How not to waste your Sunday night?

Suno Bey, an up and coming comedy club in Bengaluru Circuit organised a fun-filled event in the premise of Brook’s 37, a famous Bar & Kitchen in Brookfield. The setting was perfect, dim-lit ambiance, spacious and the stage was aptly set. The artists seemed promising and hosts amicable. And there we were, all seated and eagerly waiting for the show to begin.

The Humour Sapiens for the night!

Rishabh Kanishk as host, greeted all and introduced his comedy club ‘Suno Bey’. It was as if he was telepathically infusing energy into the audience at set to nosh on fun and food.

The show started with Sumit and Kishore cracking everyone up with their co-ordinated rapid fire. Their set of punny jokes was enough to set the mood. The audience thoroughly enjoyed it.

Just as the punny flight of questions came to an end, Sumit Naganath took the mic to treat the audience with his funny Superhero jokes. He pointed out that Superman and Louis Lane are always getting cosy when the world is in crisis and in need of a superhero. Also, his take on the Indian driving schools was laugh worthy. Got to hear him to know the essence.

It was then the turn for Kritesh Singh to jump into the spotlight. He reminded us how unskilled we are when it comes to bargaining. If we compare our capabilities with our mother’s, we suck! He highlighted, that considering the drought in our bargaining-skills department, we should never dare to bargain.

Ram came up next. He took the jibe on how useless Youtube is, and how over smart Google is. These two collectively do more bad than good to you. He humorously taught us that Google is not always right. Want to learn the lesson too? You got to hear him out!

Kishore Yadav, the next performer, made a funny comment on “dhokha” (betrayal) in friendship, and narrated how he had fights with his friend over the girlfriend issues. He also talked about his life goals, which are like the sci-fi movie character Hollow Man. Sounds Inspirational, no?

Debasish Rath took to stage. A funny Odiya guy who got married years ago. He was in the spot narrating his marital life issues and the ways he tackles them. This only left the crowd in a laugh riot.

The last but the best performer of the day, according to us, was Rishabh Kanishk. His act on ‘Son of Mishra Ji’ was extremely hilarious, and it fetched a loud applause. Hailing from Bokaro, a town that lies between MS Dhoni’s Ranchi and Gangs of Wasseypur’s Faisal Khan’s Dhanbad, you can expect the quality and aggression both. Before he signed off, he pointed out that girls are complicated species and his hearing out his logic on it was fun.

To sum up, the comedy night with Suno Bey and Brook’s 37 ended on a hilarious note!

Next Show:

Chai, Samosa & Hasi Majaak is happening on Dec 16^th, 7pm onward at Mana Placido.

Connect with them on Facebook to book.

Photo Courtesy: Suno Bey 

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The Humour Sapiens for the Evening

On Sunday, the 14^th of October, Cuckoo Hostel, Bangalore saw such fantastic bunch of stand-up comics, the show curated by ArtKhoj and Hippo Laugh Club. Joteen, Ketan, Shamik, Anand, Kjeld, Kartikeya, Kabir, Shankar, Abhishek, Himanshu & Yash set the mood as a ton of goodwill surround the evening.

The audience consisted of the young and the old, appreciative of the art, heartily encouraging the comics. More so because, the comics were enjoying themselves while delivering their acts.

Fusion of Fun & Pun

Joteen Patro, the host for the night, kept everyone engaged and steered the evening in the right direction with his funny insights on following the passion & being so empty-pocketed that he gets to maintain zero balance accounts, quite literally.

First to enter the scene was Ketan Giri, who allegedly had hearing disability in one ear, that has apparently made life easy for him. It allows him to deal with way less BS than the rest of us. Though he has one regret of not being able to utilize the handicap quota. You have to hear him out to know why.

Shamik Chakrabarti came next and narrated his tale of accidentally taking a wrong number that ended up opening doors to a whole new business opportunity as a morphine dealer, and an alternate career as a cancer doctor.

