In March 2109, Utsav Dixit and Akshay Sharma launched the comedy club Deccan Comedy (DC). Aimed at putting local comedy on the global map while making a billion people laugh, the club, which is all about carefully curated artists — both local and national, has been organising comedy events every week in different venues across the city.
As a part of the first-anniversary celebrations of Deccan Comedy, founders Utsav Dixit and Akshay Sharma invited comedian Nishant Suri, winner of Comicstaan(Season 1).
On February 23, DC invited Nishant Suri, winner of Comicstaan (Season 1). Titled Why So SURIous? Nishant’s one-hour special was a laugh riot, with him making comic references on topics such as awkward situations he faces when fans recognise (or don’t recognise) him, mental health, traveling and break-up. But Nishant, who is an avid traveller, having travelled to 20 countries already, and changed three professions, tells us that as much as he enjoys the present field he works in, with just five years of experience in it, he is still learning to hone his material and jokes.
Keeping it real
Incidentally, this is Nishant’s first solo tour, which began with three open mics in Bangalore. Talking about how humour is all about exaggeration, he says he tweaks his material just right with the right words as he delivers it. “Working with youngsters and working-class in small and capital cities offers good experience and organic material I collect and deliver to the audience,” articulates Nishant.
How about the cuss words he uses on stage when he rattles out his jokes 19 to the dozen in his precise Delhi accent, we ask him. “For me, swearing is all about a way of expressing emotions,” explains Nishant with a chuckle, adding that he doesn’t want to be different on the stage. “Moreover, I would say it is a part of being a North Indian; I talk like this in real life too. And honestly, I don’t think there’s anything wrong in adding a little real life into comedy. In fact, a little bit of cussing on the stage, I believe, makes the act even more relatable for the audience,” says Nishant.
Providing comic relief
Away from Nishant, we move to talk to the founders, Utsav and Akshay. We find out that Utsav had left his comfortable job after realising his calling was in entertaining people around him. He has since performed in San Francisco, London, LA, Vienna, Berlin, and India. He recently opened for Abhishek Upmanyu at two sold-out shows for 1,600 people.”
“Hyderabad is a huge market for stand-up comedy as people seem no longer interested in just a night out with music playing in the background. Families, couples, corporate groups, large groups of friends or romantic dates use comedy as a means to laugh at relatable problems,” shares Utsav.
Utsav’s DC partner, Akshay, also claims that Hyderabad audiences were getting bored of traditional entertainment. “Live comedy fills that void beautifully. Added to it, the city audiences are so wonderful because they want to come out and laugh, and participate in the comedy. They are a great sport across a wide variety of jokes. The demand for comedy is epic,” he pitches in.
