In the olden days, stand-up artistes looking to garner guffaws just needed a couple of road-tested jokes and an inebriated audience. But, over the years, stand-up has evolved exponentially. Nowadays, to make it to the big leagues, comedians also need to be socio-cultural commentators, photoshop experts, digital content creators, social media marketing strategists, and theatre artistes, amongst other things. Fortunately for Bhargav Ramakrishnan, he’s already a few of those.
Having been associated with the stand-up scene for close to a decade, Bhargav aka Baggy is part of the squad that initially shaped the art form in this part of the country. “I used to work behind-the-scenes, help artistes sharpen their material, plan the stage set-up, sort out the venue issues like lighting, etc. Nowadays, I put that expertise to good use on-stage,” states Baggy, who’s bringing his special Kung Fu Bonda to Kochi this weekend.
Delirious revelations
His new show—which includes hilarious observational anecdotes—revolves around him progressing through every Indian millennials’ rite of passage: turning 30, living with a roommate, joining/quitting a gym, cooking, filing taxes, and so on. Baggy’s head-on approach to self-depreciating humour is part of the reason why he has landed over 200 shows in US, UK, Malaysia, Singapore, etc.
This is because—unlike television shows where you may have to pander to the lowest common denominator—stand-up fans thrive on content that’s deeply personal and relatable. No, this 100-minute special isn’t about the sad clown paradox. The 31-year-old artiste explains it best, “The story behind Kung Fu Bonda is simple. People smile because they think of the cartoon panda, who, like me, is a huge foodie. Then there’s the bonda—which is round, brown, and South Indian. Need I say more?”
On July 8 at ChaiCofi.
7 pm onwards.
anoop.p@newindianexpress.com
@godsonlymistake