Comedian Amit Tandon is all set to take Dubai by storm

Are we ready for the self-deprecation?

He may have been living in New Delhi, India for over 25 years. But he’s got his pulse on ‘Dub-Indians’ (as we’re calling Indians settled in Dubai these days). And we know that because when we ask Amit Tandon to describe the Non-Resident Indian (NRI) life for us, he says, “It’s about spending three months figuring out what gifts to buy for friends and family back home and ending up stealing chocolates from the airplanes for them!” As for him, he is at home here. And is India like Dubai too? “Of course, we love shopping malls as much as you do.” Excerpts from a candid conversation, where we spoke on selfies, brands, inspiration, handbags and more.
Tandon says he has no interest in impersonating celebrities. “The real masala (spice) lies in the lives of middle class Indians. I come from a middle class family myself and the constant struggles in our homes are hilarious. We are not poor and we will never be rich, for we spend more time in managing the money we have than in earning more!” His YouTube recordings of stand-up acts touching upon the upbringing of children, shopping for clothes, equation between a couple and updating bank account passbooks are popular with the Dubai audience.
Six years ago, Tandon was running his own HR consultancy firm and had never considered comedy as a career or profession. “It was out of sheer boredom that I went for an open mic night, which required me to merely register and be on the stage for just five minutes.” Two-and-a-half years of open mic nights later, he realised that people liked what he was bringing to the stage. “The comedy scene in India was changing and people were ready to pay for watching stand-up.” Before he knew it the decision had been made, “I was going to be a full time comedian.”
Today, he’s inspired by Vir Das. “His commitment towards stand-up comedy is commendable, even though he has a great career as an actor as well. Every year, he is raising the bar of comedy in India.” Also, Tandon feels that Papa CJ’s interactions with the audience are simply fantastic. “I admire Raju Srivastava — the way he can describe a situation or a thing is great. I don’t think anyone in India can paint a picture with words the way he does.” Among international comedians, he is a fan of American stand-up artist Bill Burr. “His vocabulary and the way he uses analogies is unbeatable.”Making people laugh is a tough job. “You can make a stranger cry on the road — do something annoying or hurtful. Now imagine being asked to make the same stranger laugh — it isn’t easy.”
At this point, we wonder why all stand-up comedians keep a straight face as they perform. “It’s actually not important and is governed by the act. If I am enacting a situation where I am frustrated then I have to reflect the emotion. On the other hand, if it’s a fun anecdote I am allowed to have a full laugh, alongside.” And how often does he laugh at his own jokes? “Rarely. When I think of the joke the first time, I do smile. Other than that, I may smile when I see people laughing.” How about his family — is he a funny man at home? “I am as normal as other fathers and husbands. I am certain that I embarrass my kids (just like any other father out there), and I succeed at irritating my wife (just like…) when I don’t do what I was asked to!”
His take on women and their handbags (from a previous show) had us in splits. Is he aware that women in DXB too are obsessed with handbags — any advice for them? “Women all across the globe are obsessed with handbags, not just in Dubai. I would never advise a lady on anything — she knows stuff better than we (men) do. Women, please go ahead and do whatever you want to.” Plus, he is aware of brand-crazy Dubai. “Even Punjabis are brandaholics — they have a collection for every season. The golden rule of any purchase is that the font size of the brand name (on the product) should be 42+. If left to Punjabis, they’d want the brand name to be visible from the moon!” True that!
On that note, would he ever consider shifting base to Dubai? “A lot of money and the presence of family could tempt me to. Oh also, India has seasons — I would want that too.” Well, we’d love to have all these things too. Right?
purva@khaleejtimes.com
Purva writes on all things that create a buzz.
(Catch Amit Tandon on March 2-3 (8pm) at
The Junction, Alserkal Avenue. Tickets: tixbox.com)