From college tales to police station visits, Praveen Kumar’s 8 is storytelling through Tamilian wit

Over the last decade, regional comedy has carved a distinct space in India’s entertainment landscape. While English and Hindi stand-up once dominated the circuit, more and more comedians are finding their true voice in their mother tongue. It’s a shift driven by both cultural pride and the emotional connect that language brings. As comedian Praveen Kumar puts it, “Regional comedy hits harder. A joke hits stronger in your mother tongue than in English.”

Praveen Kumar brings his show 8 to Hyderabad

As he comes to Hyderabad, his latest special, 8, is both personal and symbolic. “It’s my 8th special. And also, there’s a Rajinikanth movie, where a song says, divide your life into eight different parts; in the show there will be an interesting story from each part,” Praveen explains. Each chapter pulls from a real incident, like his time in college and his trip to the police station.

Praveen, a prominent voice in the Tamil comedy scene, began his career with English stand-up, performing across India for nearly eight years. Yet he soon realised that telling stories in Tamil felt more natural and resonated deeper with audiences. That choice has taken him beyond Chennai, to stages in Australia, the US, and now, once again, Hyderabad. “The number of people understanding Tamil is less in Hyderabad, but quality of the people is the same. Quantity is a difference,” he notes.

For him, stand-up is as much about presence as it is about punchlines. “The audience shouldn’t realise that it’s a written joke. It should flow naturally, like he (the artiste) thought of it now and is performing,” Praveen says. That live connection is what he believes separates a performance from watching comedy online.

Above all, his aim is clear: to keep his comedy inclusive. “I want the whole family to come, sit, and have fun. There will be something for everybody, and they’ll go back happy.”

Tickets at INR 799.

August 31, 4 pm.

At The Comedy Theatre, Gachibowli.

Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com

X: @indulgexpress

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