Ahead of an upcoming rendition of their latest act titled Kiswa and Banana, Mumbai-based comic duo Kanan Gill and Biswa Kalyan Rath discuss being stand-up comics
Biswa Kalyan Rath and Kanan Gill
Q. What's the new act about?
A. The act features stand-up sets back-to-back from the both of us. Apart from our take on unnecessary double barrel couple names like Kimye, Brangelina and Billary, people can expect lots of laughs and several uncomfortable moments.
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Biswa Kalyan Rath and Kanan Gill
Q. What makes you click together?
A. We met while doing stand-up in Bengaluru. That was in 2013. The stand-up comedy circuit in India is small and everybody knows everyone. Our bond is forged by a shared negativity and cynicism, the basis for any lasting friendship.
Q. How did your initial online show, Pretentious Movie Reviews come about?
A. It was through an old Dharmendra movie, Teesri Aankh. The word 'pretentious' is a personal favourite and strongly inspired by Ship of Theseus.
Q. From the time you started, comedy in India has grown exponentially. How has that impacted the content you produce?
A. A wider reach means we have to be more careful about what we say.
Q. What's the biggest challenge and advantage of being a stand-up comic today?
A. The biggest advantage is the Internet. We don't have to rely on traditional media and can reach out to the audience directly. In contrast, the biggest challenge is censorship. That makes our job difficult. Also, global warming!
Q. What's more fun — live or recorded (videos) comedy?
A. Everything has its place, we think. Sometimes, you drink hot coffee and sometimes, it's cold, but most of the time, your coffee is lukewarm because you forgot that you left it there when you were typing the answers for this interview.
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