If you ask Naman Jain a simple question, be prepared for a journey. Not a straight answer, or a neat little punchline, but a winding road that might begin in a small town in Madhya Pradesh, take a detour through a school classroom, pause at a Delhi traffic signal, and somehow circle back to the stage. That is how he speaks. That is how he thinks. And that, in many ways, is how he performs. But this time, the story he is telling is not just about an incident or a quirky character. It is about himself. After wrapping up the Hyderabad leg of his India tour, Naman Jain: A Trial Stand-Up Comedy Show, Naman reflects on the show, the journey behind it, and the challenges that shaped him along the way.
Naman begins, “Before this, all the materials I put on YouTube is mostly long stories of 25 to 30 minutes based on an incident. I really enjoy telling stories to people. I grew up in Guna, where everyone speaks the same way — giving long, exaggerated answers even when not needed. However, earlier stories had multiple characters, whereas this show is more about how I have been and why I am like this. I have always been a little shy person from within.” He admits that his mother played a defining role in shaping that cautious side.
Choosing comedy as a career was not a dramatic announcement at home. In fact, he never formally told his family. He first worked in radio, then did a comedy reality show, followed by six years in corporate life. “I left my job 1.5 years ago and I didn’t tell my family for a year,” he reveals. Today, the scepticism has softened. “Now, she is very happy,” he says of his mother, while adding that his father carefully scans YouTube comments and worries about the occasional negative one.
The road was not always smooth. He remembers performing at open mics for tiny audiences. “The biggest challenge is not to get disappointed, because there is nothing else. If my joke is not funny today, it will be funny later, since this is the art form where you can get disappointed. In the beginning, especially during open mics with three or four audiences, who are already counting themselves and looking at you, while your jokes are not working, you feel disappointed and wonder if its for you. When you enjoy on stage, others will also enjoy. I think it is important to enjoy any art form,” he shares.
When asked about dream collaborations, he talks about Zakir Khan, Abhishek Upmanyu and Jim Carrey with great admiration.
Before every show, there is nervousness, but also responsibility. “I always feel a little nervous, but also a little responsible because someone has come, spent time, bought a ticket, paid for a cab, eaten food and spent a lot of money. Time for me, is something I cannot take for granted,” he expresses with great seriousness.
His quirky ritual includes: “I listen to a lot of music, but never metal but always Bollywood songs like Chikni Chameli and Munni Badnaam, because that takes the pressure off completely and relaxes my mind.”
Off stage, he insists he is real and unfiltered. He avoids sensitive topics like religion and politics, choosing instead to observe everyday life. When not performing, he travels. “Show me beaches and I get crazy,” he says, adding that he would rather spend on journeys and experiences rather than gadgets.
As the conversation winds down, his message to fans is simple and heartfelt. He urges them to attend live shows, support comedy as an art form, and most importantly, “Please support comedy as an art form and do not get offended, as we are here to have fun. It is just jokes, hasi tahake and kisi ka koi nuksaan nahi ho raha hai usse, so just enjoy and have a great time.”