They are not just brothers, but also twins. The duo has been doing standup comedy for around seven years now, but is quick to admit that they haven’t been continuously in the scene, with a break around 2019, and then Covid forcing them to extend that break. They restarted end of last year. That’s the only information we’ve got to give you, because the rest, it’s best you hear from Vishal and Vikas. PS: Vikas is older by six minutes!
Why is the show called Twinsanity?
Vikas: We’re twins and our comedy is, well, insane. We stretch the limits of reality when we tell our stories, but they’re all based on things our audience has seen, heard or at least thought about. There will be multiple points in the show where you’ll catch yourself thinking, ‘Did that really happen? That’s insane!’ ‘Did they really just say that?’ But you wouldn’t be worried, because you’d be too busy laughing.
Vishal: Yeah, sharing a womb wasn’t enough for us. We love attention, crave the spotlight, and love the mild existential dread that comes with every show.
What were you doing before you became a standup comedian?
Vikas: I was practicing law in the High Court. Vishal was a mental health counsellor. Both of us might be breaking client/patient confidentiality. Maybe (laughs).
Vishal: I did a bunch of stuff actually. Psychology, marketing, and annoying small children at birthday parties.
One punch line you never thought would work but it actually did?
Vikas: I have a sweet nickname for a very famous politician that must not be named. Never thought that THAT would get as many laughs as it does, but people seem to love it.
Vishal: I think the riskiest one I’ve done is a punch line where I actually don’t say anything, and I dance badly. People think I’m doing an impression, but that’s actually my best dance move. It works all the time.
If not a comic, what would you be?
Vikas: Depressed and lonely.
Vishal: I mean, we still are depressed and lonely, no? Maybe professional oversharers. You’ll know when you see the show.
If you had to define comedy, how would you?
Vikas: Comedy is not really an escape from reality, but it’s an escape from the mundaneness of the reality we find ourselves in. The job isn’t in giving you new information, but making you see ‘the funny’ in things you already know. We all need to take ourselves and our lives a little less seriously.
Vishal: It’s like therapy, but funnier and way more affordable.
A genre, a joke you want to try but are hesitant?
Vikas: No topic/genre is off limits. I’m not hesitant to try any particular style of comedy. The only limitation is, ‘Can I do this well?’ I find telling stories from my life, and making observational humour comes more naturally to me, so I stick to that for now.
Vishal: Insult comedy towards each other. It’ll get too real, we’ll accidentally tell the truth, and then there’s gonna be a silent car ride home.
Do twins think alike? Do your jokes always land together?
Vikas: Absolutely not. There are times we absolutely get on each other’s nerves. Then we write jokes about it and perform them at our shows. Twinsanity has an entire section dedicated just to content like this.
Vishal: We do share a lot of common opinions, but our jokes are structured very differently, in this special at least. His jokes are observational and like stories, and my jokes are funny.
What is the language you perform in and why?
Vikas: Our comedy is in English and Tamil, because those are the languages we know. When we perform outside Tamil Nadu, we try to stick to English. We could try Hindi, but the goal is to have the audience laugh at our jokes, not our language.
Vishal: My jokes are in Klingon, mostly. There might be some Pig Latin as well.
What’s next? Projects, shows...
Vikas: We have the last few shows of Twinsanity left. Post that, we’re looking to revive our improv comedy project and maybe do a few sketches/online content. There’s a lot in the pipeline and we can’t wait for you to see it!
Vishal: I’m actually hoping to do my first one-hour special sometime this year. Twinsanity is a pre-cursor to that. Improv is always fun too, so there’s definitely going to be more on that side.
A joke you will tell to impress her...
Vishal: See, apart from comedy, I don’t take anything seriously.
Tickets at Rs 349.
April 14, 8 pm.
At Fika, Adyar.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain
