Comedian Abhishek Kumar, one of Chennai’s most popular stand-up artistes, burst onto the scene with the now super-popular online alternative character, Mrs Janaki, was also recently seen in a cameo in Harish Kalyan-starrer Oh Manapenne! (2021). The theatre-artiste turned comic is also a regular on many OTT-based comedy shows including Comicstaan Semma Comedy Pa and LOL: Enga Siri Paappom, both on Amazon Prime Video. With news of an upcoming web series called Village (also on Amazon Prime Video) and ahead of his multi-city The Reel To Real Crowdwork Tour, we catch up with the Chennai peiyyen to talk stand-up, performance, the creation of an audience and how clean comedy can actually still work with all audiences.
How did stand-up happen?
So, stand-up happened by accident. It’s a Saturday show, I’ve booked tickets to watch the show, but one of the comedians fell out of the lineup because of some personal emergency. I replaced that comedian. So, when a stand-up comedian starts out, they perform for five to seven minutes. My first-ever show of stand-up, however, went on for 25 minutes. I think my first show was my best show. It’s my personal favorite because it’s your first show and all your friends come, the support system is there. After that, the support slowly fades out (laughs). But yes, the first show was very exciting. I just blabbered whatever I felt was funny and it worked. Even today, I blabber. But back then, it was a little more raw, a little more rusty. It was very organic, very natural and I didn’t follow any syntax, algorithm or rules.
You are often called one of the few comedians in the stand-up scene right now who’s very decent. You keep it largely family-friendly and clean. Is that a conscious choice?
I think it’s a conscious choice because — do I never swear? Apart from being on stage, I do. But corporates pay well and corporates expect clean humour and corporate shows are where the money’s at for us. Also, I like everyone to watch my videos.
Since you do corporate shows and you also do passion projects where you’re on stage because you want to be on stage — how different are your sets?
Corporate sets are a little more for the company. I write it for that show for that specific company. Whereas, if it’s a public show where people purchase tickets and come to the show, I talk about my life. I talk about everything under the sun. There’s no customisation. It’s just as raw as it gets here.
So, when you’re writing all of your pieces, who is the audience that you keep in mind for your own pieces, not the corporate pieces.
I think a majority of my audience is a little young. 18 to 26. Someone who is in college or just passed out of college. This is where open mics come in handy. You test your material in open mics as the people who come to these gigs are also in the same age group. You get to see if they are resonating with the material and if it’s relatable to them.
A lot of your performances have a South Indian connection. Your material definitely works in Chennai and Bengaluru. I’m sure if you perform in Kerala, you’d work there too. But what about your shows in Mumbai and Delhi? How do you relate to that kind of an audience?
I think South Indians are everywhere, just like how North Indians are over here in the South. There are a lot of South Indians in Mumbai and Delhi too. So, every time we go there, they want some local flavor and they want some representation and our material is mostly in English and the references are South-based — so, it works.
Stand-up comedians quickly move to mediums like Instagram videos, do you find a big difference in the way you need to perform for these two different mediums?
Is the stage different from a camera? 100 percent yes. What are the differences? For example, on stage, I don’t have to restrict myself to what is trending. I can talk about anything, but what is happening online is that you aim to drive your online audience offline, so that you can get them to come to your show.
Were you ever someone who had stage fright or were you ever camera shy?
No, I was the exact opposite from school, I wanted attention, but back in school I didn’t get a lot of opportunities because they were restricted to people who can study really well, who could balance academics with extracurricular activities. I got my fair share of opportunities, but I still didn’t get the big slice that I wanted, which I really got in college. In college, I overcompensated and participated in everything and realised, maybe, I should do this full time. So, I started doing theatre full time and slowly transitioned into stand up.
What are you also doing right now, parallel to stand up?
I’ve done four films now and three web series, out of which two are about to be released. And every film has been a great experience because I got to work with stars, who grew up idolising.
Is there a hope that someday you might get into direction or writing a series?
I’m writing a special stand up special of my own. That, again, is every comedian’s bucket list. I don’t know about directing a movie, but I want to write a film.
As someone who literally climbed the ladder to success on your own — what would be your advice to someone who wants to get into a career with stand up or theatre or any of the things that you’ve done?
I think back then, when I started 2017, it was very tough. You had to go to an open mic, hit the open mic scene every week, get a nice five minute set ready, then get on stage. But right now, you have Instagram. You also have YouTube and you have everything in your hand where you can create opportunities and build a community for yourself very, very easily. I know people who were struggling to sell tickets back then. Now, they’ve got Instagram numbers and they’re packing shows. So, I think you can build your own sweet community just by putting up content consistently.
Are there any red flags that one should avoid as a stand up comedian?
Yes. Be politically aware of what you’re saying. Don’t be ignorant and be responsible for the content you create.
I know this is asking you to kind of open up your secret, but what do you think is required for a good tight set?
Oh, I think a good tight set needs a lot of practice in open mics. Be relentless in hitting the same set again and again and again, because the tenth reiteration, you get is going to be ten times better than the first iteration. And gauge the room well.
What’s next?
I have this web series on Amazon Prime called Village which will release soon and I’m writing my own stand up special, which I’m probably premiering later, towards the end of the year; and of course, my upcoming multi-city national tour that will kick off in a month or so.
The Reel To Real Crowdwork Tour will start in a month and visit Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai & Delhi.
Romal Laisram
romal@newindianexpress.com
@elromal