How difficult is it for an introvert to get on stage, face thousands of people and make them laugh? Well, it’s simple enough for Evam Karthik. All he has to do is get his superhero cape on, wear a mask and escape into a world where he addresses issues that gets his audience thinking. But first, he has got to make them laugh about it.
“Yes, I’m a socially awkward person, but I do love observing and watching people do strange and stupid things. I make fun of issues I strongly believe in. For instance, the LGBT community...I want to talk about it and make people laugh, but it will also make them think. They might do something about it….and just may be help make the world less sad,” he says. Now, imagine your country run by a parliament of stand-up comics.
If you can visualise them entertaining you while doing a good job, then you are in agreement with Karthik. With six movies lined up and Pasanga 2 just weeks from its release, he is busy with his solo show, Poke Me with hash-tag, to different cities. Yesterday, he performed in the city at The Raintree hotel, addressing topics like marathons, latest movies, being South Indian, and even a few sensitive issues like politics, feminism and Article 377.
“What I make fun of is completely personal. I don’t have a right to make fun of something I don’t respect,” adds Karthik. “You lead them to a thought and reward them with a joke. Leading them to a thought is the most important and challenging part. If they laugh and then say ‘I don’t agree’, it is fine. They should be able to walk away with an attitude like ‘okay, that’s what he thinks’. Any art is subject to the open mindedness of the audience.”
Some people in the northern part of the country recognise him as a stand-up comic but in the south, Karthik is better known as a film actor. So who is Karthik? What’s his forte? What are his priorities? His answer was amusing but understandable.
“Sometimes when I do a lot of standup comedy, I do cinema. When I get bored of being an actor, I direct. If you ask me who is the real Karthik Kumar is, I really don’t know. As an artist, I’m eternally confused!” he chuckles, and adds that a comic should be able to make his audience laugh five times a minute. “During my first show in 2010, people smiled and maybe laughed once a minute. It was disastrous back then…over time, I’ve understood the science of comedy better.”
Karthik is taking his solo show to Mumbai this weekend, Pune next and Salem after that. “I can afford to dabble in dark humour in Mumbai, as they have been watching stand-up comedy for years, but I cannot do the same in Salem. They are completely new,” he points out.
Karthik is part of the first generation stand-up comics in India, who came upon the genre through YouTube videos. “My inspiration also comes from interacting with the other 60 to 70 comics in India, who use stand up as a tool to channelise their life experiences on stage. We are all unique in the way we write and structure but I really admire my fraternity,” he explains.
Karthik couldn’t be prouder of the Evam Stand-up Tamasha Movement, which has performed over 200 shows in India. “I love the fan-given name — Evam Karthik. It’s not just me; it’s about all the young people pursuing the dream. I like the fact that if I die tomorrow, the only thing that would be left is Evam, which I have created. It is my baby,” he smiles proudly.