Nesan David’s ‘Imaginesan’ brings musical comedy to Hyderabad, blending tunes and tales

Musical comedy has found a new rhythm in India, blending melody, emotion, and laughter in ways that feel both heartfelt and hilarious. One of the artistes shaping this space is Nesan David, a Chennai-based performer, whose fourth special, Imaginesan, is coming to Hyderabad. A wordplay on his own name, the show is more than just jokes and punchlines.

It’s a two-hour show about his first love — about getting a girlfriend, breaking up, and moving on

“It’s a healing journey for people who’ve been through heartbreak. I’d say it’s like a warm hug — funny, relatable, and comforting,” Nesan shares.

When asked about how his venture into musical comedy started, he tells us that rather than the comedy, it was the musical bit that came to him first. “I wrote a song about corona virus during COVID. After that song went viral, I began writing more funny songs. But I couldn’t just perform them for an hour straight, so I mixed stand-up and music together. That’s how I found my space in musical comedy,” Nesan elaborates. Since then, all his shows — Bad Decisions, Nesan’s Nation, Happy Ending,and now Imaginesan — have included original songs. “It’s proper music. Some are part of the story, others are just to engage the audience. For example, I’ve done songs like Clap Your Hands or I Want to Be Your Friend just to break the ice,” he adds.

Writing jokes and writing songs, he explains, are two very different creative processes. “For jokes, it’s mostly observational. I note down funny things I see or experience, then connect the dots later to make a story. But for songs, I sit with my guitar, work on the tune, and make sure the lyrics rhyme and flow well,” he explains. The balancing act is natural, as Nesan’s comedy only feels comfortable to him when comedy and music join hands.

Now, with four specials behind him, Nesan has also seen how much the comedy scene has changed. “There’s a lot of competition now,” he says. “Earlier, YouTube was where people watched long-format videos. Now, even a 90-second reel feels too long. Everyone’s writing for reels. That clogs your mind because you start thinking only about what might go viral.”

At the heart of it, Nesan doesn’t just see himself as a comedian. “I don’t want to be known as someone who wrote great jokes or was better than others,” he says. “I just want to be known as someone who worked hard to make people happy — through comedy and music.”

Tickets at Rs 499.

October 18, 5 pm.

At The Comedy Theatre, Gachibowli.

Email: anshula.u@newindianexpress.com

X: @indulgexpress

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