Kunal Kamra breaks down the architecture of his craft ahead of his latest show, Standing Up

There’s a particular kind of honesty that only exists in a work-in-progress, when a comedian steps on stage without the safety net of a perfected set, trusting instinct over certainty. That is where Kunal Kamra finds himself with Standing Up, his latest show arriving in Chennai not as a finished special, but as something far more intimate: a live experiment.

Inside the "live experiment" as a comedy veteran returns to the stage

After more than a year away from stand-up, Kunal returns to the stage with new material that is still taking shape, ideas gathered over the last 13 months, tested in real time, and sharpened in front of an audience. We speak with him ahead of the show. Excerpts:

What’s the premise of Standing Up, and what can audiences expect from this new show?

The show is basically me trying out thoughts I’ve had over the last 13 months. It’s an untested show. At this point, I can just say that every stand-up show is difficult to build. So I’m going through the process of building my new show in front of an audience. This is material I’ll be trying out for the first time.

I’m a little nervous as I’ve not done stand-up in the last 13 months. So I’m not sure how entertaining I could be just coming back to stand-up immediately. But more than anything, it’s a show where I try out material. There’s always that thread in the show, which kind of binds the entire show together when it’s ready. So I don’t know what that thread would be eventually. I currently have a rough structure in my mind. But with a live audience, it’s always a different show, especially when you start with a new show.

How has your writing process changed over the years? What does a good writing day look like?

I do this thing called stage writing, where I do shows with 40–45 people. And I take the premises and ideas I have on stage for that audience. And I build it there.

So it’s not like I have a day of writing. I just keep making notes every now and then, and revisiting them before I do the show. With every show, I voice record it as many times as I can, so that I can see the jokes that I can keep and the jokes that I need to keep working towards.

In poetry, we talk about metre, metaphor, and rhythm. What are the equivalent devices in stand-up comedy that you consciously work with?

There’s just one way to do stand-up—set up, punchline. You set up a premise with the audience, and then you have a punchline, which releases the tension and gets a laugh.

It’s very different than poetry or any other art form. That’s why you will never find a child prodigy stand-up comedian. Because making everybody laugh in the exact same second every time is very difficult. So it takes a long time to build material that is tight and structured for people to enjoy it almost at the same moment every time they laugh.

What’s one writing habit you’ve learned over the years?

In comedy, the mistakes you make are also funny.

Are there less visible stories or everyday experiences you feel deserve more attention?

I think comedians should come from diverse backgrounds and tell their story to audiences. Their lived experience is the only way comedy can be a diverse, distinct art form.

Currently, we see not very diverse voices coming and telling their story. So I’m hoping comedy in India goes to that space where we now have comedy in different languages, but there’s not enough diversity.

I’m hoping for there to be more diversity in the comics who are palatable to an audience. And that’s what would make this art form unique.

What are some topics you think are deeply interesting but haven’t yet found their way into mainstream comedy?

In the West, you’ll see people who have done day jobs like working at McDonald’s or driving an Uber, and then just being funny at an open mic.

So I think these identities coming and doing stand-up will probably make it far more interesting than where we currently are.

How do you read the current stand-up scene in India? What excites you about it?

I read the current stand-up scene in India to be almost an echo chamber. There are a few female voices and a few comics who do not stay in the cities, making this still fun and unique and challenging.

The rest of it seems to be very monolithic.

What steps does the industry still need to take?

We have many steps away from being a full-fledged industry that has something for every audience member.

Are there emerging voices or formats pushing the form forward?

Not at all. I think formats are just copy pasted from the West and they are not pushing any envelope. Forget front or backwards, it’s not even pushing anything sideways.

What does growth look like in comedy when it’s not about scale or visibility?

When it’s not about scale or visibility, it just looks like building banks of material and jokes, and preparing yourself. Going down on the trampoline, building that confidence, building that courage to finally jump and put yourself out there full-time without any job or security.

Just trust in you, your process, the craft. Comedy is 90 per cent extension of your personality.

Rs 799. On April 3, 4, and 5. Shows at 4 pm, 6 pm, 8 pm and 10 pm. At Punch-Unpaid Therapist, Alwarpet.

Email: shivani@newindianexpress.com
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