It might seem rather odd when a stand-up comedian calls himself an introvert, considering they’re always sharing jokes, experiences and opinions from their personal lives. But Sapan Verma begs to differ. “I’ve been in the circuit for a while now, I’m still an introvert. People think because a comedian is funny and loud on stage, he’ll be the same outside. Stand-up is my job and the personality you see on stage ends there. I’m super boring otherwise. I don’t even have many friends,” says the Mumbai-based comedian in a chat with Indulge, ahead of his show in Hyderabad. City-based comedy gig series, FunnyBuzzness by Buzz Kya Entertainment, founded by Sakshi Chaturvedi, is hosting the evening to celebrate their first anniversary. Funny Buzzness has hosted artises like Amit Tandon, Sorabh Pant, Sumukhi Suresh and Naveen Richards,Daniel Fernandes, Abish Mathew, Shankar Chugani. After Daniel Fernandes’ show last week, this time, they have Sapan Verma and Kunal Kamra.
A favourite amongst the city’s comedy enthusiasts, the last time Sapan was in Hyderabad, tickets were sold out in less than 48 hours. “The audience here has been kind to me. This time, I will bring my trial set with a list of jokes that I have been writing lately,” says the co-founder of comedy group, East India Comedy (EIC). Expect jokes on growing up in Madhya Pradesh, travelling abroad with parents and how doing political comedy got him into trouble.
Known as the master of observational comedy in India, Sapan has created a loyal fan base among the youngsters through his witty and relatable jokes. While his hilarious take on the fat tax, Game of Thrones and funny Snapchat posts got him quite a few hits, his career graph took a steep rise with his video on student suicides that captured the attention of the youth. He also received numerous letters and messages from students across the country, thanking him for highlighting the issue.
One of the judges on the comedy reality show, Comicstaan, who mentored the participants in observational comedy, Sapan tell us that it’s a great time for stand-up in the country — both offline and online. “In the next few years, we’ll see more such online streaming platforms. Stand-up specials and comedy shows are at the core of these platforms so the more they grow, the better it is for all of us and the scene,” says the 29-year-old. Drawing similarities between open mics from online shows, Sapan adds, “Open mics are raw and completely new material. Whereas what goes on Netflix and Amazon is the material we’ve fine tuned over the years. So a joke that starts at an open mic, ends on an online platform.”
At Heart Cup Coffee, Jubilee Hills. December 23, 8 pm.