There is a slight lull in the conversation as I pose some of my more routine questions to him. He is, however, accommodating enough to answer them. Soon enough, as the conversation progresses, you get an idea of the man Prasad Bhat truly is. Blunt, funny and an all-around laidback guy. Think a little bit of ‘The Dude’ from ‘The Big Lebowski’. He brings a certain freshness to the conversation, being willing to openly talk about his actual opinion on things, ranging from art to stand-up comedy, and where he stands on some facets of his life.
Born in Mumbai but raised in Bangalore, Bhat is pretty straightforward about what made him pursue art professionally. Unemployment. Having pursued a degree in Engineering, it wasn’t like he actively made the choice, from the very beginning, to pursue a career in art. More so, it was the lack of opportunities. It was then that he decided to pursue what he was actually good at. Beginning with making cover art for bands based in Bangalore, he moved on to being a graphic designer. His job, as a graphic designer, as he claims, was more of a means to an end rather than being a channel for fulfillment.
Parallel to working as a graphic designer, Bhat actually began to reacquaint himself with what he loved. Caricatures. As he says, he had always been fascinated with facial features and expressions. Still, that was something that he did on the side, occasionally putting up his work at exhibitions such as Sunday Soul Sante. Soon enough, he went on to start Graphicurry with the hopes of being a freelance web designer. Over time, it gradually evolved into the online art store that it is today, with a lot of interest being directed towards his personal artistic style.
A lot of attention has been given to Bhat on account of his artistic flair, and rightfully so. However, there is something else that he is quite good at, namely making people laugh. Stand-up comedy actually happened to him quite incidentally. Bhat says getting into the comedy scene actually came about as a result of him having too much time on his hands. That and the fact that most of his friends had moved.
To be frank, comedy wasn’t his first brush with performing on stage. In point of fact, he was a member of the thrash metal band, Extinct Reflections. He recalls his first open mic fondly, stating that the whole experience of being on stage as a comedian is, in fact, quite addictive. However, there is a line that he draws on the material that he uses in his routines. No, scratch that. That came off too strong. Asserting that he only broaches a subject if it is personally interesting to him and not because it is something that draws in a crowd, Bhat is quite adamant on pursuing comedy for his own satisfaction.
Interestingly, however, he is a little hesitant about pursuing Stand-up comedy as anything more than a hobby. While Graphicurry, as an entrepreneurial venture based on his love for caricatures, is a professional engagement for him, Bhat is not quite sure about turning another one of his passions into something that he pursues professionally. In fact, there is quite a bit on his mind about the nature of Stand-up comedy in the country.
There are, as Bhat states, a lot of strings that come attached with being a comedian in the country. Leaving aside the completely disproportionate expenditure that goes into travelling, recording your material and then uploading it into a public space, there is this fundamental idea that anybody can jump into Stand-up comedy. That idea, as a matter of fact, does more harm than good.
While Stand-up comedy, despite being something that he loves doing, may prove to be frustrating at times, Bhat, on the artistic end, has been given the due recognition for his work. Recently, Bhat has been getting into the NFT space, putting up his artwork for auctioning bids. His first creative piece, on the evolution of Leonardo DiCaprio, sold for over 1.76 Ethereum, which is approximately over 2.5 lakhs. That’s not just a simple realisation of self-worth. As a matter of fact, that is a truckload of validation hitting you all at once. Bhat, now, gets what his artwork is truly worth to others.
“First, you need to be good at it and, then, someone needs to pay you for being good at it. That’s another league.”
Prasad Bhat
Never one to mince words, Prasad Bhat has one single piece of advice for everyone trying to pursue something that they are passionate about. Passion is one thing, being good at what you are passionate about and getting paid for it is another matter entirely. As he calmly states, “If you are not good at it, don’t do it”. Blind passion needs to be tempered with a strong sense of practicality. And while he may pass that off as a casual throwaway joke, you can sense the seriousness behind his words. After all, art and humour is only ever derived from a point in reality.
