Take a pause, grab a drink and unwind with comedy at Black Dog Easy Evenings India tour, whose next stop is Hyderabad, this Saturday. Having engaged with artistes such as Colin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood from Whose Line Is It Anyway and Russell Peters, this annual event has organised more than 100 performances across 26 cities including two-tier places like Siliguri, Udaipur, Vizag, Mangalore and Indore. This time around, the event focuses on improv comedy, wherein the audience will suggest topics that will be used to make up the plot and character on spot. While Papa CJ will do the opening and closing act for the evening, the event will also feature The Improv group (Sal Yusuf, Darius Sunawala, Abel Mathews and Time Schultz) led by filmmaker Saad Khan, who will partner with Danish Sait and Cyrus Sahukar.
Papa CJ
New Delhi-based comedian Papa CJ has been awarded as Asia’s best comedian in 2014 by Top 10 Magazine in Kuala Lumpur. The 41-year-old artiste has performed more than 2,000 shows across five continents in venues like Broadway and Soho theatre in London, among other channels.
You’re currently working on your autobiography. How do you find the process of writing it?
I’d like to call them memoirs. In all honesty, though, the book writing process is up and down for me. On one hand, I find it difficult to motivate myself because I prefer telling stories on stage. But then on the day, I sit down, I remember five new experiences triggered around each memory. So the book will have so much more content than I’ve ever shared on stage. In fact, I’m going to mine the book for new stand-up material when I’m done, but I first need to get past the adventure that will be editing!
Where can one draw the line when it comes to comedy and casual sexism?
I think the long-term solution is better education, awareness and sensitivity by both comedians and audiences. Having been brought up in a patriarchal society, as Indian men we aren’t even aware of sexist attitudes that have been normalised. Also, the day audiences refuse to laugh at
certain jokes, comedians will stop telling them.
You’ve performed in shows across the world. How different are your preparations for shows in India and abroad? Is there an element of self-censorship?
When I perform abroad, I do my homework about the country in advance, and I tend to start the show with local content before taking the audience beyond their borders. In India as well, I do a lot of customisation based on my research. With regards to self-censorship, it depends entirely on where I’m performing. Some countries require you to be careful about certain things from a legal point of view. In India, if an audience has come to see me at a club or a theatre gig, then I’ll do what I want. However, if I’m invited to a private event then I always adhere to the client’s guidelines. Also, I self-censor if I feel something that isn’t important to me that I do on stage will end up leaving my audience feeling disrespected.
Danish Sait
Danish Sait is more popularly known as Bengaluru’s popular prankster Nograj. After radio and YouTube, Danish took the character to the large screen with the recent Kannada film, Humble Politician Nograj.
What can we expect in your show in Hyderabad?
The show is improvised, so honestly, I don’t know what to expect myself. From the previous experiences, it’s going to be a mad ride. I’m excited to tour with CJ and Cyrus. I’ve grown up watching them. It gives me immense joy to be a part of Black Dog Easy Evenings’ movement to spread laughter amidst the stressful lives. It’s important to take a pause.
What has been your craziest prank ever, as Nograj?
Oh, this one time I prank called a politician’s son, and things turned ugly very soon. Glad the radio station stood by me. We had to bring in other political affiliations to douse the fire.
Who are the performers you look up to?
The entire crew from Whose Line Is It Anyway.
Given the restrictions, is it difficult to be funny, especially when you’re doing political comedy?
Not really. I’ve never questioned boundaries. I work within them. Satire is a great tool to bring about social commentary.
How do you constantly push yourself out of your comfort zone and ensure that you are not gravitating towards your favourite theme?
Life is a lot like improv. You’ve got to take the story forward. Don’t question the environment. Don’t act, react. Listen, and don’t run in with ready answers.
Cyrus Sahukar
Mumbai-based video jockey and actor, Cyrus Sahukar, is known for his satirical comedy. This 40-year-old artiste has acted in popular Bollywood films including Rang De Basanti, Aisha and Khoobsurat.
Tell us about your previous experiences of performing in Hyderabad.
Biryani with Mirchi Ka Saalan is a must. But I make sure it is not before my show (laughs)! The audience here is wonderful, of course. I also enjoy the drive from airport to my hotel on that long bridge (PVNR Expressway). It’s quite pleasant.
What do you think is the next big thing in comedy?
Definitely improv, sketch and variety shows! I’m excited for Black Dog Easy Evenings too, especially because it is improv. There’s more audience interaction, where we sometimes get someone from the audience to perform with us.
What have been some of your learning experiences from your show, Great Escape?
I think travelling by road changed my perspectives about life. I saw unpopular places, went to the highest post office and listened to so many stories. My biggest lesson, however, is that there’s not one definition of happiness.
When it comes to films, do you think comedians become too caricature-ish than portraying a regular character who just happens to be funny?
In movies belonging to the early 2000s or before, yes! Our films were very Shakespearean, I’d say. Not just comedians, but every character was too dramatic, even the villains and heroes. The idea has drama has evolved and we see more humanised storytelling. It has reflected in the comic industry as well. We now talk about dark topics that were initially untouched. It’s not only about being on stage and making everybody laugh with usual jokes.
How different is your preparation for comedy in films from that of a regular show?
There’s certainly more scope of improvisation in a comedy show than while playing a character in a film. Cinema and television are more structured. Also, when there’s a camera is in front of you and there’s a certain set-up, it becomes a completely different scenario.
Abhishek Shahabadi
(Vice-President and Portfolio Head, Premium & Luxury Brands, Diageo India)
Tell us about the idea and purpose of Black Dog Easy Evenings
Black Dog’s overall purpose is to encourage achievers to relax and unwind. We aim to inspire young achievers to take a pause from their busy schedules and find time to cherish things that truly matter. It is a consumer interest space that partners with stand up artists to create an unwinding experience for our audiences to partake and enjoy their evenings over a glass of scotch.
What is the brand objective behind choosing comedy, among other art forms?
We look at platforms or interest spaces that consumers seek to unwind, comedy being the most popular. Over the years we have gotten a great response at Diageo with Black Dog Easy Evenings, a platform which leads through comedy. It had been one of the most consistent IP’s from the stable of Diageo and has grown stronger by curating experiences that consumers love to engage with.
Tickets: Rs.499. August 11, 8 pm. At Snort.