Twenty years, 3,500-plus shows, 35-plus countries and now, a homecoming. Papa CJ, the global comedy sensation who’s made audiences laugh from London to Los Angeles, is back on Indian soil for his first public tour in almost a decade. And if Calcutta’s show was any indication, the rest of the country better buckle up.
On a rainy Sunday evening, Park Street’s AMPM was transformed into a laughter epicentre. The venue, buzzing with energy, was a happy mix of families, old friends, and comedy lovers spanning generations, from college kids to spirited octogenarians. They had all gathered to see a master at work. Papa CJ didn’t just tell jokes, he told stories. He worked the room. His humour was razor-sharp yet warm, his banter delightfully unpredictable.
With the ease of a seasoned performer and the intimacy of an old friend, he turned shared moments into private punchlines that had the crowd in stitches.
“This city will always be home,” he admitted to thunderous applause. “I might live in Delhi, but my heart belongs to Calcutta.” And the audience felt it. The show was a reunion, a celebration, and a love letter to the city that shaped him.
Strangers bonding over shared laughter, phones forgotten, and worries left at the door. Papa CJ isn’t just celebrating 20 years in comedy. He’s reminding us why live comedy, when done with heart, is pure magic. Before his India Tour show in Calcutta, he had a quick chat with t2.
When you first stepped on stage 20 years ago, did you imagine you’d be performing in over 35 countries?
For starters, 20 years ago, I didn’t even step onto a stage. My first-ever show was on a boat on the River Thames, called the Wibbly Wobbly Boat. While the boat was as shaky as its name, luckily, my first gig wasn’t. However, I was fortunate to be ignorant about how low the odds were of actually succeeding in this profession. And since I didn’t know it could not be done, I just went ahead and did it. But yes, I don’t think I could have even imagined at that point that I’d have the joy of entertaining such diverse audiences in so many countries.
Do you remember the moment you realised: ‘I can actually do this for a living.’
Yes. In April 2007, I was headlining a comedy festival in South Africa. On the day of the show, the promoter refused to pay me, so I refused to perform. That made him pull out a revolver and pointing the barrel at my head. So I ended up performing with 500 people in front of the stage and a man with a gun in his hand behind the stage. So I don’t know about doing it for a living, but that was the day I realised I could do it to save my life.
Why did you wait nearly a decade to tour publicly in India again?
I’ve always been ready to tour, but I couldn’t be asked to organise anything. TribeVibe and BookMyShow approached me and said they’d like to do a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of my comedy career, and that they’d take the responsibility for organising everything and filling up the rooms. Given that the only thing asked of me was to do what I love doing, that is, getting on stage and entertaining people, I happily said ‘yes’.
How has the Indian comedy scene changed since you last toured here?
When I launched the open mic circuit in Delhi in 2009, Indian comedy was a community. Now it is an industry. The most obvious shift we have seen, of course, is how much comedy is available on screens and the huge opportunity that the Internet has given comedians to get their talent noticed. However, while it tends to be mostly corporate and private gigs in India, I still focus on doing only what I enjoy doing, and that is live stand-up comedy. That being said, I’m now also doing a lot of work in the leadership coaching space, from running strategy off-sites to team building sessions and keynote addresses. However, my leadership work also draws heavily on my comedy background, and one of my most popular sessions is called ‘A Comedian’s Guide to Communication and Storytelling Strategy’. This work is allowing me to finally use that MBA degree I got from the University of Oxford.
What’s your message to young stand-up comedians who want to make a career out of it?
Most importantly, have fun. Second, remember you’re not competing with anyone. Find your unique voice and realise that nobody can be a better version of you than you. And, learn the trade before you learn the tricks of the trade. A five-minute viral clip on the Internet may help you fill a theatre, but it won’t teach you how to hold an audience’s attention and engage them for 90 minutes. Learn how to do that first.
Why the stage name Papa CJ?
When I started my comedy career in London in 2004, I was the only Indian comedian in the entire country. I always tried to represent India in a positive light. The first line I wrote was: “Don’t mess with us Indians. We come from the land of the Kama Sutra, we can screw you in more ways than you can count!” I added the Papa to my initials because I thought ‘angrezon ko bhi lagna chahiye ki unka koi baap hai’.
I used to secretly get kicks in my mind when all these white people kept calling me ‘Papa’ (laughs).
If you had to describe this tour in three words, what would they be?
Interactive. Unpredictable. Hilarious!
