KGAF: A funny pill to swallow

Diseases and medicines aren’t exactly topics that invoke a pleasant picture in your head, leave alone a funny one. But stand-up comedian Anuvab Pal did exactly that at In Stitches, an event at HT Kala Ghoda Arts Festival 2016 on Friday. He poked fun at how Indian men above 65 have no filter in what they say, especially about their health problems. “An elderly uncle on a flight once went into a detailed description of piles with another, who seemed equally interested,” Pal said onstage. He made fun of the infamous pot-bellied middle-aged men, “Indian men above 40 just give up. I went to my 20-year school reunion and nobody acted their age. A friend showed up wearing a T-shirt that said ‘Stud for the ladies’ right over his belly”.

The show, which was organised as part of Tabiyat, an art exhibition on ancient medicine in India, had the audience in splits as Pal went on. He drew humour from history too: “ You know what was considered medicine in Akbar’s court? Biryani. It was considered the exiler of life. So much so, when Wajid Ali Shah was sent to exile, he chose to take his Biryani cooks with him rather than his family members.”

The show also saw an act by Shikha Talsania, presented by Patchworks Ensemble. Talsania did a piece where she played a character from Trinidad. Sharing a golden chicken curry recipe by her great-great grandmother, she narrated humourous anecdotes about her. “Both the shows were hilarious,” said advertising executive from Thane, Devashish Jaamb (25). “Pal was classy and a perfect shot of joy for a tasteful audience.”