Malayalam stand-up is gaining acceptance like never before in Kerala

Transfer over mimicry and comedy skits. It’s time to roll on the ground with laughter with a bunch of younger stand-up comedians. Cochin Comedy Undertaking’s (CCP) present ‘Sobha Chirikkunnille?’ (Sobha, aren’t you laughing?), a stay ticketed present, is likely one of the performances that’s going locations.

Malayalam has maybe one of many oldest, conventional variations of stand-up comedy in any language, Chakyarkoothu. The performer had the precise to make enjoyable of each particular person within the viewers and neither King nor priest was spared. Nonetheless, at the same time as many types of parody flourished in Kerala, the trendy model of stand-up comedy by no means actually caught on, as in metros equivalent to Mumbai, Delhi, Chennai and Bengaluru. However, during the last two years, the style has discovered many practitioners and takers.

Whereas CCP, a collective of stand-up comedians, has lots of reveals lined up, the recognition of stand-up is principally on account of two tv reveals, Funs Upon a Time on Amrita TV and Oru Chiri Iru Chiri Bumper Chiri on Mazhavil Manorama. Individuals throughout age teams are making a beeline to do stand-up in these reveals. In reality, members of CCP too have carried out in these reveals earlier than they turned a part of the collective.

A latest instance of stand-up going mainstream is a stand-up comedy competitors organised by Kerala State Electrical energy Board (KSEB), in reference to its sixty fifth anniversary celebrations. It was open to each the general public and KSEB workers.

It has been solely 10 years since stand-up comedy went skilled within the nation. However, in Kerala, stand-up couldn’t edge out mimicry and comedy skits.

Sruthi Pillai, present director, ‘Oru Chiri Iru Chiri Bumper Chiri’
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Deepak Mohan, founding father of CCP, says: “When I discovered that there’s a scope to develop Malayalam stand-up, I considered exploring the scene. I did a stay ticketed present in March 2021, ‘The Irony Man’.” He was later joined by Sabareesh Narayanan they usually did the primary present of ‘Sobha Chirikkunnille?’ in Kochi final November.

The opposite members of CCP are John Joe, Aneez M Latheef, Mahadevan AR and Arjun Sajikumar. “Now we have carried out in Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi and Kozhikode. At every present, stand-up performers from these locations be part of us on stage. There are 13 others who work with us now. We additionally do open mic reveals in Kochi each week to check our content material,” says Deepak.

Stand-up on tv

On the small display, Surya Comedy channel aired a stand-up present, Immini Balya Naavu, in 2020, which needed to be discontinued when the pandemic broke out. BC Naufal, producer and coordinator of the present, says that the episodes had been shot at a restaurant in Kochi. “There was no stand-up reveals on Malayalam tv until then. I used to be not eager about restarting it as a result of by then different channels had launched their very own reveals,” he says.

Ramesh Pisharody, Guinness Pakru and Hari P Nair through the shoot of the present ‘Funs Upon A Time’ on Amrita TV
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Funs Upon… is produced by stand-up comic-actor-director Ramesh Pisharody. “One cause why stand-up didn’t grow to be standard in Kerala is that the format works with solely a small crowd and we comedians are used to performing for a big viewers. It was the pandemic that created a state of affairs the place we needed to entertain a restricted variety of individuals,” says Ramesh.

The present is directed by Hari P Nair, who directed Smile Please, one of many earliest reveals on Malayalam tv (Asianet Plus, 2007) that had the “components of stand-up”. Ramesh was the inventive advisor for the present. “ Smile Please had ‘comedy monoacts’. Funs Upon… is a continuation of my experiments with comedy content material all these years,” says Hari, including that over 100 stand-up practitioners have been featured within the present.

Shajimon Vazhoor in ‘Funs Upon A Time’
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Oru Chiri…, which has each stand-up and skits, too was launched across the identical time. “Whereas the primary part had solely video entries since lockdown restrictions had been in place, we performed an open audition final month for brand new contestants. Almost 90% of them opted to do stand-up,” says Sruthi Pillai, present director. Over 200 performers have been a part of the present, within the age group of three to 80-plus! “We had an episode that includes ‘chain stand-up’ the place six of our high contestants carried out collectively,” says Sruthi .

Groomed for the stage

Ramesh and Sruthi admit that contestants typically need assistance with content material and presentation and they also undergo grooming periods. “Firstly, we needed to make them perceive that stand-up will not be mimicry. We requested them to inform us tales peppered with humour. In addition they did check shoots to analyse their performances,” explains Ramesh.

He provides that the Malayalam stand-up can’t emulate different languages. “Now we have to customize the content material based on the viewers. Furthermore, there’s a want to coach the viewers about stand-up comedy basically,” says Ramesh.

Rajan Prabhu, 75, acting on ‘Oru Chiri Iru Chiri Bumper Chiri’
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Actor-presenter Sabumon, one of many three judges on Oru Chiri…, provides that doing stand-up on tv has its limitations. “As an example, they will’t use swear phrases to create humour, which could work in a stay present. So the problem lies in creating laughter with relatable content material and clear humour. It was thrilling to take a seat via performances by individuals from all walks of life — youngsters, kids, homemakers, day by day wage labourers, senior residents…. Despite the truth that the contestants are groomed and moulded for the format, one has to credit score them for his or her confidence,” says Sabu.

Mahadevan, who participated in each reveals, says that he auditioned for Funs Upon… with the purpose of stepping into films. “I had little concept about stand-up then. However having put up good performances on Oru Chiri… and within the stay reveals, I hope to pursue stand-up severely,” says Mahadevan. John, who has gone viral along with his acts, says that he’s having a good time as a stand-up comedian. “Individuals even ship requests on my Instagram web page to assist them get on the present and a few count on me to supply the content material! I’m buoyed by the attain that stand-up has received,” he says.

Chain stand-up comedy on ‘Oru Chiri Iru Chiri Bumper Chiri’ on Mazhavil Manorama
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

There are a number of ladies additionally within the fray. “Whereas it took a number of years for girls to come back into mimicry, the stand-up scene is totally different,” says Ramesh. Anitta Joshy, a graphic designer-turned-stand-up comedian says that she determined to provide a attempt in Oru Chiri… after she watched some performances. “Now I’m at all times on the look out for content material. My dream is to do a stay present,” says Anitta.

Anitta Joshy
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

Stay present is a distinct recreation altogether, say the stand-up comics. “It offers me a distinct excessive as you get rapid response from the viewers,” says Mahadevan. John provides that getting the viewers concerned within the joke has a distinct vibe to it. “Whereas sure phrases and usages are taboo on tv there isn’t any such restriction in a stay present. That’s the reason ‘Sobha Chirikkunnille?’ is for the 15-plus age group!” he says.

Nisha Achuthan in ‘Funs Upon A Time’
| Photograph Credit score: Particular Association

In the meantime, CCP goes all out to advertise stand-up. “There isn’t sufficient Malayalam stand-up content material on YouTube and social media. It’s the expertise of a stay present that sells. So we’re doing a present on April 23 in Kochi to shoot movies. As soon as they click on with the viewers, we hope to do extra stay reveals, podcasts, and even specials by particular person performers,” Deepak says.