MUMBAI: Laughter is the best medicine indeed. And just like how some prefer tablets, others a tonic or an ointment, comedy to is enjoyed across the world in different forms. With the Indian stand-up scene evolving, upcoming as well as renowned artists are giving viewers a taste of humour in different styles. With many of these styles available on a streaming platform, we’ve listed down the five different and popular kinds of comedy and the comedians who are best known for them.
Observational comedy – Naveen Richard
Observational Comedy is one of the most common and relatable types of comedy which involves joking about everyday incidents by observing the silliness of something that is accepted very normally by society. It simply translates to poking fun out of any situation from our life. One of the best shows that you can watch for a hearty laugh under this category is ‘Relatively Relatable’ by Naveen Richards available on Amazon Prime Video
Topical Comedy – Tanmay Bhat
Topical Comedy, or also known as Satire, is when a comedian jokes about important news and current affairs. Though the shelf life of this comedy style is short, it is considered to be one of the most sophisticated and intelligent forms of comedy. One of the best comedians known for cracking topically jokes is Tanmay Bhatt. You can watch his shows on his YouTube channel which not only make you laugh but will also help brush up your general knowledge. Talk about getting the best of both worlds!!!
Alternative comedy – Kenny Sebastian
Alternative comedy, like the name suggests, is a substitute to mainstream comedy where a person tries to avoid making any kind of offensive jokes on racism, sexism, etc. It basically tries to avoid stereotyping any particular person for the things they are, they do or like. Alternative comedy is known for bringing other forms of comedy such as observational comedy, satire comedy, slapstick, or improvisation together to create hilarious results. The most well-known comedian who time and again encourages such kind of comedy is Kenny Sebastian. His comedy special ‘The Most Interesting Person in the Room’ on Netflix is a perfect example making for an absolutely light-hearted watch.
Character Comedy – Sumukhi Suresh
As the name suggests, character comedy is when a comedian invents a unique personality and uses it as a small part of his act. Here the comedy is derived through mocking the character's stereotyped personality when the comedian enacts them on stage. One of the most famous comedians to have used this kind of comedy regular is Sumukhi Suresh. Her recent act on Amazon Funnies: Prime Day special where Sumukhi plays two such unique characters is the most entertaining example of that.
Improvisational comedy – Improv All Stars – Games Night
Improvisational Comedy, or also shortened to ‘Improv’, is when a group of comedians perform in an unplanned or situational manner. Here, the comedians generally take a clue from the audience or host or other sources to improvise their plot and perform. While it is extremely common in Hollywood, Indian Comedians have started organizing these too. One such example of this kind of comedy is Improv All Stars – Games Night on Amazon Prime Video, where Kaneez Surka hosted a fun-filled hour of laughter along with 6 other comedians.
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