Comedians are, of course, the best people to have around for a good laugh. Lucky for us, on December 5, Aditi Mittal and Vaibhav Sethia were in the city for a gig at Holiday Inn Kolkata Airport, titled The Laughter Factory, in association with The Telegraph. Before the gig, on a very breezy afternoon, the two comedians had sat down for a chat with The Telegraph to speak about the current comedy scene and the sense of humour the audience carry these days. Excerpts from the chat.
The city seems to be quite cold today!
Aditi Mittal: I did not know that Kolkata was cold, which shows how far I have gone in life.
Vaibhav Sethia: These are the two months to come to Kolkata for sure.
Aditi: One time I came and I had a full thali in Esplanade by myself. That was my Christmas (laughs). It was a Rs 2,200 one but it is amazing! Dude and they did not stop giving food.
Vaibhav: It must be one of those Marwari thalis where there are ten thousand things to eat and everything is smaller than the other. You can’t take a bite of it, you have to eat it like a chutney (laughs).
Aditi: Everything is a pickle.
Kolkata has been a crazy place for you. What about the audience?
Vaibhav: I don’t think it’s always been loving but I have rarely seen someone do bad in Kolkata. I won’t say they stand out in any particular fashion because with the Internet I think everything has flattened out and so has my interest in this answer... (laughs).
Aditi: Since Kolkata comes with its baggage, which I don’t mean in a bad way... there is pressure to do something. But you can’t do badly because it is a city that appreciates culture. Even terrible art... there is somebody who shows up to appreciate it anyway. And that’s invaluable. Even if it is to throw eggs and tomatoes.
As comedians, how is it going for you guys in terms of gigs?
Aditi: I think things are getting back to normal and now with the new variant... this morning my mask fell down and I was paranoid. So I took my sweater off and I was using it as a mask. I do keep forgetting that we are in the middle of a pandemic but that need for human connection is so strong and needed.
Vaibhav: There are more shows happening in the north compared to Mumbai and Bangalore. Delhi I see too many shows and actually sometimes you see many more shows happening than there were before the pandemic. Although the norms are getting relaxed slowly, I think people have just forgotten... hum bahar kaise jate hai. Out of habit of making plans and having that sync in life.
Aditi: But now people who wouldn’t go for stand-up are turning up.
You guys had gone virtual during the pandemic....
Aditi: Oh! That’s trauma!
Vaibhav: I had to show my viewers I am sitting. How do I show “sitting”?
Aditi: When you’re performing and looking for that validation you build up a lot of adrenaline inside of you and it floods your brain when you’re in front of people. In real life it drains out of your system via sweat. In a virtual show you have that adrenaline in your brain but it has got nowhere to go dude! So you’re just sitting there wired and miserable. It was very overwhelming because what do you do with that energy?
Vaibhav: For comics who live alone and are doing a virtual show, their main worry is, “I hope the bell doesn’t ring.” There are several occasions where the mic is on and someone is flushing and you can hear things.
Aditi: I once had a couple making out live during my show. And everyone can obviously see them and I am just thinking, “You, should have sold tickets.”
Do you think after being cooped up for two years the sense of humour in the general public has changed?
Vaibhav: I don’t think in a couple of years there will be much change. Some sensibilities do change with time, something that is contemporary would die out. If someone is still joking about a... Xerox machine and how they get stuck. But now they are smooth.
Aditi: Or Rajnikanth. But ironically people would still laugh at that. But with live stand-up it becomes a group thing, right? Like if one person laughs, the other person yucks without thinking.
Vaibhav: What dies out is cliches and stereotypes. If someone does a joke in the same way, it dies out. Unless you have a different angle then it’s not fun. So if you have a new way to do it then it will be a refreshing joke.
What is your approach when you’re creating content? Think twice or let it all out?
Vaibhav: I toh face east. (Laughs)
Aditi: It boils down to one thing for me. The only way to find out if there is something to say or not, is to say it. That is what I am currently following.
Vaibhav: When comedians face backlash (for something they say) it doesn’t change anything for the others. When a person has to say something they will say it regardless. I don’t think something happening would change it. Why people think about filtering themselves is their own self, external factors don’t play a role but the intent is to make people laugh and not to offend.
Pictures: B. Halder
Rapid fire
A dad joke:
Aditi: There are two muffins in the oven and one muffin says, “Oh my God, it is really hot.” And the other one says, “Ah! A talking muffin!”
Vaibhav: I think of the jokes my dad has made but they are so sexist that I can’t....
Comedian who is underrated:
Aditi: Me!
Vaibhav: Me!
Someone who should do comedy:
Aditi: The number of people who do comedy but aren’t comedians is already too high. Frankly, tone it down. Maybe a soap character should do comedy.
Vaibhav: I want to see some writers do stand-up.
Why did the chicken cross the road?
Vaibhav: It was facing that side.
Aditi: Because it’s car was parked there.
A hidden talent:
Aditi: Vaibhav we know is a great singer (laughs). But I am good at hiding my feelings!
Vaibhav: Looking 10kgs less than I am.