An Evening of Laughter: Indian Comedy Night in Melbourne

A guest post by Sweta Lal, Melbourne-based writer.

Comedy is a refreshing lemonade after a tiring, dry day. What if it comes in the form of a live evening? That must have been the reaction among Indian audiences when The Great Indian Laughter Challenge launched a few years back — the whole nation has been laughing since, at every joke they crack and every issue they frame.

Humour, I have come to believe, is the most enriching lifestyle choice of all. Learn to laugh at the issues surrounding you, take them in a lighter vein, and you buy yourself a healthier, more relaxed, more cheerful life.

You may have seen the Laughter Challenge stars on television and YouTube — but a live show, on a free pass, at the last minute? No way was I letting that go. One lazy Sunday afternoon, my husband told me he had free passes for the Indian comedy show at the Melbourne Convention Centre, and we had to be there by five. I sprang from my chair like a kid. A couple of hours of face-pack, conditioning, straightening, eyelashes, lenses, gloss and trinkets later, the elated me was ready to laugh her heart out.

Raju Srivastava, Irfan Malik, and Ali Hasan — the jodi from Pakistan — were the stars of the evening. Their witty, impromptu remarks and their undying spirit impressed me. They struck a chord on issues like Indians living in Australia, and on India and Pakistan's relationship, that made us smile, twitch, and think. They made every tiny bone in me laugh.

I realized that razor-sharp observation is the key to creativity in an artist. They were quick to point out how lucky we Indians are to live in Melbourne — the easy, disciplined traffic, the immaculate cleanliness, the well-dressed police wishing you as they pass — all served with a hint of humour. The show itself opened colourfully, with Bollywood dances, salsa, and Urdu tracks performed by artists from Melbourne, India, and Pakistan. It was lovely to see how many of the young Indian artists were Australian-born and yet so connected to their roots.

The artists showed such respect for their fellow performers and were so kind to the newcomers, the hosts, and the security staff. They were humble enough to say they would pack our love and accolades in their suitcases and keep them close to their hearts on the way home.

We clapped at their precision, laughed at their dialogues, and giggled at their rustic punches. I did not mind one bit that it was a Sunday evening with Monday looming, or that it was nearly midnight when we reached home. We were still bubbling as we climbed the stairs to our flat. Four hours, worth every minute.

Sweta Lal is a Melbourne-based writer, editor, and social media strategist. An engineer turned freelance writer, her work includes blogs, poetry, non-fiction, and children's stories.