Professionals make a laughing matter of their jobs

Professionals make a laughing matter of their jobs

Engineers, management professionals and CAs - the work-ex of upcoming stand-up comedians in the country is far from funny!

Not too long ago, stand-up comedy was synomyous with slapstick humour or mimicry of public figures performed by comedians from film or television. Remember, Shekhar Suman or Johnny Lever? But as India discovers its funny bone through a more urbane variety of humour, and stand-up comedians finde a niche audience for their acts, an increasing number of people are ditching their 9-to-5 jobs and staid professions to make people laugh.

Stand-up comedians are now in demand in restaurants, hotels, bars, cafes and even at parties, where previously music was considered the sole mode of entertainment. And this demand is fuelling the aspirations of comic performers, who've spent a lifetime in another profession. Take for example, Kunal Rao, a qualified charted accountant who turned to stand-up comedy just a few years ago. "I started by giving shows at open mic nights at various venues in Mumbai, and received a good response. Then, I started getting offers to perform at corporate shows, private gatherings and other public platforms," says Kunal, who was in Lucknow to perform at a party recently.

Then there's Angad Singh Ranyal, a management professional from Mumbai, who's also found that making people laugh is the job he wants to do. Ranyal, agrees that the abundance of venues to perform at is inspiring more and more people like him to take comedy seriously. "I think there is more demand than supply, there are so many shows happening!" he says, adding, "If a person can perform for 30 minutes and make people laugh, he is considered a great performer in stand-up comedy."

The demand and supply gap is being filled by people who're ready to leave their more predictable but secure professions to tap the potential of this market. Like Appurv Gupta, an engineer-turned-stand-up artist. "I think I could afford to take the risk, since this is the next big thing. Bars and cafes in Delhi host such shows regularly and I see enormous opportunity in the field. It is not an easy job to make people laugh, you are judged for every second in your performance, but if you are thorough, nothing can hold you back."Atul Khatri is an exec with an IT company in Mumbai by day, and a stand-up comedian by night. "On my friend's suggestion, I performed at open mic shows. People liked my act and so, here I am!" says Atul, and adds that the monotony of musical nights, karaoke and pub culture has given comedy the right impetus.

But perhaps, the single biggest reason for the popularity of stand-up comedians is how television programming has been promoting comedy shows. As Vikram Poddar, a management professional-turned-comic artist, puts it, "Social media and TV shows, both are to be credited for the increasing demand of such shows. We have much more freedom to express our views now."

Show me the money!
The job of a stand-up artist entails zero investment, and high returns. "All you need is a sense of humour and the ability to write good scripts," says Ranyal, adding that it's easier to succeed as a stand-up comedian than an actor. The returns? "Anything between Rs 5000 and 5 lakhs," says Kunal. "The fee structure depends upon various factors like the performer, his experience and the standard of show," adds Angad.

It's this flexibility in performing fees that's also contributing to the popularity of stand-up comedy in two-tier cities. AsAppurv explains, "Organizing a comedy show is easy on the pocket of the organizer. Paying four or five members of a dance troupe or rock band is costlier than paying a single performer.
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