By now all of you must have heard about ‘The Comedy Hunt’ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fgCuMTGLGYE ] being organised by the joint association of India’s leading comedians / stand-up artists who paved their way to success and limelight by getting an internet connection and starting their own YouTube channel (the latter costs no money).
Well, YouTube has completely changed the comedy scene in India.
Tale Of The Days Bygone
Gone are the days of the sour humour on Comedy Circus (Oh, that feral cackle of Archana Puran Singh which shall haunt us more than the Annabelle doll) and the lame jokes of Raju Srivastava (well, for him the progress of our country too is a laughing matter, given he wants to be a MP).
Even the sublime Indian sitcoms of the past such as Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai, Office Office, etc couldn’t scurry along with the changing times and shall definitely be lost into oblivion as a new younger generation blooms.
New Beginnings And Possibilities
But now a new dawn falls upon the comedy scene in India, the sun prepares to shine in all its mighty glory, and the night seems a long way off.
The mantle has been passed on. The youth of today have risen to the occasion.
A new stage has been gracefully adorned. YouTube has given rise to a new breed of celebrities in India. With the help of this online platform and availability of technology on-the-go, these people with glistening eyes and dreams and shit, are on a rampage. In the past five years, India can boast of producing artists of international repute like TVF, AIB, Kanan Gill and not to forget, his IITian comrade Biswa.
But why are people head over heels about them? What makes them so popular? Simply put, they hit the right notes and have managed to strike a chord with their audience that is anybody with a fancy-ass smart phone (almost everybody) or a laptop! The era they are flourishing in is very accepting.
Times are different and we, as humans, embrace change. The quality content, the comic timing, the innovation, everything they do appeals to people like me. The spontaneity of their jokes is flawless. And the best part is it’s very relatable. That is the reason why anyone would go over and over again to their channel. They have brought newness to the ragged being called comedy.
The other reason for their popularity is that our pappy’s have been kind enough to give us permission to overdose on this drug called the ‘Internet’. Trust me, the withdrawal symptoms are as severe as cocaine addiction.
YouTube’s Swag
Youth, today, look for easy money and are breaking the societal stigma by choosing careers beyond the obvious. Stand-up comedy has emerged has a leading career option and YouTube has given them the platform to showcase their talents. If you are good at what you do, YouTube will pay you. All you have to do is be persistent, work to improve and be regular with your content. All these things will follow when you do something you are passionate about.
Every new beginning has its own struggles and so is the case with YouTube. Swift cash is not easy. If you persevere and build a strong fan base, you shall soar.
Would any one of them be here if it were not for YouTube? Maybe we would be having the Great Indian Laughter Challenge Season 13 and AIB wouldn’t have made it because groups were not allowed. Kanan Gill would have been ousted real soon because he would be laughing at his own jokes. Biswa would have been the absolute star because yes, he is adorable. Lilly Singh would just be another human being.
So yes, YouTube has been a game changer for them. I know, you know and everybody knows that we would rather watch the Pretentious Movie Reviews for the umpteenth time instead of Comedy Nights With Kapil because the humour is crude and repellent.
Had it not been for this miracle of the 21st century, these men and women would probably be at their office desks at 9 AM, hating and cursing their jobs. Broadcasting themselves turned out to be good enough for them.
Don’t miss these ED chats with some other funny guys too:
Stand up comedian Daniel Fernandes
