as her hero.