Stand-up comedy a lucrative business, says comic Amit Tandon

Hyderabad:Laughter filled the halls of the FLO (FICCI Ladies Organisation) meeting as renowned stand-up comedian Amit Tandon took centre stage on Wednesday. Known for his humorous takes on everyday life, Tandon shared insights into the evolving world of stand-up comedy in India, while delivering a side-splitting performance that left the audience in stitches.

In a candid conversation with Ritu Shah, chairperson of FLO, Tandon emphasised that comedy was no longer just a source of amusement but a serious and lucrative business. He said that while it’s a relatively young industry, having been around for just 15 years, it has fully evolved.

“Indian comedians are now gracing prestigious global stages, including the iconic Albert Hall in London, with nearly 700 international shows performed by Indian comedians. We're selling 10,000 to 15,000 comedy show tickets every month, and there are now 300 to 400 full-time comedians making their living out of it,” he said.

He said that regional comedy was also on the rise, but noted that Hyderabad still lacked dedicated auditoriums for stand-up shows with many happening at pubs at the moment.

A significant challenge Tandon highlighted was the underrepresentation of women in comedy. While acknowledging the abundant talent among women, he said that societal taboos and parental restrictions, coupled with the late-night timings of most comedy shows, have been barriers.

He said that stand-up comedy was not confined to metropolitan areas alone and that it was spreading to tier-2 and tier-3 cities like Agra, Ludhiana, and Jalandhar.

As the evening progressed, Amit Tandon transitioned seamlessly from conversation to performance, leaving the audience in splits for almost an hour, with comedy centred around the relatable and humorous aspects of family life, including parenting, shopping, parties and the chaos of traffic jams.