Laughter is often seen as light or casual. In performance, it is sometimes treated as entertainment rather than art. But across theatre, poetry and dance, humour has always had depth. It connects people instantly. It opens space for difficult conversations.
For Kavya Ganesh, dancer and creator, trained in Bharatanatyam, laughter is not new to the form. It is something that has always existed within it and with Stand-Up Natyam, she gives it it’s deserved space.
“The idea of combining Bharatanatyam with stand-up comedy came because I saw that humour or haasyam was already a very integral emotion in the form,” she says. “It is one of the navarasas, and many traditional pieces are rooted in it, so I started thinking about how I could take this art form that has been passed on over generations and make it accessible to today’s times.”
Kavya explains that Bharatanatyam is not as serious as it is often perceived to be. Many traditional pieces include satire, teasing, irony and playful expressions. For her, the shift was not about adding humour but about reframing it. “It has always been part of the vocabulary, but by bringing in stand-up comedy elements like crowd work through gestures, mime and dance theatre, it became a more accessible experience without losing the rootedness of the form,” Kavya explains.
That word—rooted—is important to her. She is particular about how different genres come together in her work. “I’m very careful about not falling into the trap of mindless fusion where two things are brought together because it might be trendy or viral,” Kavya shares. “When the forms are not studied, it feels forced.”
Instead, she focuses on intention. When she collaborates with rap or spoken word artistes, the process begins with conversation and understanding. “In India, popular culture forms like Rap and Hip-Hop and classical forms are kept separate,” Kavya elaborates. “The idea of bringing in a Rap artiste was to question these stereotypes and understand how they approach rhythm and structure, so the collaboration is intentional and not frivolous.”
Spoken word also helps audiences who may not know the technical language of Bharatanatyam and allows them to connect with the ideas and emotions easily.
Humour in the show is a way to reflect on the classical dance world itself. The performance gently questions hierarchies and power structures within the system. “As classical performers, we often take ourselves too seriously,” she says. “Every field has its quirks and its absurdities, and comedy is a wonderful tool to talk about important issues like access and hierarchies while still making the conversation accessible.”
When she created the show, she did not imagine it fitting into one type of space. “I wasn’t thinking of it as being only for classical performance spaces or corporate spaces,” Kavya adds. “I just wanted to create an experience for anyone and everyone without feeling constrained by categories.”
Even though the emotion feels light at times, she insists that humour requires discipline. “In terms of craft, humour is one of the most difficult emotions to crack,” she shares. “It is extremely hard to make someone laugh. It involves its own rigour, so it should not be seen as something frivolous.”
According to Kavya, laughter builds immediate connection. “The minute you make someone laugh, you form a bridge between yourself and the audience,” she says. “There is an instant connection, and if done well, humour can leave you with powerful questions.”
Balancing her role as both director and performer has added another layer of challenge. “When I’m supposed to watch with a critical eye, I often end up laughing and getting distracted,” Kavya admits.
The response to her work has been largely positive, though not without debate. “We’ve received a lot of love and support, and I’m very grateful,” she shares. “I welcome honest critique, as long as there is space for dialogue rather than immediate judgment.”
Through her work, Kavya shows that laughter is not a break from tradition. It is part of it. In her hands, Haasyam becomes a way to stay of asking questions—proving that sometimes the most serious work begins with a smile.
Tickets at Rs 599. February 21, 6 pm. At Pheonix Arena, Hitec City.
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