From afar, he might seem like the kind of person who drops dad jokes that make teenagers roll their eyes. But the moment he takes the stage, Anshu Mor knows exactly how to leave you in splits. After bidding farewell to his corporate career at Microsoft, he’s been on a laughter-packed journey, winning hearts and chuckles wherever he goes. Now, as he gears up for his show ‘Spoiler Alert’ in Hyderabad on April 19 at Novotel Hyderabad Convention Centre, Anshu sits down with CE for a candid chat about his leap of faith, his comedy journey, and everything in between.
Excerpts
Can you tell us a little about your upcoming show?
When we talk about life, we often want everything mapped out — the next year, the next 5 years, even 10 years, along with our investments and so on. We crave certainty, believing we should know exactly how things will unfold. But this show challenges that very notion, asking: Why don’t we have a ‘spoiler alert’ for life? I’m excited to perform in Hyderabad as I’ve done some of my best shows here!
How do you write your jokes?
I always write in the mornings; from around 9.30 am to 1 pm, I sit in my favourite coffee shop and just write. Those three to three and a half hours are absolutely critical for my writing and the larger creative process. When working on a solo show, I start with a core concept. For ‘Spoiler Alert’, that was my foundation — I knew this was the theme I wanted to explore. From there, I break it down, figuring out the topics that feel most relevant to this phase of my life. A lot of the writing in this stage isn’t even about jokes; it’s weeks, sometimes months, of free-flowing thoughts. I don’t pressure myself to be funny right away. I just dive deep into the subject, pouring everything onto paper. And in doing that, I’ve realised that most of my premises naturally emerge from those raw, unfiltered writings. And somehow — don’t ask me how — the jokes appear.
How would you define your comedic style?
It is a mix of observational and storytelling. For me, there has to be a reason behind everything I say on stage. I might not explicitly state it, but deep down, there’s always something that drives me to bring it to the spotlight — a need to express, to share, to make sense of it all through comedy.
The younger audience relates to your jokes. What are your thoughts on this?
I’d say I’m just being honest — there’s no pretence. For me, every topic comes from a place of pure honesty, and somehow, the audience picks up on that — even the young crowd. They recognise that whatever I’m saying, I’m saying it from a real, genuine place, and that makes all the difference.
My son enjoys my comedy. Many of my jokes are based on him and his friends. People have written to me, saying, ‘Oh, you shouldn’t say this about your son.’ But he is extremely mature and enjoys it. In fact, he has started asking me for royalty for the jokes I make about him! (laughs)
You left your corporate job to pursue comedy. How has the journey been?
Yes, I was in sales and marketing at Microsoft. I used to really enjoy my job; there was no disconnect or anything. But I remember how I was always on stage, even at Microsoft, hosting events and whatnot. In 2016, I watched the movie Tamasha, and that nudged me to take a leap. And I’m not exaggerating when I say this — I saw that movie on a Sunday night. On Monday morning, I walked into office and resigned.
The funny thing is, when I did that, I had no idea how to be a comedian. What happens in the industry? How much do comedians earn? But I knew one thing: This is what I wanted to do in life. I had this massive desire to make people laugh. And my family was thoroughly supportive, so naysayers didn’t matter. The Canvas Laugh Club had opened in Gurgaon and I started doing open mics. One thing led to another and here I am, doing my seventh pan-India show! I’m also planning to take this to the US, Europe, Australia, and a few South Asian countries.
We live in a different world now, where anyone can be what they want to be. You will be successful, as long as you put in the hard work.
What are the three qualities that make a good comedian?
The first would be intelligence. What I basically mean by intelligence is the ability to keenly observe, find new angles, and create something that makes people laugh. The second is to slog your heart out. And the third is to have thick skin.
What has comedy taught you about life?
Vulnerability — the more you show people exactly who you are, without any fear of judgement, the more they’ll tend to like you.