Being funny on the telly

Cyrus Broacha talks about his comedy career and the need for non linear humour

November 21, 2014 07:38 pm | Updated 07:38 pm IST

Cyrus Broacha

Cyrus Broacha

Cyrus Broacha became a TV sensation and the original funny man in the mid 90’s in India spoofing people on his show, Mtv Bakra. Over the years, he has gone on to author three books, pens humour columns for many newspapers and magazines and also hosts a popular tv show, “The Week that Wasn’t”, that takes potshots at the world of politics and sports, apart from people in the news.

In the early 90’s, he spent most of his time studying law in college and turning up for the occasional theatre performances. “Humour as an industry did not exist in India at that time. I used to work for English theatre groups as a hobby. I got my first break with an fm channel in 93’ and there was no looking back. MTV Bakra happened soon after and became very popular.”

Cyrus contends, “Comedy in India has taken off only in the last five years. I think the internet has played a very important role in the rise of stand up comedy in India. It has added many new dimensions, has ensured that the money is good and talented youngsters are getting noticed and performing across the country. Some years ago, parents would be unhappy about their children being the class joker. Now, parents would be thrilled that their child is the class joker.”

He quips, “I am very much the same person on and off the show. I try and be myself. I think that at a time, when being on tv meant that you need to be a supermodel or have an accent, I was lucky to make my mark in television, with my average looks and normal accent.”

Stand up comedy is very different from comedy on television, feels Cyrus. “You cannot say whatever you want to on a tv show. You need to try and steer clear from some topics. I feel that it is not an issue. You just need to be creative to make people laugh. Most of the gags we put on our show are driven by deadlines and by news events. You do not need humour meant for a mature audience for that to happen.”

“I also have an issue with people focussing a lot on quantifying a comic act. Humour does not need to follow a set pattern. A lot of good jokes depend on how it is said and the topic on hand. It need not be linear in narration. The key to a good act/show is the ability to keep the audience involved in it. If they lose interest, the joke and the show will fall apart,” Cyrus contends.

“I do not think you need a punch line for cracking jokes always. It is important that people get your jokes and the context. The audiences are sharp enough to make out the difference between a rehearsed act and an impromptu act. For a show like The week that wasn’t, it is necessary to be topical and ensure that your jokes are not stale. In India, it is also important that you do not offend people. People are very keen on taking offence in India”

Does he get scared of offending people? “Not really. Most people come up and tell me that they like my show and the gags. There are some people who would find offense in everything that comics come up with. They enjoy the gags most of the time. Politicians also enjoy the humour we put out.”

Writing humour pieces and books is something that comes naturally to Cyrus. “I like writing columns. A book meant much more work, but I enjoyed it. Two more books are also being planned.”

“It is an encouraging sign that the Internet has ensured that the comedy revolution has hit India. I hope that the trend continues.”

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