Kenny Sebastian: His humour stands right

Ahead of his Hyderabad act, Kenny Sebastian talks on why standup comedy comes naturally to him

Kenny Sebastian is a man of multiple talents, from music, improv theatre to stand-up comedy. No matter what, his witty takes on social norms have delighted crowds for years now. Ahead of his stand-up comedy acts in Hyderabad , Kenny talks of how he embraced stand-up comedy as a career.

Do you think stand-up comedy has evolved in the country?

Stand-up comedy is barely 8-10 years old in the country, for that it has grown massively. There are comedians doing jokes in almost every language now! The only distance left to explore is impossible.

How does Hyderabad fare in comparison to Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai?

Like every city, Hyderabad has its own scene going on. Since every state has its own dominant language, comparing scenes doesn’t make sense anymore.

In terms of frequency, Hyderabad does see fewer shows but my personal experience has been great.Both my shows at Bhaskara Auditorium sold out a month in advance, which is comparable to my audience in Delhi and Mumbai.

Why did you take standup comedy as a full-time career despite possessing other talents?

I discovered stand-up comedy when I was 19, by that time I had worked as a graphic designer, filmmaker and a musician. Comedy felt the most natural and most fulfilling. I never honestly thought I could financially sustain myself with it.

Does spontaneity come naturally to you?

Yes spontaneity is a skill that came pretty naturally to me early on and I have been actively making sure I improve as I go along.

I have done workshops for improv in New York and also host open Mics just to make sure I don’t forget what it feels like to be surprised on stage.

What’s different about solo stand-up acts and group shows?

They are both different worlds. When I do a solo show, the whole show is about me. I make sure the audience matches my wavelength while when I do a group it’s about matching my wavelength with the other comics on stage. I think as a team wanting each other to do well works best.

Given you’ve done about 500 shows in the last five years, what care do you take to maintain quality and quantity?

It’s very simple. It’s putting yourself in the audiences shoes. I always ask myself “would I like to see this show if I was an audience member?” If the answer is no, that means I am compromising somewhere.

Kenny Sebastian’s stand-up comedy acts will be on at Bhaskara Auditorium, Adarsh Nagar this Sunday, 5 pm and 7 pm