Making others laugh is the most noble for them. Easy as it might seem, creating a meaningful humour is no child’s play. A blend of wit, intellect, confidence and most importantly, sense of humour is what it takes to sustain in this profession. Echoing similar sentiments is Dhruv Sachdeva, director of Humour Me, a creative entertainment enterprise that yearns to entertain people through its workshops. He along with four of his friends — Clifford Alfonso, Andrew Hoffland, Pranay Manchanda, and Shantanu Anam — would be performing at New Delhi’s Lodi Gardens on December 16. “People have lost a part of themselves in today’s mad rat race. Here is where Humour Me steps in, we strive to beat the humdrum of routine life and add laughter to it,” says Dhruv.
At a time where most comedy shows and comedians are seen in pursuit of senseless humour, Dhruv intends to create “meaningful humour” for his audience and he clearly distinguishes his group from the likes of stand-up comedians or other comedy shows. “Audience drives the show. Our concept of humour is totally different from what others offer,” he states. Emphasising on his group, he says, “Our group is formed of accomplished singers, actors and musicians, so it isn’t just humour, it is everything combined into one.” But what when the workshop is over? Monotony is bound to creep into some time or the other. “Yes, that is why we encourage our clients to conduct workshops every now and then in their organisations, so that the happiness lasts for a long time,” he says.
Before starting this enterprise in April 2012, Dhruv acted in several productions that also included adaptations of two Broadway musicals. His latest stint saw him donning many hats wherein he wrote, directed and acted in Dinner for Pricks – his original musical theatre production under the Humour Me banner. He stresses that “nobody can communicate effectively than an actor”. “Actors allow the audience to relate to their character and here is where an actor’s training come very handy as they learn to create empathy in the audience,” he states.
The group has conducted several workshops in major cities like Delhi, Mumbai and Goa, and their clientele includes business schools and corporate houses. Their audience ranges from a 24-year-old to a 50-year-old and everybody comes with the intention of getting entertained. “At the end of the day, people want to be entertained and that’s all we yearn to do,” he concludes.
(Humour Me’s Improv Nights will take place on December 16 at Lodi, The Garden Restaurant and on December 23 at Lure Switch, Lado Sarai.)
