When the comics come to town

Spend an evening filled with laughter, while doing your bit for charity

The team at Madras Round Table 1 (MRT1) spend most of their time planning how to raise money to change the lives of the underprivileged in Chennai. Their latest project is to expand the Mahesh Memorial Paediatric Oncology Centre. Their strategy? It’s simple: make people laugh.

“We were so amazed by the positive energy of those children in the centre,” says Ashvin Agarwal, fundraising convenor of MRT1. “The theme this year is children’s education and well-being, and a comedy festival seemed to be a great way to raise the money.”

Word spread, and comedians Aditi Mittal, Anuvab Pal, Azeem Banatwalla, Sundeep Rao, Ajit Saldanha, and Anu Menon jumped on board, jokes at the ready.

A few of them tell us what we can expect at tonight’s show.

Sundeep Rao

You’re the only comedian from the South in the line-up. Is there a special Chennai connect?

I throw in a few Southern references since I have that perspective, being from Bengaluru. But honestly, the audience in Chennai is very diverse and well-travelled. So I keep it generic, topic-wise.

How would you describe your comic tone?

A little bold, with a sarcastic undertone.

How do you cope with your visual disability on stage?

I get it out in the open from the get-go. I speak about my condition, juvenile macular degeneration, and it functions as my shtick throughout my bit. It helps make the audience comfortable.

Aditi Mittal

CHENNAI: 11/06/2016: Standup comedian Aditi Mittal, during an interview with The Hindu, in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran. CHENNAI: 11/06/2016: Standup comedian Aditi Mittal, during an interview with The Hindu, in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran. - CHENNAI: 11/06/2016: Standup comedian Aditi Mittal, during an interview with The Hindu, in Chennai. Photo: R. Ravindran.

What draws you to Chennai, especially as a female comedian?

I’ve been to places where audiences will clap generously or laugh uproariously at a joke. But Chennai does it best. Somehow, they seem to appreciate the jokes on another level altogether.

Anything special planned for tonight’s show?

Honestly? My comedy is for people who enjoy laughing. I don’t want to add gravitas, and I don’t diagnose my jokes. I just get up there and have a good time.

Anu Menon

CHENNAI, TAMIL NADU, 23/01/2016: FOR METRO PLUS: Anuradha Menon is an Indian television actress and theatre artist. Lola Kutty, at an interview `The Hindu Metro Plus' in Chennai. Photo: M. Vedhan.

How does it feel to be back on home ground?

I visit pretty often so I don’t feel like I’ve left. It’s nice to see familiar faces in the audience, though.

After playing characters on stage for so many years, what’s the hardest part about stand-up?

Finding my own voice. Even now, although I have a stage personality, I’m still playing a part of myself on stage.

Chennai Laughs takes place at

7 pm today at Hyatt Regency. For donor passes, call 9445021736.