He was followed by Anand Rathnam who talked about his really bad luck. He regrets killing a rat on Ganesh Chaturthi day. His mother feels that because he murdered the vehicle of Lord Ganesha, he is trapped inside his house now.

Kjeld Shreshth is waiting in anticipation for the day when the women will use his body for their benefit. His mother assured him, it will happen, one day when he grows up. But the wait doesn’t seem to end.

Next came Kartikeya Fatwani, he innocently told how he got thrashed by his parents all his childhood. It was as if his parents made a living by beating him dedicatedly. Moreover, his parents had quite a few unreasonable demands, such as making the next Stephen Hawking out of him, which left him wonder if they are really that ignorant.

Kabir Kandwal gave us the legit reason for why God doesn’t stay on Earth. Maybe humans are just too creepy for God’s liking. He also twisted the statement, ‘if you don’t have an iPhone, you don’t have an iPhone’ and stated that, if you have an iPhone and it falls, you don’t have an iPhone as well as the reason to stay alive.

Then was the turn of Shankar Chugani who compared the commentaries of football and cricket, pointing out how weird it would be if cricket commentaries happened like those in football. Not just that, Shankar also made a valid laugh-worthy argument when he said that crickets towards the boundaries have all the time in the world to indulge in fan-entertaining activities.

Abhishek Aggarwal came next, he educated us on the difference between Bangkok and India, and why Bangkok happens to be a better place. Well, obvious!

It was Himanshu Gayatri Parikh’s turn to take the stage. He became a voice of all the sufferers of family whatsapp groups and how he used to get the maximum chocolates when he was a kid. Want to know why? You have to hear from the horse’s mouth.

Yash Gayatri Parikh aka Chunnu followed his brother to the spotlight, and shared how his face drags him into unexpected problems. We think he has gotten used to being eve-teased on the streets of Bengaluru. Tsk Tsk.

Want to Check them out?

Don’t you worry, if you missed this one. ArtKhoj & Hippo Laugh Club are coming up with many more open mic events.

Next one is at Gold Bean Café, HSR, Bengaluru on Oct 17, 2018.
Grab the tickets here: https://in.bookmyshow.com/events/a-sip-of-comedy/ET00086145.

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It does take a lot to be the next funny guy on the block, for comedy is a serious business. You may be a fun person, but it takes some serious effort to be funny.

And that platform is offered to you by open mics -usually referred to as the hub of comedy, you get to hear new material by established and budding comedians.

If we talk about the open mic circuit, it’s an exciting concept.

Not only does it bring in the new guys, but as well keep the old ones going. These are pretty much significant in the progress of a genre, as it not only helps fledgling comedians test the waters but allow seasoned ones too to try their hand at fresh gags. Why? Because you can expect honest feedback here!

There are no two thoughts about it that the stand-up explosion has extended the comedy art form beyond the metro cities of India. There are still a wide variety of viewpoints yet to be heard, waiting in anticipation for their turn, with a need for a platform and audience.

Also, a sad part that cannot be ignored about open mics is, people tend to respond to famous comedians better than the comedy in general. Dark humour is still frowned upon.

Open mics are a struggle if you want to gain popularity. A desire for more stage time often leads to comedians themselves organizing open mics. Besides, the audiences who willingly attend open mics is fewer than one can imagine. That’s not it, a stark gender imbalance can be seen with most male comedians grabbing the spotlight.

The intention of open mics is simply to offer a great laugh and ensure that everyone has fun.

The audiences hope to see good quality content, and it implies that artists have to up their comedy game when on stage.

A number of open mics happen around the metro cities in spite the fact that attracting audiences is a tough cookie. However, it is a great thing for the budding comics, because the more the open mics, the better the growth of comedy scene in India. It is the platform to experiment and test their matter that comics crave for, and open mics offer just that.

How are open mics organized?

In cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai or Delhi, organizing the comedy nights happen easily if you have friends, acquaintances with café owners. Cafés turn out to be a great place for open mic sessions, as they offer casual ambiance and comfy sitting space. Moreover, the informal sitting allows comics to interact with audience on a personal level, ensuring a better and honest feedback. We are seeing that the quality of the content at the open mics is ever-improving, with better comedians having access to easy guidance.

After crossing the hurdle of spotting a café, selling tickets becomes a challenge. Every organiser uses different methods: selling tickets through websites like Book My Show or Event Singh, go for event creation on social media, do paid promotions, requesting the performers to share creatives on their social media handles, to list a few. These are some of the methods which help attract audiences.

In addition to that, a few presenters make use of WhatsApp. They create groups with people who frequently attend their events and keep alerting the fans about upcoming events.

Sustenance

Finding a sustainable model is another hurdle upcoming comics have to cross. It’s a fact that open mics rarely offer opportunities for organizers and comedians to earn money. Which is why, the debates regarding a model that can sustain comics has always been thriving. No solution has been encountered.

Comedy circuit sees another issue, and that is of a consistent venue. Most presenters haven’t had a place successfully for even 6 months. It zeroes down to the issue of sustenance as there is no money to be made from ticket sales.

Support for open mics

Organizing comedy shows mustn’t come to a halt, they should keep holding open mics till we collectively manage to convince the consumers of entertainment that watching comedy can also be a fun source and you may fall in love at first laugh!

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The Humour Sapiens

Namit Jain, Arvind Sunder, Sparsh Kumar Sinha, Yash Gayatri Parikh, Pronoy Chowdhury, Lakshaya Malhotra, Maninder Singh, Ritesh Banerjee, Abhishek Aggarwal, Rupesh Kumar, Rrahul Topiwala together presented an evening full of laughs, at the comfy café.

The audience was a mix of young and old. Well, a handful oldies, in all honesty. It was great to see them relish the madness.

The Matter of Jokes

The trainload of jokes and anecdotes was steered by Namit, who was indeed great at being funny. With a mix of political, carnal jokes, he drove the whole show with finesse and ease.

Rrahul Topiwala, with an extra R and a lanky figure floored everyone. Byproduct of a Gujju and Punjabi matrimony, brought to light that intermissions are so awkwardly placed in the Hollywood movies. Unlike Bollywood, where Shah Rukh Khan unveils intermission as he walks off the frame, Hollywood is so abrupt that the LIC ad comes up out of nowhere.

He was followed by Arvind Sunder, the big man full of diet. Distressed with his life, he told the audience his Tinder experience. Wherein, a girl gladly gave her phone number as 100, and on calling up, a female answered who planned on getting handcuffs while coming to see him. Aha. “kinky”, that’s the first thought that crossed the mind of our comic.

Rupesh Kumar Yadav, came with a small paper in his hand, which he stated is his habit. He keeps a note so that he doesn’t forget things. He, however, was extremely disappointed because his school mates and teachers never understood this simple fact. When he carried that paper to exam halls, they were insensitive enough to tag it as cheating. Unfair, isn’t it?

Next came Sparsh Sinha, who allegedly looks creepy and stands like a superhero. Once again, the victim of Tinder inside him spoke. He didn’t seem happy that men need to make a lot of effort on Tinder, but women just need to have their gender ‘female’ as the eligibility criteria to land a right swipe.

It was now the turn for Lakshaya Malhotra, who assured everyone that the dead fish in his aquarium wasn’t eaten with rice for dinner that evening. However, he seemed unsure of why he doesn’t have to go to office after asking for work reports and updates from his boss on his tasks.

Then came Chunnu aka Yash Gayatri Parikh who didn’t seem happy with his face. To be precise, his puppy face, that gets a lot of attention from all the wrong people. We are sure, he soon would get his aadhaar card tattooed on his forehead.

