Priyam Pandey, a software developer by day and comedian by night, dived into the Delhi-NCR comedy circuit this weekend with his solo show, ‘Kung-Fu Pandey’. Originally from Gorakhpur, he moved to Delhi for his engineering studies, but he admits that engineering never truly clicked with him. It wasn’t until his college years, when he started connecting with comedians like Kaustubh Agarwal and Rajat Sood, that he stumbled into something. “I started attending comedy shows, and one thing led to another. Suddenly it just happened,” he says.
Growing up, Pandey was always drawn to comedy. He watched sitcoms and shows like ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’, and admired comedians like Johnny Lever, Raju Srivastav, and Jerry Seinfeld. “I used to download episodes and watch them over and over, trying to learn something,” he recalls.
Pandey’s comedy career began during the Covid-19 lockdown in 2021, just as he was finishing his college degree. “I was back home and realised I may never get a chance to get on stage again, because I was scheduled for a corporate lifestyle,” he says. With open mics moving online, it became easier for newcomers like him to perform without the pressure of a live audience. Once he moved back to Delhi for his job, he started attending shows and performing, unable to stop after his first experience on stage. “Two years in, after my first 30-minute set, I knew this wasn’t just a phase. I’m a comedian now, and there’s no going back,” says Pandey.
Despite bombing on stage and facing constant challenges, he knew one thing for sure: consistency was key. “There are plenty of hard days, but you can’t quit. If you want to get better, you have to keep performing.”
Going solo
Pandey’s solo debut, ‘Kung-Fu Pandey’ Live, reflects his experimental style and love for pop culture. The name was partly inspired by his nickname, Panda, and his admiration for Jack Black, who voiced the character Po in the Kung Fu Panda film franchise. “Also, people have been calling me Panda because I’m on the healthier side, so it felt fitting,” says Pandey.
The content of his show leans into his personal stories and cultural commentary, with a mix of observational humour and anecdotes about his upbringing in a conservative Brahmin family in Gorakhpur. “My family didn’t really get stand-up. The closest idea they had was Bollywood where you go to Mumbai, struggle, or be a star,” Pandey recalls. “But as long as I had my job, that’s all they cared about.”
Pandey recalls one of his first jokes, which still features in his live set — a satirical bit about Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. “It was inspired by something that actually happened in 2017. It’s a take on how people in UP react to the government and anything religious. The joke landed well back then and it’s still one of my favourites.”
Pandey has performed in Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Jaipur, but his heart belongs to Delhi. “I started out in Delhi’s comedy circuit, and it’s made me who I am,” he says. “Delhi is the best city for net practice, for refining your material and really getting better,” he says.
He recalls how Delhi’s comedy scene helped him grow. “When I started, there were fewer comedians, fewer clubs. We’d share green rooms with big comics like Ashish Solanki and Gurleen Pannu. That exposure really helped.” Pandey also explains that things in the comedy scene have picked up in recent years. “Now, there are venues specifically catering to all. Anyone who wants to get into comedy can find plenty of spots, as long as they’re willing to work for it.”
In late 2024, Pandey appeared on comedian Madhur Virli’s stand-up show ‘Madhur Model’, which boosted his confidence to go solo. He also co-founded the stand-up show Dead Comics Society with fellow comedian Rishabh Goyal, through which he aims to build a collective of comedians working on various projects.
Laughter offensive
When asked about freedom of speech in comedy, Pandey is candid. “As a comedian, my job is to make people laugh, not offend them,” he says. “But no matter what you say, someone will always get offended.” He believes that comedy should provoke thought, and while some jokes might cause a stir, the key is to do so tastefully.
Pandey also reflects on recent controversies in the comedy world, including Kunal Kamra’s political humour. “His jokes may have offended some, but they were brilliantly written,” Pandey acknowledges. Still, he’s realistic about the reactions. “Someone is always going to get offended. If the jokes were about one party, the opposition would have loved it.”
Ultimately, he believes that, despite the pushback, these controversies will help shape a better space for comedy in India. “Stand-up comedy in India is still a fairly new art form. Over time, as we break boundaries, future comedians will have the freedom to create art that’s both meaningful and entertaining,” he says.
Looking ahead, Pandey has big dreams. One of his goals is to run his own sitcom, akin to How I Met Your Mother, Seinfeld, or Community. “Once you understand the craft of comedy, you can translate it into different mediums,” he says. He is also working on ‘Betuki News’, a satirical news series, and plans to launch his YouTube channel by the end of 2025. In the short term, Pandey is focused on experimenting and finding his voice in the comedy scene, “If you’re funny, you’ll get noticed,” he says.
Comedian Priyam Pandey will take stage at 'Lightroom: Best of Stand Up' at Light Room, Hauz Khas Village, today at 7pm