Up for some wisecracks?

A media graduate, a soon-to-be lawyer and an ex-IT guy chartered different ways to eventually come together in what-they-call a closely knit English stand up community of India.  Gursimran Khamba, Sundeep Rao and Akshay Bd talk to Millennium Post about their brand of humour ahead of a performance in Delhi.  

Gursimran, popularly known as Khamba, is the serious guy out of this lot. Serious? Comedy? You think that’s an oxymoron? Well, in Khamba’s case, it works and also, ruffles a few feathers.

 Khamba is a political satirist who takes digs at current affairs, politics and religion. Starting his career as a blogger in Delhi, he became an online sensation with his quirky takes on significant issues. His popularity made him known amongst English stand up comedians who were building a niche for their brand of comedy back in 2008-2009 in Delhi. When asked about the evolution of English stand up comedy in his view, he says, ‘Unlike  earlier, now you have a comedy calendar in metro cities. Like the independent music and film scene, comedy has taken an independent form over these years.’ 

With a post graduation degree in media and a successful career in stand-up comedy, what lies ahead for Khamba? Would the next big move be television? And pat comes the reply, ‘No!’ . He adds,’ I would like to stick to the internet. I have a podcast, All India Bakchod, up and running. We get to do extensive interviews with stand up comics like Raju Srivastav. Internet offers a lot of freedom that TV cannot. '

Another blogger-cum-performer from Bengaluru, Sundeep Rao started his career in stand up comedy a year ago. With his undeniable comic aura he leapfrogged to Ash Chandler's Ministry of Schtick in Mumbai in no time. Talking about his brand of humour, he says, ‘ I studied sociology in college. It reflects through my acts. Urban comedy with a witty take on human behaviour and society is what I usually do.’ 

Talking about a recent controversy, wherein a comedy channel was banned in India for 10 days, he says, ‘What’s the point of free speech? Anyway, I am sensitive towards the issues I pick up. I know there’s no funny way to talk about rapes and other social issues in society.’

Next on our list is Akshaye Bd, a Brahmin from Bengaluru, studying last year of Law in Delhi.  Being Brahmin from Bengaluru itself is a subject for stand up comedy for Akshaye. 

He elaborates, ‘Our society overemphasizes the role of academic degrees in life. That leads to a lot of frustration.’ His anger finds an outlet in comedy. For him, it is a platform that keeps him satisfied because he gets to say things everybody thinks of but no one talks about.

The three of them are grateful to Geliophobics Entertainment that keeps on organising more and more performances in the capital. With two to three performances every weekend, the trio believes that Delhi makes for a great avenue for stand up comedy in India.