Ritesh Banerjee’s entry was greeted by a powercut. (hence, this picture via the Black Buck Comedy) He shared about his twisted family, that likes to either visit a doctor or wash clothes. His mother’s fascination to wash clothes has reached a point that on meeting people, she now asks for clothes to wash, as niceties.

Abhishek Aggarwal was a pani puri enthusiast, who compared the earth to a pani puri. Also, he made the audience ponder over the possibility of pani puri given same respect as national anthem. You’ll have to watch him to know why!

Everyone was in the fun train when Maninder aka Funny Manny entered the scene. He talked about his friend who came to Bangalore from Delhi like a baba black sheep with 3 bags full. When asked, what did he get, the reply left the audience rolling with laughter. His friend had got, “Swag, BC.”

Last but certainly not the least, was Pronoy Chowdhury. Okay, well, least in the height. And his act revolved around his father’s attempts on making him tall, experimenting with everything from milk to milk with complan and to pushing him towards a sport that tall people play – Basketball.

As soon as Pronoy left, Namit dived in the front of the audience, without wasting a second, with his yet another fun stuff. He called it a day, after cheering for the Black Buck Comedy team, who put together the entire show!

Like some?

If you missed this one, fret not! There are many more shows lined up.

Next one is on Oct 12 at Insta Wash Cafe, BTM, Bengaluru. Book the tix here: https://in.bookmyshow.com/bengaluru/events/stand-up-comedy/ET00085052

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Best comedy venues to watch stand-up in Mumbai

Canvas Laugh Club, Lower Parel

One of the oldest laughter clubs in the city, Canvas Laugh Club (CLC) has traditional theatre-style seating. Indeed a venue where not just the established artists perform live, but the up-and-coming as well. Herein, you can also grab something to eat and drink while you relish comedy.

Address: No 462, Palladium Mall, Senapati Bapat Marg, Lower Parel, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400013

Phone: 090046 03115

Independence Brewing Company, ANDHEri (west)

This is the place where you can enjoy the best of both worlds – beer and stand-up comedy. Independence Brewing Company is located near Citi Mall, Andheri, which allows easy access to the offices around. Which means, you get a chance to savour a good mid-week break to watch stand-up comedy in Mumbai.

Address: 41, Citi Mall B, 001 &101, Link Rd, Veera Desai Industrial Estate, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053

Phone: 088881 68886

The Habitat, KHAR (west)

Situated on the fourth floor of the Hotel Unicontinental, Khar, The Habitat hosts several weekend specials and lots of comics ensure that you get a good laugh.

Address: 1st Floor, Hotel Unicontinental, 3rd road, Next to Khar railway station, Khar West – 400052 Mumbai, Maharashtra

Phone: 098333 58490

The Cuckoo Club, Bandra

A funky entrance, a café and live stand-up comics performing for you – this place is near perfect. The Cuckoo Club is an initiative by HIVE and a centre for performing arts.

Address: Mac Ronells Compound 5AA, St Andrews Rd, Next to Candies, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400050

Phone: 096199 62969

Brewbot, Andheri (West)

Hosting weekly special Comedy performances on the Big Mic, Brewbot welcomes comedians new and old to entertain their guests. Visit here for a great laugh.

Address: G-01 & 101, Off New Link Rd, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053

Phone: 093260 72768

Of10, Powai

Known for the Improv performances, this comedy club allows audience to be a part of the show, see and experience the energy. A compact space, the only downside is you get just entertainment and no food here.

Address: Ground Floor, Prudential, Hiranandani Gardens, Powai, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400076

Phone: 022 6221 5191

The Tap, Andheri (West)

The Tap ensures that your week nights and weekend nights are fun, which is why they keep organising shows. If you are a comedy buff, drop in here someday.

Address: Royal Plaza, New Link Road, Next to City Mall, Andheri West, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400053

Phone: 091676 66724

ALSO READ: 7 CLUBS THAT HOST THE MOST HILARIOUS COMEDY NIGHTS IN DELHI

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