Stand-up comedian Sorabh Pant
For stand-up artist Sorabh Pant, a comedy gig comes with the opportunity to highlight issues related to the safety of women.
"I feel it is our responsibility to impart messages about issues in society, like for example those related to women's safety, during our shows. It is difficult to incorporate these messages in our act but we try to take out two minutes from our gig to talk to audiences about such issues," says Pant.
Mr Pant along with another stand-up comedian Aadar Malik is scheduled to perform 'Trip Tease' a comedy night in Gurgaon on June 28.
Anti-rape jokes and jokes on politicians who have been commenting on crime against women which are unacceptable by the modern society has been the crux of Pant's gigs across the country.
"Sometimes it becomes difficult to incorporate jokes in a gig as stand-up comedy is about being spontaneous. So we have to be careful and judge the crowd before we make an issue based joke," says Mr Pant.
Pant's comic style veers toward exaggeration, hyperbole and portrayal of accents. He has penned a second book on crimes against women in Delhi which is set for release next month.
"By the end of July, I will be releasing a book titled 'Under Delhi'. The book is based in Delhi and how women are fighting crimes against them in the city. It has got a lot of angry humour," Mr Pant told PTI.
Agreeing that it is a tough subject, both, to talk as well as to write about, the comedian felt that he had to pen down a book to salute women who are fighting crimes.
Pant's colleague Aadar Malik is an actor who began performing stand-up comedy after portraying the character of a comic for his play, "Papier Mache Petals".
Mr Malik also opines that comedians have a hidden social message to impart to their audience.
"Every comedian has something or the other to share with his audience which has a social message attached to it. It can be from their own life experience or near and dear ones. But we consciously try to deliver a social message," says Mr Malik.
Being a musician, writer, singer, Malik enjoys mixing music with his comedy. An avid hater of pickup lines, he prefers impressing women with his guitar.
"I guess I am the first comedian in India where my act is often delivered through a song which has funny lyrics. Since I have a background in music it is easier for me to do it. But most of the people can't. It is a new and a unique concept which audience often like," says Malik.
The comedians feel that stand-up comedy has taken another interesting turn and comedians are slowly and steadily moving away from making jokes on communities, religion, culture as well as language.
"The content of the acts are changing. It is becoming more anecdotal and personal experience based. Community based jokes are moving out," says Mr Pant.