Jokes, giggles and Comicstaan- the rise of Rahul Dua

The comedian talks about his journey from being an investment banker to a full time stand up comedian with sold-out shows

Rahul Dua is currently touring the country for his solo special ‘Oh Hello!’

It took a hectic job, a bad boss and a few friends to bring out the funny side of Rahul Dua. From being an investment banker, Rahul is a name that is gaining popularity in the Indian comedy circuit. As part of his tour called Oh Hello!, Rahul stopped over at Visakhapatnam to perform at the Four Points by Sheraton.

He always had some wisecrack about everything, admits Rahul. “I was the funny person in every group, be it at family functions or friends. And they always encouraged me by laughing at my comments,” he says adding he attributes his penchant for the funny thanks to a secure environment where his parents were liberal and encouraged him to voice his thoughts.

He remembers how he he visited a comedy club with friends, soon after he had quit his job. “I enjoyed the show so much that I kept going back there.I learnt that there were open mics where anyone is allowed to perform. I began by trying my hand at five minute performances that I then extended to 10 minutes. Now, I perform for an hour,” he says.

Rahul took up another job at a media house as he needed to supplement his income. He was smart enough to realise that while open mics were fun, they would not pay his bills. But he made sure he continued attending open mics. He travelled from Gurugram to Connaught Place for a five-minute slot . Gradually he started getting noticed in the comedy circle and was hired to open shows for established comedians. “Once I started getting paid slots, I decided to quit the job and pursue comedy full-time. Coincidently, when I was serving my notice period, the ad for

Comicstaan came out. So there I was with two years of experience and a 40-minute set that I had built in the last two years,” says Rahul.

Comicstaan that was released on Amazon Prime catapulted Rahul to fame as he ended up securing the first runner-up position.

“The reality show was an eye-opener for me as I got to interact with the who’s who of the business. The show’s format made us push ourselves and churn out three to four minutes of comedy every week which otherwise takes a month to do. It was difficult but that is what made us better at our art.

Comicstaan helped restore faith in myself as a comedian,” he says. He also released three videos on his YouTube channel which have garnered millions of views.

Audiences love his current solo special as it is all about him encountering and handlingawkward situations. Talking about his most memorable show Rahul says, “The performance at Kanpur on the day Ayodhya verdict came out will be always etched in my memory. Section 144 was imposed and we assumed that nobody would come to the show but over 150 people turned up in the evening.”