Gurgaon-based stand-up comedian Chirag Panjwani’s goal was simple: To make his mark in comedy. The spotlight elegantly shifts its gaze towards his upcoming live show in Hyderabad. The comedian’s journey from the timeless lanes of Agra to the bustling heart of Delhi reads like a script, rich with ambition, artistry, and the relentless pursuit of excellence. His style draws from the vivid portraits of our shared experiences which make us all human.
Anticipate a flurry of chuckles as Chirag delves into the everyday quirks of life. From the chaos of driving mishaps to the enigmatic world of engineering, the perplexities of modern dating, and even the unexpected twists of therapy sessions, his anecdotes are primed to trigger fits of laughter. “Out of these four, only one story is true to me and I will not reveal which one it is,” he laughs.
Hailing from Agra, Chirag’s story takes shape in Delhi, a deliberate choice driven by his aspiration to pursue a career in standup comedy. As we delve deeper into the layers of it, his words echo with truth, particularly about Delhi folks. “It’s when you make them laugh real hard do they take you seriously.” Unlike Mumbai’s welcoming comedy scene, where laughter flows like a river, Delhi’s crowd demands a nuanced cocktail of wit, a potion that not only titillates but also resonates with their hearts. Chirag’s insights into these two comedy hubs are more than just commentary — they are an open door into his experiences. “I shifted to Delhi because of a better standard of living that comes with reasonable expenses.” The artiste also rewinds to his days as an engineering student and thespian, sharing, “I was confused if I hated engineering and liked theatre.” This crossroads of self-discovery, the intersection of analytical equations and the allure of the spotlight, marked the dawn of his shift to comedy.
Navigating the linguistic labyrinth of India, and his comedy rooted in Hindi, Chirag’s path led him through the twists and turns of different Indian languages. He candidly shares an experience from his last show in Hyderabad. He realised there was a bit of a language barrier, saying, “People did not quite understand what I was trying to say.” Spending four years in Tamil Nadu and a notable five months in Kolkata, he decided to pick up Bengali, a language that shared some similarities with Hindi. But that’s not where his linguistic exploration ended. India’s linguistic diversity is a journey in itself, and Chirag found himself adapting to regional flavours. While Bengali offered a touch of familiarity, his time in the South revealed a new linguistic landscape altogether. Languages like Kannada, Malayalam, Tamil, and Telugu, each with its distinctive roots, introduced him to the country's richness.
`399 upwards. September 2. 6 and 8 pm. At Aaromalé — Café & Creative Community, Film Nagar. — chokita@ newindianexpress.com @ PaulChokita