For one night at the 10-day Dubai Comedy Festival, the stage will be taken over by the desis, that’s the loose term used to proudly describe people from South Asia. Called Desi Invasion, the evening will be headlined by Dubai-born Indian comedian and actor Nitin Mirani, who, along with Neeti Palta, Abish Mathew, Atul Khatri and Kenny Sebastian will do their best to bring the laughs, as Mirani says, in ‘Hinglish’.
Mirani, who’s recently moved to India for a shot at Bollywood, is a veteran in the UAE’s comedy circuit. He tells tabloid! he has no plans to move from Dubai permanently, because shows such as the Desi Invasion will always bring him back. Here are excerpts:
Hello Nitin, we hear you’ve ditched us and moved to India for good? Why?
I have definitely not ditched Dubai, but have shifted my base temporarily as I’ve signed a film for which I’m also the co-writer. So it would make more sense to be closer to the team. Dubai is my city and has given me lots so I am never going to leave. In fact, I’m actually bringing a Desi Invasion [to the city].
So are you going to be the next Bollywood heart-throb?
I have always wanted to act and have been part of some amazing projects such as City of Life and Soul of Dubai directed by Ali Mustafa, and I’m really happy that I have moved to Mumbai to pursue this part of my career, and have been receiving good feedback on my work. I have always been close to my craft and art so I am not sure about being a heart-throb but I do hope to surely make my name as an ‘artthrob’.
How different is the comedy scene in India compared to the UAE?
The only comparison would be that you can say what you want and get away with a lot more things in India. But I really am glad and happy that I started with comedy in the UAE because as an artist the city does teach you a discipline and one of them being that I DO NOT need to use explicit language to be funny. Even though in Mumbai I can get away with throwing around a few words here and there as the audience is OK with it, I have learnt in the UAE where to draw the line and can perform for any kind of audience. Having said that, I love performing in Mumbai because the audience is very very receptive. Besides, what’s not to love when after my three performances in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore [Bengaluru] last week, I received a standing ovation.
We hear you also got engaged? Congrats. But now what?
Well I’m actually not officially engaged, but it’s a small ceremony called ‘Roka’, which is hilarious because in Hindi roka means ‘stop’. You sound like most of my relatives who keep asking me ‘But now what?’ Well, now I look forward to marrying my beautiful soul mate.
You’re coming back to Dubai for Desi Invasion at the Dubai Comedy Festival. Tell us a little bit more about that night.
It going to be madness. I am so excited about the line-up as the artists are one of the best comedians in India. Dubai is in for a treat. The show will not just be a stand-up comedy show but also an audiovisual treat. Thanks to the amazing people at Eyka [organisers of the night], we are the only Hinglish comedy show and I am super proud to introduce our desis to these hilarious acts.
Tell us a little bit about the comedians you’re performing with.
Kenny, is one of the brightest talents in India and has been on the comedy circuit for quite some time now with more than 200 shows under his belt. He has scripted and acted in India’s first improv sketch show called The Living Room on Comedy Central India. He is also eye candy, so basically we just got him on board so more girls could buy tickets. You know how women love a man with a guitar.
When I called Neeti a few ago, she told me, ‘Hey Nitin, I can’t talk much because I’m with the president of India’. Neeti is a breath of fresh air with her perspective followed by a genuine smile, something that got her the title of the best stand-up comic at the Oz Fest and was India’s first stand-up to perform at Melbourne for the prestigious Melbourne Comedy Festival 2013 and was also ranked number one on CNN IBN’s list of ‘Top 20 Indian stand-up comedians to watch out for in 2014’. P.S. Yes, she did hang out with the president and you know how we like people who are well connected.
Atul? Now this man truly inspires me every time I watch him on stage. As a matter of fact, he stole the show the last time I brought him down to Dubai for Komic Sutra. He’s a 40-plus Mumbai-based businessman who got up late in life and decided to do English stand-up so that he could tick it off his own bucket list. CNN-IBN recently rated him as one of the Top 20 comedians in India to watch out for. But the reason he is also on the line-up is that I know he will share his soup with me because he always orders soup one-by-two [split one into two].
Abish, is a force to reckon with. He is one of the hardest working and most enterprising comedians I have ever come across. This guy is unstoppable and always leaves the audiences in stitches whether it’s his stand-up, unique songs, hilarious sketches, witty improvs or even his appearance at the famous AIB Roast. Abish is a true entertainer and to top it all, he’s a Malayali, so he will make sure he never leaves until the job is done.
So why should we not miss Desi Invasion at Dubai Comedy Festival?
Why not? Here are 10 convincing reasons:
1. Because our visa is valid only for a short trip
2. Neeti, Kenny, Abish, Atul and me — that’s five reasons already
3. To make sure that you don’t miss out on the fun the other desi’s will have.(You know they will talk about it and tease you)
4. Because we might have a parcel for you from your relative in India.
5. Free parking
6. If you miss India, we will remind you why you moved in the first place.
7. Because it’s the only Hinglish show as part of the Dubai Comedy Festival. #Represent
8. Well as the saying goes “If you cant beat em. Laugh at em”.
9. As part of the show, we will tell you where you can get the best discounts on electronics and jewellery.
10. Do it for Modi
Don’t miss it:
Desi Invasion is on October 17. Tickets are priced Dh125 and Dh350 and available on platinumlist.net. The Dubai Comedy Festival runs from December 15 to 24. For more info, go to dubaicomedyfest.ae.
