Comedy Scene
Sheikh Iraj
Comedy has always had a special place in our hearts. Be it literature, television, films, stage or standup comedy, we Bengalis always appreciate a good laugh. Comedy helps lessen stress and cope with daily ups and downs in life. For many of us, when we think of comedy, names like Gopal Bhar, Sukumar Rays rhymes, Jasim Uddins Bangalir Hasir Golpo, Tele Samad, Hasmat, Hanif Sanket, Kajol, Pappu, and many more pop up in our minds. Today in our country, doing comedy as a profession is gaining popularity, especially among the youth, like never before. Standup comedy clubs like Naveeds Comedy Club and Bangladesh Comedy Club are providing platforms for young emerging comedians so they can perform regularly. In films and TV, there is a constant demand for comedy actors and stories, and many writers are opting to insert comedy in their writings. This week, YI spoke with some comedians and their fans. They talked about their work, the present scenario of comedy in our country and the direction its heading towards.
Ripon Khan Ovi
I am a standup comedian and with the help of Bangladesh Comedy Club, we opened the Bogra Comedy Club earlier this year. We only had a few members at first, but now we have 54 members in our club. I was in high school when I realised I wanted to do something with comedy. Thankfully, I came across other like-minded people with the same kind of passion for comedy as I do. I remember watching different comedy shows on TV and laughing; they really inspired me to pursue this passion further. Every Friday, all our members and performers meet in Woodburn Park. There we discuss the jokes we have written or want to perform. It should be mentioned that when we organise big comedy shows, we choose historical places in Bogra; that way people can enjoy the comedy and the historical sites. Standup comedy is becoming quite popular among the young generation. The best proof of that is the feedback we are getting from the social media sites. I hope this progress continues and all our districts have their own comedy clubs.
Kamar Uddin Arman
After becoming the second runner-up in the ninth season of the comedy show, Mirakkel, I became a full-time comedian. I know some people may find that a little odd, but I believe that the comedy scene in Bangladesh will only grow from here. Today, after reaching a certain stage, comedians get plenty of work opportunities. Nowadays, in different types of private programmes comedians are asked to perform, like in corporate shows. On TV and radio, comedy shows are broadcast regularly. I am not saying that everyone is following them, but slowly they are getting more popular. There is a debate among some that standup comedy and drama comedy are two different things, but we should not get involved in that debate. We should look at the bright side regarding how many job opportunities and platforms for young comedians have been created. We should look at some comedians like Naveed Mahbub and Abu Hena Rony, how popular they are and how they are helping young comedians and our comedy scene to grow. I believe we are heading towards a positive direction and comedians are fighting hard to setup that stage.
Md Jamil Hossain
I started out as a standup comedian, now I am more into drama comedy. I opted for drama because people love to watch comedy in TV serials and in films. I started my career in 2011 and I have acted in comedy roles in films like Bhalobasha Ajka, Shopno Je Tui and the recent hit film, Aynabaji. People in our country love good humour and the demand for good comedians are increasing. Now those who dont agree to that, dont follow our local comedy shows. For example, many do not know that a number of comedians, including myself, do regular shows on radio. Another indication is the popularity of comedy on social media sites. If you are doing good work then it is noticed. I was in Barisal performing in a programme when the assistant of famous director Amitabh Reza, who made Aynabaji, called me and told me to meet him. I did not have any idea that they would ask me to play a comedy role in their film. I was later told that Amitabh Reza and his crew saw a telefilm where I played a boy from Barisal who cant speak English and decided to cast me in his film. So dont let go of your dreams; if you are a comedian, keep making people laugh and sooner or later your work will be appreciated.
Masuda Mumu
I work in the Chittagong Stock Exchange. After working all day I used to come home and feel extremely tired. I found comedy as the best street reliever. I used to watch comedy shows online with my kids. One day one of my colleagues went to Naveeds comedy club and later took us with him. I didnt have any idea about standup comedy, but after going there I fell in love with it. Now every month, I go there with other members of my family.
Shaikh Nafis
It is true that some of us are fans of internationally hit sitcoms like Mr Bean, Only Fools and Horses, Seinfeld, Friends, The Big Bang Theory, and The Simpsons. That doesnt mean we dont like our own programmes. I love old comedy TV dramas like Aaj Robibar, Bohubrihi, etc. To be honest, I dont like our present comedy dramas. They promise to be humorous, but most of the time they turn out not to be. My friends and I used to go to standup comedy shows, but recently they are not organised regularly. I hope they can start organising comedy shows on a regular basis because we would certainly love to go and enjoy.
Max Misteel
If we compare the present comedy scene to that we had five years ago, it definitely has taken a positive turn. The improvement is visible in the social media and from the response we are getting from corporate clients. That been said, I think I should also mention that after the Gulshan terrorist attack, not many big comedy shows have taken place. Before that, we had regular shows, hopefully, we are on our way to recovering that bad phrase. I dont perform on TV because I think I wont be able to work independently. But those who are associated with TV have every right to make shows according to their viewers choice. Now the idea of comedy is to make people laugh, it does not matter whether you perform on TV, films or the stage. I think that people in our country love comedy in any form it is presented to them and we should keep on working hard to make them laugh. I understand the comedy scene is expanding, but I think one should have a regular job besides doing comedy.
Fazlul Haque Shaki
I am a standup comedian and at the moment I am working as the organising secretary of Bangladesh Comedy Club (BCC). I write my own jokes and with the help of another comedian, I have written two books on jokes. BCC was established with the intention of providing an open platform for young comedians. We believe that encouraging emerging young, new, raw talents is one of the best ways to popularise comedy in our country. So far we are getting a positive response and we have helped to open 40 comedy clubs in different parts of the country. Since we provide an open platform, many young people come to perform and later, they get picked up for different TV dramas. We are receiving a great response from abroad as well; for example, some Bangladeshi students living in Malaysia have opened a comedy club after watching our shows. We have even received an invitation from them to perform there. Every month we try to organise a show. If I remember correctly, we organised a show at Muslim Hall in Chittagong and believe it or not, people spent Taka 500 each to see our show. I think that proves that people in our country do love comedy.
Naveed Mahbub
In standup comedy, 80 per cent is based on fact and comedians normally add colour to the rest of the content. We talk about our regular life, while drama comedians portray more physical comedy, according to the script they are given. One should not go too deep in search of the definition of comedy, because whatever makes you laugh is comedy. It is true that the number of comedy shows and comedy TV dramas have increased. In case of standup comedy, we have a long way to go. We bear our own cost, and whatever we charge for tickets goes towards the rent of the venue. Its not that our content is too bad, just look at the reality TV show Mirakkel, our comedians are doing extremely well there. There is still storage of sponsors. I come from a corporate background and if I want I can manage sponsors, but not all other young comedians can do that. I dont know about others, but when I perform I try to give a social message through my jokes. In terms of leaving your day job and taking up comedy as a profession, I would say yes and no at the same time. When you have reached a certain point, when you are famous and are getting regular shows, you can think of doing comedy full time, but not before that.
Noirit Mustapha contributed to this article.
Photos: Courtesy, Internet
