KOCHI: Kerala can boast of one of the oldest and finest forms of satire or ‘stand-up comedy’ Chakyar koothu. Though none can beat the chakyar’s scalpel-sharp wit and social commentary, a breed of young Malayalis is now acing at the art of making people laugh as well as think with their gift of gab.
Stand-up comedy, which was initially limited to Kochi, is now gaining currency in districts such as Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kottayam, too. Malayalis have always enjoyed wit from puns to political punchlines.
Here is a sample. “Njan ‘pirannu’ veenappo thanne ente appuppan ‘parannu’ poi…,” pauses youngster Mahadevan A R in a deadpan monologue at a show organised by Cochin Comedy Project (CCP) in Kochi recently. The crowd can’t help laughing out loud at the ‘chalu’ one-liner.
Mahadevan says television shows have helped connect with family audiences, who are now well-aware of ‘stand-ups’. “Popularity on TV helps us attract audiences to stage shows,” he adds. “Though I got popular through TV, one feels the josh of stand-ups only through live stage shows.”
Performers say the pandemic provided a ‘productive space’ for stand-up comedy, courtesy of platforms such as Club House. Acceptance has increased, says Vishnu Pai, a stand-up comedian based in Kochi. The youngster is a popular pick of the Comedy Lounge collective of 15 stand-up comedians, including women.
“Thanks to YouTube, many people are aware of stand-ups. Earlier, live gigs were common in cities such as Bengaluru and Mumbai. Over the past few years, Kerala has embraced the genre,” says Vishnu.
Like many Indian stand-up comedians, Vishnu, too, was inspired by the hilarious shows of Indian-origin Canadian ace Russell Peters, whose videos remain addictive.
Vishnu, however, says he never used Russell’s shows as a reference and, instead, honed his skills through open-mic performances and self-learning. “This is my eighth year as a stand-up comedian. Now I mentor aspiring performers,” he adds. To give youngsters more opportunity, Vishnu, along with Comedy Lounge, has been organising weekly open-mic events in Kochi.
Vishnu adds success can be achieved only through sharp scripting and structuring of jokes. “It involves natural flair as well as hard work,” he says. “Dropout is high. Many get disheartened when the response is poor. We need to carry on even if 100 shows bomb — only then would we turn successful in the next.” That’s where grooming plays an important part. “To root out stage fear and create confidence in aspiring artists,” says Vishnu.
‘Malayalathil parayada’
Kerala audiences prefer Malayalam over English, say, stand-up comedians. Vishnu recalls a viewer yelling “Malayalathil parayada” during a show. Punch lines, phrases in local dialects, and anecdotes are an important part of a stand-up performance. Pathanamthitta-based stand-up comedian Aneez M Latheef is popular for his spontaneous Malayalam wordplay.
An India Post employee, Aneez entered the scene a year ago. “Most of my jokes are peppered with words gathered through reading all these years,” he says. “A well-loaded quiver of literary terms always helps.”
Shobha chirikunnile?
It is always better to go for the language in which one thinks, says Thiruvananthapuram-based Deepak Mohan, who runs Cochin Comedy Project. Basking in the success of ‘Shobha Chirikunnilae’ Season 1, which recently had a good run in several districts, Deepak says performing in Malayalam helps connect better with the common man.
“It’s not that there is no audience for English, but the mother tongue always spurs better response, reaction,” he adds. “Subjects change according to the crowd. The majority of the crowds we attract is 25-plus. A typical working-class crowd loves to enjoy jokes related to family, households, friends,
college life, relationships and career issues. Most artists often narrate funny instances from their own lives.”
Politics to periods
No topic is taboo, says Deepak. But while dealing with sensitive subjects such as religion, feminism, politics, etc, one has to play wisely. Though political correctness is not expected from stand-up comedians, one should be careful not to offend the crowd, he adds.
George believes Kerala is comparatively “safe”, as the crowds usually take sarcasm and jibes in the spirit of humour. “Gender, caste, religion, skin colour, political leanings... nothing matters as long as the performer sticks to comedy,” he says. “Malayalis are already exposed to satire and sarcasm delivered via mimicry and skits.”
Kochi-based comic John Joe, however, says one has to be cautious about the internet. The B.Tech graduate recently faced online brickbats, after he posted recordings of his stage performances on social media. “For example, if I say Raman cut the tree, questions arise on the religion of the name I used, rather than the character’s action,” says Joe. “We are living in the social media era. One has to brave the barrage of criticism that comes from netizens. So that concern does discourage me from taking up some hot topics.”
Happy pill
Laughing releases stress hormones. Thus, stand-ups are the happy pills to relieve stress, say artists. “To me, it is a healing process,” says George, who conducts stand-up workshops that help develop oratory skills and eliminate inhibitions.
“Practising stand-up comedy also helps personality development and builds confidence. Moreover, there is no better stress-buster than laughing out loud, or making someone do that.”
Warrier, the stand-up master
Actor Jayaraj Warrier was probably the pioneer of stand-up satire in Kerala. Looking back at his stage experience of over 32 years, he says thorough reading, sharp observation and staying updated are essential to excel in this field. “My performances have mostly been pure satire, and have not offended anyone, including politicians,” he says. “Being an Ottan thullal artist, I perform spontaneously. My shows are seldom scripted, much like what the current stand-up comics do.”
It’s fun, your honour!
Women power is palpable here, too. Kochi-based lawyer Jomy Josy is now a prominent face in Kerala’s stand-up scene. Jomy joined Comedy Lounge last year. “I must say, this stand-up stint has helped me perform better in court! I present topics such as feminism, periods and abortion,” she says. “Our shows would mostly be in the evenings. So I would taunt women in the crowd, asking if they got ‘permission’ to step out. It’s a jab at familial, societal restrictions.”
Not a joke
George Vivian Paul, 33, left his job as a PWD engineer to pursue stand-up comedy in 2013. With a collective named Kochin Komedians, George has been at the forefront to boost the art form in Kerala. Considered ‘senior’ among stand-up artists, George says an innate sense of humour and persistence are the must-haves for a good comedian. And there is zero space for ego, he adds. “Of course, one won’t be successful in tickling funny bones every time, but the show must go on. And we should have strong opinions, continuity and a heart to accept failure to sustain in this field. If a planned line does not work, one should quickly gauge the crowd and create something that would click.”