KOCHI: The pandemic has made life especially tough for artists, financially and emotionally. The month of May being the mental health awareness month, Thiruvananthapuram based stand-up comedian Deepak Mohan has come out with a solo act, Irony Man, that discusses the need to openly discuss mental health problems and ways to get help.
For Deepak, his personal experiences treading through the lockdown is what prompted him to come up with the programme. “Being a growing stand-up artist, the last year was crucial for me, in terms of getting exposure and doing stage performances. But the pandemic changed all my plans. I have performed many open-mike events in Kochi, Bangalore and even abroad, The lockdown turned out to be frustrating.
As artists, we create energy from our audience. It was hard for me to explain this to friends and family. They were unable to understand where I come from, or give me a positive reaffirmation. Most of them ridiculed me, citing my problems as ‘unnecessary’. That is when I understood that people who experience anxiety and depression have no support system in our society. That is how Irony Man was born,” he says.
Deepak found his new stage on YouTube and video conferencing apps which helped him to stay connected with his audience and art. The MBA graduate is well known for his Malayalam-English combination acts, and Irony Man was his first solo one-hour show. “I never imagined I would be performing live for strangers from my bedroom,” he quips. To date, Deepak has performed at 280 stages, since his first open mic in Kochi in 2018. “With few puns and jokes, I was able to get through to people well. My intention is not just to crack jokes, but to send across strong messages that have an impact on my audience through humour,” he says.
Deepak also believes that stand-up is just catching up in India. During his show, he was mistaken as a motivational speaker. “But I take that positively. Most people from the state only know Kenny Sebastian and Abish Mathew. To get through to more people who enjoy the art, I will do Malayalam, English, online or offline,” he says.
He also hopes television would give more space to stand-up artists. “Like music and dance, stand-up should get more space on TV too. That would help artists like us. My dream is to perform a houseful show at Kaloor Stadium in Kochi,” beams Deepak.
Watch him @deepakmohan24