Roast in comedy is meant to push boundaries

Here’s an environmentalist who doubles up as a stand-up comedian. Vasu Primlani can make a class on sustainability sound fun. She performed along with Amogh Ranadive at Vivanta by Taj, Begumpet, recently. On her entry into the comedy scene, Vasu says that it all started during a conversation with a friend Vidur Kapur, who is a famous comedian in the US. “He was telling me how amazing it was and I asked him how one goes about doing it. He asked me to take a few steps and six years later, here we are,” she said.

The comedian has a lot to say about the sense of humour of Indians. “Indians have actually surprised me in how quickly they get a joke. Even when I have been shy of saying or doing something on stage, they have shown overwhelming support. My parents are no different– they have a great sense of humour.

My father once got me a book to read – ‘The Encyclopedia of Murders and Murderers’. Then he put a butter knife to my throat and said, ‘I am going to kill you.’ And I was like, ‘MAAAAA!’ He promptly dropped the knife, walked away and said, ‘I’m so kind’.” Conversely, Vasu feels that the AIB Knockout controversy is much ado about nothing and that Indians don’t entirely understand the concept of roast.

“A ‘roast’ in comedy is meant to push boundaries, and it allows celebrities to show what great sports they are. A roast is meant to be below-the-belt humour,” Vasu shares, saying that AIB is to be commended for being the front runners of Indian comedy. “They are professional comics. I know them personally and they are incredible people. If the subject of your humour has no problem being ribbed in that way, you have no right to be offended on their behalf,” she opines.

By:Tushar Kalawatia