The world of comedy is not just limited to the talented, but you’d find specially-talented humour sapiens in this space as well! Those who see the world through the heart and walk proudly & smilingly combating awkward questions. There are a few known names in the world of stand-up comedy, who are not disabled, but specially-abled. Their life as a disabled person might have made them face slightly confusing questions, but their super power is to find humour in those stroppy times.
The world of comedy opened up a new discovery path for Nidhi Goyal and Sundeep Rao, who are rocking the stage and giving us life goals!
Nidhi wasn’t born blind. However, unfortunately, she was diagnosed with an incurable, irreversible eye disorder – retinitis pigmentosa – at the age of 14, that robbed her eyesight gradually.
It was difficult for her to accept it, and at the same time, deal with people with preconceived notions about disability. Such were the times, when the comic inside her started to show signs of coming out. She would often make a joke of the bigoted conceptions of people.
It was then her friend, Pramada Menon, convinced her to try her hand at comedy at the opening of one of Pramada’s shows. That’s how the world of Comedy opened up to Nidhi.
She realised the power of comedy and felt humour made people more aware about her as an individual. While she was standing up for self, she was standing out as a comedienne. As she says, “I’m blind, but so is love. Get over it!”
The case of Sundeep Rao is no different.
A full-time stand-up comedian since 2012, when he decided to quit his job to make people laugh. Against the odds, he decided to follow his passion. Fortunately for us, he is in love with the attention and the rush he gets when he is on stage.
Rao was eight when he was diagnosed with juvenile macular degeneration. He now has no central vision, and has lost 60% of the peripheral vision in his right eye and 40% in his left.
Humour was the way he thought he could fit in. So, he performed in an open-mic at a friend’s insistence. It was an instant puller for him. From his first show at a Bangalore pub, he has come a long way, and he has performed at over 600 shows across the country.
It was in August 2013 that he told the world about his disability, on stage, with a solo act called ‘Out of Sight’. The audience didn’t really believe him and thought it to be a part of his act. Soon enough, he stopped getting those skeptic responses and was accepted into the most loved tribe of stand-up comedians.
Disability couldn’t really falter the confidence of these specially-abled comedians. And thank god for that.