The open mic scene has been catching on “bigtime” in the city. Gone are the days when shows would happen only if a touring stand-up artiste decides to perform in the city.
For the uninitiated, an open mic — derived from open microphone — is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. With several coffee shops and watering holes promoting this culture, artistes in the city are a happy lot.
Rohit Swain, member of a city-based comedy group Funny Side Up, tells, “The open mic scene in the city has suddenly exploded. As compared to the scene a few years ago, the change in mentality towards our craft is welcoming.”
He recalls how in the past their every attempt at doing their acts at coffee shops or at corporate offices would often be met with a similar answer, “No, Karaoke – Yes.”
However, Rohit feels that during his initial years, the audience in Hyderabad seemed unsure about the basic difference between comedy and open mic.
“I think this issue is slowly fading away. It was a huge challenge earlier to create awareness about the difference between a show and an open mic event,” he says.
The open mic trend picked up steam after several Indian stand-up comedy groups like AIB and The Viral Fever attracted more people to this art form, feels Sai Kiran of Funny Side Up.
He says, “People who have never seen stand-up comedy earlier are now enjoying our shows. Earlier, the only name people associated with comedy was Russell Peters, but with several stand-up acts from our country gaining mainstream attention, the scope for us has increased.”
For Hyderabad Badass Comedy, another city-based stand-up group, these open mic session’s paid rich dividends.
Shadab Aziz from the group says, “During one of our acts, a group of T’wood producers spotted us. They loved our work and signed us up for a TV show, which has now completed over eight episodes.”
This sudden uptrend is benefitting musicians as well. Sandeep Prakash, who sings and performs at open mic sessions on a weekly basis, feels they give him the opportunity to play whatever he feels like.
“Unlike when you’re doing a show and are bound to play only Bollywood songs, I get to play whatever I feel right. That is liberating,” he says.
Piyush Auluck, a singer and an open mic regular adds that these sessions help in promoting togetherness.
“Unlike the times when you are paid for a show, during open mic sessions, the competition is non-existent, everyone is in it for the music. Moreover, it creates a wonderful platform to showcase our talent and master our skills without the pressures of failure,” he adds.
