Jokes apart with Naveen Richard

If you’re a stand-up comedy enthusiast or if the Indian web series scene is your cup of tea, you’re sure to have come across Naveen Richard, who’s probably part of at least one of the latest web shows you’ve been binge watching.

Originally from Coimbatore, Richard moved to Bengaluru at a young age where his journey as a comic began. “I was the class clown. I was in the 11th standard when we did a play for Teachers’ Day and that’s when I realised I had control over my audience. That play was such a hit that Richard and his classmates took it to different schools. “At one point there were 2,000 kids in the audience and I remember going up and being the one guy doing anything and everything to keep people entertained. The kick you get out of that blows your mind. Validation feels really good,” he laughs.

Comedy in the stars

From there he moved on to juggling law and theatre while trying his luck at open mics. He says, “I did Five Point Someone as a play with Evam. It was my first paying job and we toured all across the country. Open mics were just picking up back then. So the last two years of my college was spent doing stand-up.” But stand-up comedy was not always the be-all and end-all for Richard. “The whole time I was doing theatre and comedy it was just to start making shows and movies. Our first web series, Better Life Foundation, was critically acclaimed. Because of that a lot of doors opened in terms of people trusting me to write shows.”

The comedian eventually made the big move to Mumbai. But he was not alone. “I was managed by a company from Mumbai. So I had to make the move. I think all of us Bangaloreans resisted,” he reveals.

But Richard and his friends knew there was a burgeoning comedy scene in Mumbai. “Kannan and Biswa from Bengaluru had found success there. Then Kenny went and I followed suit,” he says. His heart, though, is always back home. “I have more of a connect here than I do there. I’ve performed in Bengaluru, Chennai and Coimbatore. When I went to Mumbai, suddenly there was this Hindi audience that I couldn’t fully connect with,” he explains.

Richard is now doing shows in small towns in Kerala and other South Indian states. He was struck by how familiar the audience was; he was truly home. “The fact that I can switch to two-three words in Tamil and Malayalam just gave me a warm feeling, ” he says.

He still isn’t used to the fan following.“When people ask if they can take a picture with me, it’s comforting to know they watch my shows. That’s what I care about.”

Richard jots down quick notes. “I use this notepad to write random things. Before a show, I have to go over a list of all the jokes which I haven’t memorised. I blank out sometimes,” he says.

(The comic was in the city to perform at a OnePlus community meet-up)