Laughter has been known to be a stress reliever. It triggers the release of endorphins in our body which are essentially natural feel-good chemicals. Laughing, even if for a few minutes, provides us with a sense of happiness. Stand-up comedians are here to help us with this. With their witty humour, they give us a few moments of nothing but stress- free laughs and giggles.

Today we bring you, two such stand-up comedians, to lighten up your day.

First up, we have Gaurav Kapoor with some rib-tickling crowd work. On the 19th of November, he uploaded a video titled ‘Rowdy Audience’ which, to be honest, is very accurate. People love this Delhi-based stand-up comedian for his take on comedic take on everyday situations of life. Even in this video, you can see how easily he improvises as he makes his audience the subject for this set. He delivers each punchline flawlessly as the whole crowd breaks into fits of laughter. You will probably end up laughing so much that your stomach starts hurting within these 10 minutes of Gaurav Kapoor’s humour. Click the link below to experience it yourself!

Next, we bring you, Vikramjit Singh, with his absolutely hilarious stand-up performance. His set is titled “Money”, very accurately too, if I say so myself. Vikramjit Singh isn’t just a stand-up comedian, but a storyteller. He narrates his story in such a way that it resonates with his audience. It’s the relatability that will crack you up. There’s just no way one can leave a Vikramjit Singh show without laughing till they tear up. 

Click below to enjoy his knee-slapping story on the friendship of a middle-classed and a rich man – how the different lives clash in the most humorous ways!

Trigger Warning: Rape

Somewhere in the day-to-day business of life, we forget that simple innocence which used engulf us as a child. A ‘Gudiya’ or a doll is an embodiment of exactly that. It is a symbol of love, innocence and child-like wonder which affirms our faith in all that is good in the world. Nobody is born with a cold heart, but with an innate wonder and most of all; kindness. But what if that doll is cruelly snatched away from you? What if you are hunted and brutalised for no fault of your own?

Written and performed by Swaraj Singh, ‘Gudiya’ speaks of a heartbreaking told many times in our country. He delicately and deftly takes us through the harsh realities of rape, by focusing on a doll, and how that life is extinguished. Unfortunately, this heinous crime still spreads rapidly in our country, curbing many in deep fear.

It is time to stop ‘moving on’ from these tragedies and seek the justice that is owed. It is time that the ‘Gudiya’ is safe and free enough to dream big and be whoever she wants to be. We haven’t lost our trust in the power of human goodness just yet, and wherever there are such voices; there is movement. The only way out is forward. Notions of victim-shaming and mental abuse of survivors must get dismantled. We cannot allow our dolls to suffer in silence while the abusers run free. With awareness about consent and sex education, the future seems bright. With voices like Swaraj’s, touching our hearts, I am left with no doubts that the goodness within people will be invigorated. Activism and solidarity will win, with the flag of kindness waving in the proud sky.

Never forget, every great change begins with a single ripple!

Enticing laughter is truly one of the hardest things to do. Now, more than ever we could all do with a little guffaw or a smirk or even a simple smile. As we see the world spit out more and more disheartening headlines by the hour, some people take it upon themselves to spread joy and laughter because really, what else is life really about? A shared moment of happiness will make a home in your mind for the rest of your living days.

We bring you two such comics who, much like the alchemist’s stone, have turned our gloomy morose days into fun using amazing with and commentary. On September 21st, Munawar Faruqi released an eight-minute set entitled ‘Pubg, Arnab and Drugs’, which are definitely few terms nobody has been able to escape from in the last few days. Filled with witty commentary and hidden political discourse, this one will make you laugh and also feel energised about your place in the world and what you can do to make it as ethical as possible. Just on the brink of a million views, Faruqi’s skill and timing in this video stand apart on their own.

It is very difficult to streamline the world of comedy, there are a vast number of ways to make a person laugh and many comedians mould themselves into their unique ‘brands’. Some make it musical (a la Bo Burnham) and some like to keep it observational (like Kenny Sebastian), but there truly is no label that could encapsulate Gaurav Kapoor’s intuition and skill. In a video titled ‘Dollars and Happy Birthday’, he shows us a glimpse of a show conducted over zoom in which he tickles many funnybones of people from all around the globe. He brought forth a feeling of unity and togetherness tied through a string of jokes and punches. Surely, not one to miss out on!

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in the performances belong solely to the artists and the performers and do not represent those of The Talented Indian. The platform is not responsible and does not verify for accuracy of any information contained in the performances. 

Stories are shrouded with emotions, creativity, and dialogue but when they are resonated into a poem, the beauty of it reaches to an unimaginable level. A simple story when turned into a poem and recited appropriately can mesmerize the spectator in every way.

Tape A Tale and Live By FnP Media are two of the biggest platforms to nurture and promote artistic thinking of storytelling and poem recitation. They leave no stone unturned while doling out an opportunity to all those who believe to be creative and help them prove their mettle.

It’s very noble of these platforms to help those little poets of the country who wish to spread their word out of different opinions they possess. Writer’s creativity portrays a simple concept into a life lesson if needed for. The beauty of that is spectacular and inspires millions.

These storytellers have put forward their life lessons into a poem and wish to inspire people and make an impact.

Kartik Chandna presented an extremely beautiful realistic story of his childhood that led him to connect the dots towards a priceless life lesson. A small cardamon that made a change in his life led him to inspire other people with this lesson since it was an unprecedented perception of a situation that no one could figure.

Kena Shree symbolized the importance of lack of personal interaction due to social media influence over the people of the country. She presented an effectively common perception by the people online who are insensitive towards other’s feelings and led her to recite a story about it. She explained how social media has created a wall between reality and the digital world.

Ahmed Faraz in this story features himself as a child and shares his experience of the time when Paise still held importance. His beautiful representation of life and the childhood version f his had similarity that no one seems to notice.

Laughter is the best medicine, they say, but during these difficult times, we haven’t been able to get hold of the dose. The standup performances we used to go to served us as the refreshment of the day and made us laugh to release all our stress. Surfing through these standup performances by renowned comedians can help relive those moments of happiness. Let’s go through some of them:

Vipul Goyal in this amazing standup performance sells out jokes about his uncle and engineers only eligible for arranged marriages. He also speaks about awkward and interesting dreams that people have and jokes about them being so adventurous.

Urooj Ashfaq, a renowned standup comedian, has performed at hundreds of places around the country and comes up with yet another performance where she talks about Casual relationships and their repercussions.

Gaurav Kapoor in this good-humoured performance does some crowd work and entertains them with interesting questions about audience’s life and their journey and tries to make jokes on them.

Zakir Khan, the popular and extremely funny standup comedian uploads another entertaining performance about crappy relationships and their being. He speaks about all those little embarrassing and funny things couples do.

Disclaimer: The views, thoughts and opinions expressed in the performances belong solely to the artists and the performers and do not represent those of The Talented Indian. The platform is not responsible and does not verify for accuracy of any information contained in the performances.