What a comeback! Stand-up comedian and Calcutta boy Vaibhav Sethia, who moved to Mumbai last year for funnier pastures, was back in town on August 12 for his first solo show, Don’t. The name seemed an oxymoron when the audience in the Kala Kunj auditorium on Theatre Road just couldn’t stop laughing! Opening act Raj Bagaria warmed up the crowd with his wit, and then in walked Vaibhav Sethia with an hour-long performance full of jibes about his hair, mosquitoes, customer care reps, kids, his ex-girlfriend and even The Telegraph (we forgive you, Vaibhav)! t2 caught up with the 29-year-old before the show…
What is your favourite joke on Calcutta?
Well, there is one that goes, “Calcutta is my favourite city because I think I look a little better over here.”
Mumbai vs Calcutta with respect to the stand-up scene is like…
In Calcutta, it’s like more time, less work. In Mumbai it’s like less time, more work.
What is your advice to the audience sitting in the first few rows?
I don’t really do that but I would tell them that the fourth and fifth rows have a better view.
Who inspires you?
I really like Louis C.K. His choice of topics and his delivery resonate with the people. He chooses very generic and basic topics that the crowd can relate to. Another one is Rowan Atkinson. He puts his intelligence into what he is doing. He is like the Charlie Chaplin of the later generation — the way he delivers himself is just perfect.
Where do you draw the line?
I don’t. I take my jokes as far as possible!
Text: Urvashi Bhattacharya
Pictures: Rashbehari Das
