“Life is a tragedy when seen in close up but a comedy in long shot.” – Raj Bagaria
Meet Raj Bagaria, a student of St.Xavier’s Kolkata and a part of the Comedified and Kalkutta Komedians group. At only 19 years of age, he is already quite an estabilished stand-up comedian. Other than performing on stage he is also a sports enthusiast, an occasional reader and a Netflix binge-watcher. Raj recently performed at comedy spotlight at the Hyderabadass Comedy Club and he has hosted numerous shows for few of the most popular stand-up comedians like Biswa Kalyan Rath, Kenny Sebastian, Kunal Kamra and Anirban Dasgupta.
He also has his own youtube channel, don’t miss out on his very popular video RAJ BAGARIA ON BIOPICS AND BOLLYWOOD.
Some moments with Raj Bagaria :
-
How is it like being a stand-up comedian?
Haha, pretty great! Although the stand- up comedy scene in Kolkata has it’s ups and downs. It’s a very niche art form and a distinct culture for it is still in the developing phase. That being said, simply nothing else provides the intimacy and connection the way a mic, a stand, and an audience eagerly waiting for a punchline does.
-
What made you choose this field? Is there anyone who has influenced you?
I’d say I stumbled into this! I’ve never done anything on stage before stand up. I heard about an open mic happening at a local cafe ( open mics are places where anyone can go up and perform ) and I thought I’d give it a try, also taking it as a way to combat my ever-present fear of public speaking. I’ve been a regular at open mics since. I was really lucky to have more established comics like Anirban Dasgupta, Vaibhav Sethia and Sourav Ghosh in Kolkata that time ( they’ve moved to Bombay now) as things in comedy can really go bad at the start , especially in Kolkata.
-
Do you write your own routines or you directly perform onstage?
Yes, that’s a prerequisite. All comics write their own content. Sometimes we take to stage ideas or thoughts and speak about them, hoping spontaneity results to something. But more often than, we have a good idea of what we are going to perform.
-
What is the difference between trying to write jokes and develop stand up comedy materials?
I think writing jokes is a very broad category, it includes memes, trolls etc. But a joke probably hilarious on twitter isn’t half as funny on stage, and vice versa. The stage definitely gives you more freedom of expression than simple sentences. Also stand up sets require a certain flow, even with one liners. Disjointed jokes may be funny, but disjointed stand up sets which work are rare. At the same time, what works for one might not for the other, and I’m no one to describe a clear way, and therein lies it’s beauty.
-
How do you deal with hecklers? Aren’t hecklers helpful for the show?
Hecklers are there, everywhere. And they need to be addressed, as long as the quality of the show isn’t compromised. As long as they’re not disruptive, hecklers are fine, considering stand up is about the relationship between a comic and his audience, they just want to feel a part of it. However, some shows have it worse where people let the alcohol do the talking, and so it does.
-
What are the secrets in telling everyday jokes in order to get the biggest laugh?
There is no secret, no fixed formula, even if there is, I definitely haven’t figured it out yet. You have to keep trying and see what works for you. Yeah, everyday jokes are mostly sticking to stereotypes, and many tend to do that as it generates laughter more easily. However, I think originality is the key, and the goal isn’t laughter but to get better at the art form you love. Laughter is more about validation.
-
What are the biggest mistakes that comedians make?
Oh, countless. Insulting the audience without cause under pressure, plagiarising, talking too quick, making it uncomfortable etc. Also, here’s the catch, all comedians make such mistakes, not just the new ones.
-
Can you tell us a joke! :p
Haha tickets are cheap, come for shows! Plenty there!
-
Have you faced any struggles to establish yourself as a stand-up comedian?
Struggles are a part of anything you do. I’m just a beginner, and there’s a long way to go. I had immense stage fright, still do ( like most teenagers today), I still feel I’m not as comfortable as I’d like to be on the mic, etc. These are regular troubles, everyone faces them, and the only way out is doing more open mics.
-
Is there any message you would like to give to all aspiring young comedians out there?
Don’t look for virality too soon. Don’t do it for the facebook likes, they’ll come eventually. The only way one develops is doing open mics relentlessly, the views and shares and enquiries will come as you get better. Also, hell, I’m in this as a starter too, keep trying. I will, too.
Raj Bagaria’s Facebook Profile
Follow him on Twitter
