With an aim to take comedy to the next level in India, online platform Amazon Prime is coming up with a reality show, Comicstaan. It brings together some of the biggest comedians in India, including Kaneez Surka, Kanan Gill, Kenny Sebastian, Naveen Richard, and Sumukhi Suresh, all of whom prepare to redefine the future of comedy. In a conversation with Akhila Damodaran, the comedians talk about this upcoming show to be launched on July 13, and all things comedy
About your association with the show...
I was judging the show and mentoring the contestants on improv comedy where I was teaching and imparting skills that I learned. It was mind-blowing to see their performances after they picked up the skills in just four days. Ninety per cent of them hadn’t done improv before. They were so committed to learning. I wish I could be like them.
How has your journey so far been like?
I have done very little stand-up. My focus is on improv. I went to New York to study...we were the first ones to do stand-up in India and there was no who could teach here. So, I keep going and learning and then, I come back and do workshops here. With improv, a lot has happened. That’s how I developed my game show, it’s improvised. I am writing a comedy web series now and would like to get into mental health eventually. It’s something I want to do, combine healing power of comedy with mental health.
Is it easy for others to make you laugh?
Yeah, it’s easy for me to laugh. I laugh at anything. Sometimes, I laugh to end the silence and when the comedians need support.
Qualities you look for in other comedians?
Honesty. It’s about how honest your performance is and what you are saying. That’s the trend in comedy – open, raw and vulnerable.
Who do you think is your competitor?
Right now, that’s not a question. It’s such a small industry. We all have our own niche audience.
Who is the most difficult comedian to work with?
All of them. Everyone talks so much. I’d have to remind them that the show isn’t about us, it’s about the contestant and that we should all shut up and get on with the show.
Are you watching the FIFA World Cup?
I am not following much this time. But I support Nigeria.
How challenging is judging?
It’s hard to judge new comedians and heartbreaking to give them scores. It’s like a child coming to you with a drawing and you telling him/her it’s good because you know they’ll get better.
Is it easy to make you laugh?
Contrary to popular belief, I love laughing. The more dumb the joke is, the more I laugh. It’s not the joke for me, sometimes, it’s the person or the intention of the joke. Sometimes, when a person is being silly, it makes me laugh. I am a fan of comedy too and I love watching comedy shows when my mood is off.
Who is your competitor?
I do not have competition. My goals are different. I am not being diplomatic here. Some people want to do comedy, someone loves to write or someone wants to become a business owner. I have a different life goal. I feel satisfied with what I am doing. I got everything I wanted when I was 22... career and all else. I am at an experimental stage now but that doesn’t mean I want to become a filmmaker or something.
You are working with other comedians on the sets. Who do you think is the most difficult person to work with?
That’s such a mean question (laughs). I am in a field that I love and hence, there’s no time to work with any bad people. Life is too short to work with bad people.
What are the qualities that you look for in other comedians?
Perseverance, genuineness, willingness to take criticism, constantly challenging himself and helping other artists. And, I think all the contestants on the show have these qualities. I have seen them calm each other down when they had breakdowns.
So comedy is difficult?
It’s very tough. When your material doesn’t work, it means people are rejecting your ideas or you. It hurts. When your film flops, you can blame the writer and director. When your band doesn’t perform up to the mark, you have other members to share your anguish with. But if your show doesn’t work, it’s your fault.
About your association with the show...
I am the host of the show, thank God for that. I personally had a blast as Abish, the other host. Abish makes sure you are comfortable and have a good time. I would look forward to coming to the sets. All the comedians are my friends and we know each other very well.
You have a team of your own now...
It’s too much yaar... Three years ago, I was hiring a microbiologist and now, I am hiring writers. But it’s fun.
You have your shows, stand-up comedy and now, this reality show. So, how do you manage time?
At least for me, I am lucky to have it. Comedy’s a legit career now. Lot of aspiring comedians come to see that it’s not just about the glamour behind it, it involves lot of hard work.
Your other show Pushpavalli also talks about PG life. Did you live in a PG sometime?
Yes, I lived as a PG. It was a shady place close to Koramangala Club. I had lived in a hostel in Chennai and I thought a PG would be better but it was worse. So, how could experiences not be a part of the show?
Apart from comedy, what are your other interests?
I cook. Give me an oven and maida and you won’t see me for hours. I used to run a bakery in Bengaluru called Sweet Cheese Bakery Company. I love making cheesecake and cupcakes. But then comedy happened. So, I had to give up on the job.
Are you watching the FIFA World Cup?
Someone had asked me this earlier and I was like yes, Sachin Tendulkar played well in the last game. (laughs). Let India play in the world cup, I will watch then.
Tell us about your association with the show...
There are seven different genres of comedy that each contestant had to perform. Then, the audience and judges give them scores. Whoever gets the maximum score, wins the contest and a prize money of `10 lakh. I was given the mystery genre. I’m not saying anything more.
How challenging is judging?
We have invested a lot into the contestants’ journeys. Mentoring is more fun. While judging, it gets hard to decide what scores to give as you know the process of creating the joke.
Is it easy for others to make you laugh?
Yes, I laugh at silly things. We were laughing on the sets all the time. It happens naturally. You’d be sad seeing how we laugh at such silly things.
I believe you have nicknames for each other...
No, we call each other with their actual names. Naveen made that up. (laughs)
What are the qualities that you look for in other comedians?
Humour (laughs)
How is this platform different from YouTube?
On YouTube, anyone can create a video and upload it. There’s no middleman. But when you are working with a production house, there are other people with different skill sets, you collaborate with. It’s a holistic process.
Apart from comedy, what are your other interests? You had also done a couple of videos about different professions such as DJing, chefs and dancing.
Yes, I did a couple of videos. It was a reality stuff. I was trying to show how it is not easy to do them. Since school, I have always wanted to be a writer. I would like to explore other creative
expressions of writing, may be a film or a
series.
Tell us about your association with the show...
I have been doing stand-up for five years and I specialise in writing sketches. So, I was mentoring the contestants in sketches.
What are the qualities that you look for in other comedians?
We look for people who can let go off their inhibitions. If you seem free on stage, comedy will flow. Originality of thought is key.
How long did you take to write each sketch for the show?
For this show, I performed with Sumukhi for which we used previous material. So, that didn’t take very long. Otherwise, putting together material can take three to four days and sometimes even a week. For the show with Sumukhi, Pushpavalli on Amazon Prime, it takes about five to six months.
How is this platform different from YouTube?
On YouTube, you have full freedom but no money. On Amazon, they pay to do good shows and also they give some creative freedom. It’s more comfortable way of doing a show.
Is it easy for others to make you laugh?
Yeah, I like to laugh. My friends make me laugh all the time. It depends on the people. I don’t laugh at obvious jokes, I need to be surprised.
Who do you think is the most difficult comedian to work with?
Myself. I have lot of inner demons, alter ego. Every day is a constant battle. On the show, working with all of them was easy and fun.
Do you have nicknames for each other?
We call Sumukhi ‘fairy God mother, Kaneez is unicorn and Kenny is Murthy.