Stand-Up's being counted

Laughter is infectious. English stand-up comedy acts more so, as India is discovering. It appears to be a result of the popularity of American sitcoms such as Seinfeld, Friends, and, more recently, How I Met Your Mother. British chain ComedyStore Diner and Bar’s Mumbai outlet sees sold out shows four days a week. No surprise that liquor brands are keen to join the riot. Since last year, Black Dog, the Scotch whiskey brand, has been holding Comedy Evenings with Colin Mochrie, Brad Sherwood, and Wayne Brady of Whose Line Is It Anyway? fame as well as Indian comedians such as Ash Chandler and Papa CJ.

Similarly, beer brand Foster’s has tied up with comedian and actor Vir Das’s company—Weirdass Comedy—for a slew of gigs. Das, who claims to be the highest paid in the business (it is speculated that he earns as much as Rs 2 lakh for a show, while others may get less than Rs 35,000), says, “Indian brands often fail to create an on-ground connect. But comedians can easily weave the brand into content.” The crowds at his shows have multiplied seven times since 2008.

Hosting a comedy night is also cheaper than musical gigs and fashion tourneys when attracting the urban Indian. “Business during a comedy event is at least thrice that on a normal day,” says Ashish Khanna, director of Café Morrison in Delhi. “We also get a wider clientele for these events because the audience ranges from youngsters to the 40-plus crowd.”