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| Manish - "Proving That the Best High in Life Comes from Making Others Laugh!" |
1. What inspired you to step into the world of stand-up comedy, and how did your journey begin?
I always found happiness in making people laugh, it felt special. It was within me. I was the funny guy in my group in school and college. In college I saw Raju Srivastava 1st time. We used to watch Laughter Challenge clips on our computer, and I always wanted to do something like that. But I was not confident enough to go on stage and try.But after college when I joined TCS,In TCS training’s last day they used to have some event as farewell. I tried standup for the first time there and I killed it. I got a standing ovation there and that was a special kind of high. That feeling stuck in my mind, but I did not know how to start it professionally. After almost 5 years of my first standup act I again tried it in Bangalore by encouragement of my friend Kaushal who pushed me to go to open mic.It was early 2018 I started doing open mics in Bangalore.
2. Comedy often mirrors life. How do you draw the line between sharing personal anecdotes and maintaining some level of privacy?
It's true that comedy mirrors life and we draw our inspiration from personal life. But you can not share each and everything in your act as its not required and everything is not funny also. There comes the role of writing. You take a few instances from your life and then build on it to make it funny which might not be true. It's up to you how much you want to share. At the end of the day it's an act and it's intended to make people laugh. I think the audience also now knows that even though he is saying it as his personal experience but he has exaggerated it to make it funny.
3. Your comedic style has been described as both sharp and relatable. How do you balance being funny while addressing serious or sensitive topics?
I always try to address something which makes people a little uncomfortable or which is out there but know one is talking about. For example my last 2 videos North vs South and Turning Thirty is something which is out there, everyone is feeling it but no one is talking about. While addressing these topics, making funny is something where craft comes into play. We have been doing comedy for a long time and now we have learnt the craft of Stand up comedy to make funny, right jokes. When I initially started comedy, we used to write jokes. Our intention at that time was to make people laugh. But now as we grew as comics , we can now take a topic and right few jokes around that topic.
4. The comedy landscape has shifted with social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels. How do you adapt your material for these formats compared to live performances?
This is a very good question. Comedy writing is changing now. Earlier people used to write good 5 mins sets as Youtube was okay with 5 mins sets. Now 5 mins videos do not work on Youtube. So people have started writing 10-20 mins sets. While doing so, we have to keep in mind about insta reels also. That our set should have at least 10 insta reels also. Hahaha. It's more complicated and competitive now. Initially people used to get famous from 1 good video, but now you have to keep putting videos/content to stay relevant.
But in the old days there were very few open mics used to happen.You were very lucky if you are doing 5 mics in a week. But now you can do 5 mics in a day. So you can build material fast. Also insta and youtube are good sources of revenue, which is helping in earning money and ticket sales to growing comedians.
5. Every comedian has had a tough crowd. Can you share a story about a challenging performance and what you learned from it?
Haha. So I started comedy in Bangalore and then moved to the Delhi scene. Bangalore audiences are very nice and they don't hackle much. When I moved to Delhi, it was different. The Delhi audience is more vocal and friendly. They don't take you as a performer, they treat you as a friend and keep interrupting.But that makes you a confident comic.
One such show I can recall.It was doing a spot in Guftagu Comedy Club in Gurgaon. There was on Sikh gentleman with his wife. He was sitting in the back and during crowd interaction I said “sir you look like Maheep Singh”. He was in his late 40s or early 50s. His wife got so furious that how can you call my husband Maheep singh, she interrupted my whole set and had to just pacify her during my 15 mins set.
But you know, that couple again came back to the club and I killed it this time and they also enjoyed themselves.
6. Who are the comedians or artists that have influenced you the most, and what have you learned from their work?
Raju Srivastava is the legend of Indian comedy. If you see his sets, he developed them 20 years back. There were no open mics, clubs, nothing. In comedy you can not listen to the same jokes twice as surprise is gone and it won't be funny any more. But that is not the case with Raju sir’s comedy, you can watch them a number of times and it will be funnier every time. For me Raju Srivastav is the benchmark.
7. What’s your process like for developing a set? Do jokes come to you spontaneously, or do you have a structured approach to writing?
Tough question. So few jokes come naturally to me, and few I try to write. For example, if you see my 30s set recently released on Youtube. I wanted to write something about turning 30. So I approached the structure.That there will be a flow to the set, as how I denied being 30, how I accepted, what happened when I accepted. In between I tried to club the jokes which had come spontaneously to me and was doing them separately outside of this set, like Goa and Paracetamol jokes.
Now I am trying to move towards more structured joke writing as I can not wait for jokes to keep coming to me spontaneously. But its mix of both as of now.
8. Stand-up can be a grind with late nights and constant travel. How do you maintain your mental and physical well-being in such a demanding profession?
Very good question. Initially it was not in my mind that I have to keep a check on my physical or mental health as part of my profession, as I was doing comedy as a hobby. But when I started taking it as a profession I realised that it is as much important to be mentally and physically fit as writing a good set. So now I try to go to the gym at least 4 days a week. For mental health, I am trying mindfulness yoga but I am not very regular. Will try to be regular this year. Too much pressure on this year already. Haha.
Travel is also part of the job, initially I was a carefree traveler, like I used to eat anything but now while travelling I try to keep a check on what I am eating. I avoid very spicy or junk food.
9 .Comedy is often seen as a male-dominated field. How do you navigate or challenge stereotypes within the industry?
It's true that the comedy scene in India is male dominated. We need more genders in comedy. I think the comedy scene is inclusive and encouraging to all genders , but our society does not accept comedy as a profession beyond male. For example a son or a son in law is accepted as comedian to parents but a daughter /daughter in law as a comedian will be a big no. This mindset deprives us of so many good female comedians. All the female comedians doing standup comedy in India are not only doing comedy but fighting this social stigma also.
10. To wrap up on a fun note - If you could perform in front of any audience in the world—living, historical, or fictional—who would it be and why?
Wow, amazing question. I absolutely want to perform in the 17th or 16th century when Maharajas were there, maybe in Udaipur’s City Palace or in Rome’s colosseum. I have always been a history lover and wanted to experience history.
I could perform in Jaisalmer’s market in the 17th century. A small comedy club is there in Jaisalmer where all the merchants from Afghanistan and India are assembling. We have a comedy club where drinks are being served and I am performing for them :)
Bio :
Manish has built an impressive stand-up comedy career over the last 6 years,
combining his sharp comedic sensibilities with a family-friendly style that
appeals to all age groups. Known for his exaggerated humor and clever regional
references, he has developed a strong connection with audiences across India.
With over 7.5 million+ views across six YouTube videos, 60,000+ subscribers,
and 30,000+ Instagram followers, he has established a strong online presence.
His appearances on shows like Sony SAB TV’s Good Night India and the TATA IPL
2024 hangout commentary feed further expand his reach.
In addition to his public performances, Manish’s corporate experience sets him
apart, as he has successfully performed for major brands such as TCS, Unilever,
Deloitte, EY, TAT Steels and many others. His ability to blend mainstream appeal
with corporate-friendly humor makes him a sought-after performer for both
private and public events.
Interviewed by : Shivam Sharma
Edited by : Shivam Sharma
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