T. Nagar Humour Club was started in 2008, but its roots go deeper — to 1960 when P.R. Govindarajan, a film producer, formed ‘Ragini Recreations’, a drama troupe that had its office at a building in Triplicane, where Sri Saraswathi Gana Nilayam also functioned. Udayarpalayam Kalaimamani R. Srinivasan, actors Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan, Sreekanth and S. Raman (‘Ethir Neechal Nair’ Raman) and director K. Balachander were an integral part of the plays staged by the troupe. Some of these plays — ‘Ethir Neechal’, ‘Naanal’, ‘Arangetram’, and ‘ Neerkumizhi’ — which were later made into films by leading production houses.
The plays were directed by K. Balachander. Nagesh, Major Sundarrajan and Sreekanth were amateur artistes. “The drama troupe was the foundation for the club. P. R. Govindarajan, who also formed the Chromepet Humour Club, came up with the idea,” says S. Sekar, president, Humour Club of T. Nagar. S. V. Ramaswamy of The Stenographers' Guild, was the one who actually founded the Club and gave the premises of the Guild for conducting the monthly humour meets. The club meets on the third Sunday of every month, between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. at the Guild’s premises. Playwright S. Ve. Shekher, Tamil actor ‘Delhi’ Ganesh, actor- director-writer R. Sundarrajan, and Cardiologist Dr. V. Chockalingam are regulars at the meetings.
“We do not have membership registration. The meetups are open to all. More than 100 people attend the monthly meetings,” says Sekar. Besides the usual taboo subjects, husband-and-wife jokes are avoided.
“When a participant was cracking husband-and-wife jokes, his wife stood up and said she was happy that her husband was thinking of her, 24/7. The man’s face turned pink with embarrassment and he did not crack any of those jokes again,” recalls Sekar.
Contact S. Sekar at 9790775571.
