Comic Shamik Chakrabarti started his journey at a Thursday open mic at a pub in Bengaluru in 2016, six months after he returned from Tennessee, within the US, the place he labored as an engineer. He got here throughout the open mic on social media. And after attending one of many mics within the viewers, Shamik mustered the braveness to carry out there the next week. He was the fifteenth and ultimate act of the night time — performing in entrance of 4 drunk folks, managing to crack them up simply as soon as, he remembers.

Nevertheless, that night didn’t discourage Shamik. As an alternative, he expanded on what labored from his bit and persistently attended open mics in Bengaluru. He gained nationwide consideration in 2022 as a participant on the third version of Comicstaan, together with his deadpan type of supply and seamless writing. And now he’s set to debut his stand-up comedy particular, ‘Regardless of Appearances’, on the Edinburgh Pageant Fringe, one of many largest festivals for performing arts on the planet.

“I contemplate myself a joke author moderately than somebody who approaches comedy with a central theme in thoughts. ‘Regardless of Appearances’ is my second or third try at placing that into apply. Nevertheless, through the years, it has advanced right into a one-hour particular with one half jokes and the opposite a narrative which has a connection to the title,” says Shamik over a Zoom name from Mumbai.

A novel voice

“I began performing stand-up with out studying a lot about its dos and don’ts. I used to be somebody who simply watched stand-up and was used to telling jokes in faculties and schools,” says Shamik, who believes in being himself on stage.

“I don’t normally bounce or shout so much in actual life,” he feedback about his on-stage persona, which hinges on astute observations and relatable anecdotes delivered with a laid-back angle. “I’ve all the time carried out this fashion. I consider the efficiency ought to really feel pure and never really feel like a efficiency,” says the comic.

His early inspirations embrace comedians Russel Peters and Conan O’Brien. “In Late Night time with Conan O’Brien, I got here throughout a number of stand-up comedians who would come on the present to do their units. I additionally found David Letterman, legendary talk-show host and comic, on the present,” he says.

Throughout his time within the US as a postgraduate pupil and later working there , the engineer found comedians like Demetri Martin and Brian Regan by watching components of their performances on-line.

“Throughout my time within the US, I used to be totally centered on my research and job since you are there on a visa. As an Indian pupil, you have to first discover a method to make a residing. So though I used to be all the time into comedy, I by no means thought I’d do something with it,” says Shamik.

For a world crowd

The Edinburgh Pageant Fringe is a three-week competition that includes theatre, comedy, dance, music, and extra, based in 1947 with an goal to make artwork extra democratic. Over the latest years, comedians from India have carried out at a number of editions of the Fringe.

“The Fringe is sort of a boot camp for comedy. You carry out on daily basis for a few month, watch different performers from all around the world, and hopefully get impressed,” says Shamik. “Normally you do three nights of comedy in a row over the weekend, however that is going to be 25 days with a day without work in between.”

Earlier this yr, Shamik carried out on the Melbourne Comedy Pageant in Australia and on the Soho Theatre in London, UK.

“My reveals had a mixture of Indian and native folks in London. So, you have to clarify sure references that aren’t common. As an illustration, I discuss in regards to the PAN card as a part of my story, so I add a fast, enjoyable clarification about it.”

Shamik provides, “Stand-up comedy in its present state is an older artwork kind within the West. Since they’ve been doing it for thus a few years, you don’t get any disturbance from the gang there. There may be pin-drop silence earlier than the punchlines, and silence is a big a part of comedy. The best stand-up viewers is the one which listens and waits in your jokes.”

The comic can also be excited to observe Urooj Ashfaq and Prashasti Singh from India take the stage on the Edinburgh Pageant Fringe. “It’s good to have a contingent from India. I’ve seen bits of their particular however not the total reveals, and it is going to be thrilling to observe them.”

Transferring ahead

Shamik is planning to tour with ‘Regardless of Look’ throughout the nation from September to December. He hopes to do extra sketch comedy along with stand-up. He’s at the moment engaged on The Cricheads Podcast with comic Siddharth Dhudeja and Broke Studio Podcast with comic Gautham Govindan.

“My solely intention is to make folks chortle and make myself chortle,” he says.

Watch Regardless of Appearances by Shamik Chakrabarti on the Edinburgh Pageant Fringe from July 30 to August 24. Venue: Gilded Balloon Appleton Tower-Eve.

Printed – July 30, 2025 05:00 pm IST