In the evening of November the 3rd, Manipal saw its first comedy show in 3 whole years, hosted by Comedy Club Manipal, and it is safe to say it was worth the wait! The event took place at DTD (Dawn till Dusk) in a room with intimate seating, so the audience felt very connected to the showmen. Comedy Club Manipal also took a further step and ensured that all ticket-holders were offered a 30% discount at the DTD restaurant.
The show began with an opening act by Denver Lobo, an up-and-coming comedian from non-other than Manipal itself! Lobo started the evening on a very light-hearted note with a string of very relatable jokes pertaining to family and gossip. With immaculate timing in his delivery, Lobo’s set was the perfect 10-minute set-up for the main act– Shankar Chugani.
The room was instantly lit with the infectious energy that Chugani brought with him. Chugani’s jokes hit all the sweet and awkward spots with perfect aim, and he made sure to tell us, his audience, that if things got uncomfortable for him, he was going to take us down with him. He guided us through his college life and professional life with cleverly crafted anecdotes that were very apt for the spectators and made them more relatable.
Maximising on an audience made up predominantly by young adults, Chugani ensured he packed in as many sexual jokes as possible, which made the viewers turn red from embarrassment and laughter all at once. With comedy infused into his set, Chugani addressed important taboo topics such as sexism in India, menstruation, and body hair removal with much-appreciated ease.
To close the show, he transitioned the evening into the night by delivering reaction-worthy dark one-liners that left the audience with dropped jaws. With lines like “if you lose your sindoor, you become tandoor”, Chugani ensured that the audience was equal measures stunned and impressed.
For a man who made many jokes about his short stature, the wit displayed that evening, sure did put him high up on a pedestal and left the audience high-spirited.
The showmen of the evening did a small meet-and-greet with the audience after their sets and took several Instagram-worthy pictures with them.
All-in-all the evening was a huge success for the comedians and Comedy club Manipal!
Written by Aditi Atreya for MTTN
Edited by Ishita Sharma for MTTN
Images by Aromal Sunil for MTTN
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