If you've been into Indian stand up comedy, you've certainly heard of Kritarth Srinivasan! Hailing from Bangalore, Kritarth is a comedian who's been making people roar with laughter for quite some time now. He was here to Perform at Canvas Laugh Club on 19th-22nd of April, it was a little tricky, but we managed to get a few words with him. Here's how that went :

Q . So Kritarth# when did you realize that you had a knack for making people laugh? Could you tell us more about why you decided on stand up comedy as a form of expression?
A : I think all comics know that they're funny. If you don't know you're funny, you can't sell yourself is kind of the point. I was always the class clown and I used to read a lot of joke books. I always always been inclined towards making jokes. I went to watch this show hosted by Veer Das once, and it was an open mic sort of thing and I wrote my name down for the free entry and free beer. There was a big demand for comedians back then, and I got offered shows only cause there was no one else to open, haha. From there I started doing other shows of the kind and that's how I became a stand up comedian.

Q . It's often said that timing is an integral part of comedy. What are you thoughts on that statement?
A :  So I'm still doing jokes that I used to back then, but I get way more laughs out of them now. So the James Bond joke that I do, that was actually one of my first jokes. I do the exact same joke now, but it wasn't funny then. I didn't know when to pause, let the audience get the joke. I didn't have the timing and structure that I do now. So yeah, timing is a pretty important part of comedy! So that's why dad jokes don't get as many laughs, cause it's not timed well.

Q . You had a really funny section in one of your videos about the famous 'Mere paas Maa hai' sequence. How do you enjoy old Bollywood films? 
A : So I'm actually a 30 year old man in a younger body, cause all my interests are from back then. I love 70's rock; a couple of my videos actually begin with a 70's rock song, I think. And of course, old Bollywood movies! Bangalore helps a lot with that actually, because of the kinda music and culture that go on around have the vibe, but it wasn't a deciding factor. I'm genetically conditioned to like it, haha. But I'm sure if I watched Bollywood movies to make jokes, I'd come up with a lot more of them!
 

Q . So there's been a general debate on wether it's okay to makes "dark" jokes about a lot of subjects. As a comedian, what would your opinion be of this?
A : It's about how you say it more than what you say. So Bill Burr had this bit about hitting women, which was criticized by a lot of people. Now he didn't say that it was okay to do so, but the topic is very sensitive to be in a stand up comedy show. It was his timing and experience that made him land that joke well. Now with India, we've had stand up only for about 10 years. So we don't have that kind scene where people are experienced enough, or the crowd is okay enough for that kinda stuff to be talked about. It's all about the context of the joke, and when it's taken out of the right context, it can sound a little dark. 

Q . You've had a bunch of shows in Mumbai so far. What do you crave to eat when you come here?
A : With Bombay, it's like a melting pot. I can find authentic of everything here, but with Bangalore, the thing is that you can't get that authenticity of food. In Bombay, I know that I can get everything from A-Z. If someone recommends an Italian restaurant in Bombay, I won't need a second opinion on that. I'd be open to every opinion here! 
The city's big on street food, quite big on it. You don't find that in Bangalore. I don't have a specific interest or something like that. I don't have shit that I like or dislike.

Q . On a scale of 1-10, how much do you enjoy drinking? And what would be your favorite kind of alcohol, if you had to pick one?
A : 9 and half. Hahaha, I didn't want to sound like an alcoholic hence the half. Bangalore is really good for alcohol. My dad is in the airforce, and he gifted me 12 bottled from the canteen for 1100 bucks. And my lifestyle takes me to a lot of pubs, so that happens. I like consuming my alcohol in slow bursts. I don't perform on influence, I wouldn't perform drunk. I don't want to drink to perform. I like beer a lot though! Craft beer is something I've been excited about, since micro breweries have been popping up everywhere!

We would like Kritarth for taking time out to give this hilarious yet insightful interview.

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