A Harvard graduate. PhD in Information Systems. Produced a research paper in Stanford. Member of Greenpeace. Ideally this is how my dad would have wanted it to be. I did B Tech and MBA. Good at making fun of both the degrees!
That’s what Raja Sekhar Mamidanna’s bio reads on LinkedIn, and it aptly sums up the man he is and the performer he is come to be known as, cracking you up at every word he utters. The Hyderabad-based stand-up comedian can turn the simple of things into jokes, mostly directed at himself. Ahead of his show in the city where he brings his new set Thoughts and Feelings, we speak to Raja Sekhar about converting therapy talks into jokes and lots more.
Your new set is called Thoughts and Feelings. Why is it titled that?
Since the show is about therapy and therapy deals with thoughts and feelings, hence the name of the show.
Why did you think of a stand-up piece on therapy? How would you convert therapy talks into jokes?
I have been advocating therapy in a lot of my previous shows as well. Any experience can be narrated in a funny way and the experience of going to therapy can also be narrated in a funny way. Thoughts and Feelings explores the same.
Please tell us how and where you have drawn the lines to ensure the audience does not get offended.
If all jokes are on me, how will the audience get offended? Someone should get offended on behalf of me, at me.
How did stand-up comedy happen to you?
I always wanted to be a stand-up comedian. During MBA and later while I was working, I used to make people laugh and I never had stage fear, so I thought I will make this a full-time profession.
Do you have a genre or do you think comedy does not really need to be in brackets?
I don’t usually put myself or anybody in any bracket because I have seen a lot of comedians surprising me with what they can do.
When you get on the stage and perform, who are you most looking to please — yourself or the audience?
Both the audience and myself.
Who are the stand-up artistes you would love to collaborate with?
Unlike other art forms, stand-up comedians don’t perform at the same time. It’s one after other. So, we may do a show together. More than collaboration, I think it’s doing a show together. Right now, I am performing with Rohit Swain where we do improv comedy. I am open to doing shows with anybody.
What do you think is the future of stand-up comedy?
I hope it has a bright future, so that we all also have bright future.
Tickets at Rs 499.
January 26, 4 pm &6 pm.
At Medai – The Stage, Alwarpet.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain
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