The call of destiny
In 2013, a car accident left Pawan Manghnani bedridden for six months. A stand- up comedian with five years of experience, it was around this time that he was introduced to spirituality. “As part of the discourse, I was taught to say ‘ Yes’ to everything that came my way, and that’s how acting and directing/ producing happened to me,” recalls the 31- year- old entrepreneur, who also loves to take charge of the DJ console or play an emcee at events. “After my recovery, when a couple of friends suggested I act, I did exactly that!”
That’s how Aish Outt Productions was born on World Laughter Day ( May 4) in 2014. It started off with producing stand- up comedy shows across Dubai and getting international talents to the city. Now, they give local comedians a chance to open the show for these big names. The group has also been producing/ directing theatre productions for festivals in Dubai, primarily Short + Sweet. The name Aish Outt, which loosely translates into ‘ Rock Out’ or ‘ Enjoy’, was decided upon to reflect Pawan’s philosophy in life. “It’s something that I have always believed in — creating acts that ensure people have fun.”
They’re now keen to produce plays in English, Hindi, and Sindhi, but Pawan laments that unprofessional actors and directors are the bane of the theatre scene in Dubai. “Initially, everybody is very enthusiastic, but as rehearsal schedules are finalised, people start backing out or coming in late. Although, we now maintain a blacklist and prefer working with committed actors, getting everyone together is still a tough task.”
Live theatre vs air- conditioned multiplexes — has Dubai audience warmed up to watching plays? “We have a long way to go,” says Pawan. “But the awareness is there, and audiences are warming up at a faster pace as compared to 2010, when we started out the homebased standup scene.”
Their 10- minute productions include I Love You Two, I Loved You Two, Cluster F, The Lunar Eclipse, Turn The Other Cheek, The Actress’ Dilemma, and The Gift.
To know more: facebook. com/ Aishoutt
As a stand- up comedian, I was used to solo performances, but it was theatre that introduced me to the emotion of nervousness... On stage, your performance is dependent not just on co- actors, but also other players. The complex emotions that you live on the stage are inexplicable” — Pawan Manghnani