‘Indians have come a long way in accepting standup culture’
One of India’s most successful standup comedians, Amit Tandon speaks to Rishita Roy Chowdhury about being a late bloomer in this field and how the Internet helped him in his career.
A.
Mine is a mix of observational comedy and social commentary. I love to perform comedy on situations we all face in our daily lives. I like to tell jokes that resonate with the audiences. That helps people to connect with my jokes. Our lifestyles have changed so much and that provides such good material. People from all age-groups would know what I am talking about. I also keep my jokes clean because when I started doing this, I already had two kids. So I got used to controlling my language in public. This has helped me to perform anywhere and in front of all sorts of audiences without any stress.
Q. In total, you have performed around 1,500 shows in India and many other countries. Is there any difference between the reactions of national and international audiences?
A.
When I perform internationally, I perform for an Indian audience only. But the response is about 40-50% higher outside India. This is because when I perform for them, there’s nostalgia involved. For those people, the joy is greater when somebody from their own country is coming and performing, telling them stories of India. This simple thing adds on to their experience of the show. So the response is definitely much better outside India. Here I must point out, the audience in our country has come a long way in accepting standup culture.
Q. You were among the 47 comics from around the world whose sets were featured on Netflix’s of the World. How was that experience?
A.
It has been a great experience working with Netflix. The web is creating huge opportunities for standup comedians now. I learnt a lot about working behind the camera as well. As a guy who does standup, I never knew what it took to create shows like this. Moreover, I got to share the stage with so many great comedians who came from different parts of the world. It was a showcase of brilliant talent. Netflix is a very big international platform. It has also given me a chance for a new special called Amit Tandon: Family Tandoncies, which will release soon on Netflix.
Q. Any advice for up and coming comedians?
A.
Don’t look at what is working in the market right now. Don’t write your stuff based on what people like to watch. Write your material on the basis of what your story is. Don’t try to copy anyone… It’s not like the movie business. If there are 10 comedians who are doing well in India today, every single one has a different voice. No two people have similar sensibilities. Be honest and bring your own self forward.
Mine is a mix of observational comedy and social commentary. I love to perform comedy on situations we all face in our daily lives. I like to tell jokes that resonate with the audiences. That helps people to connect with my jokes.