Stand-up comedy is no longer just a road that offers escape from the draining realities around us for a fixed time. Nor is it just about “having a good laugh” and moving on. Besides being a part of the large tapestry of performing arts, stand-up comedy is almost as popular and cherished as cinema in India today, albeit not comparable in terms of financial investment or returns. The popularity it received over the past few years has been galvanising. In fact, it’s so in vogue at the moment that a stand-up set or special can land the comic on the trending list of ticketing platforms or prime-time news channels.
Among the many artistes who have risen to fame in the past few years is Shraddha Jain, popularly known as “Aiyyo” Shraddha. An engineer and former radio jockey (RJ) turned content creator, Shraddha is currently on a tour with her first stand-up special, So Mini Things. After covering over 45 cities across three continents, she’s set to wrap up the journey with the set. And where better for her to organise the last leg than India? With closing shows scheduled in Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and Bengaluru, she is totally satisfied and elated by the responses the special received everywhere she performed so far.
In an exclusive conversation with SCREEN, Shraddha opens up about So Mini Things, the experience performing her first stand-up special, her transition from an RJ to a comic, her process, politics and more.
Edited excerpts:
You’ve previously said that you owe much of what you’ve learned about content and storytelling to your time working in radio and your years as an RJ. But let me ask you something more specific: do you remember the first time you realised that you were funny and that people genuinely enjoy listening to you?
I just wanted to make my father chuckle and laugh. Before I knew it, the videos in my native Tulu language had travelled six times around the earth. So I discovered my humour when I saw people enjoying listening to me, not just politely nodding, especially when those videos started flying across WhatsApp and inboxes abroad.
What was your childhood like? Has that phase of your life shaped you as a comic in any way?
My content is deeply rooted in my Indian middle-class upbringing and summers in my ancestral Karkala, where I soaked in village life. I come from the largest common denominator, which is the Indian middle class, and that’s how I am able to find common ground with my audience. I spent holidays in Karkala, observing locals, and those very experiences became characters like Malathi akka and Genius Janaki.
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How similar or different are your real-life parents from the parent characters you portray in your comedy videos?
In my first Tulu video that went viral, my father’s reaction to pasta that had no gravy resonated instantly. That was the very first video that went viral, where I made Aglio e Olio pasta with parmesan… and my father wondered why it was dry… and he settled for eating it with sambar. My dad is my first critic, and his laughter — or sometimes his silence — truly influences my comedic tone.
From doing comedy skits on social media to performing in front of a live audience, how has that transition been?
I attribute my writing style to my RJ days — the discipline of radio shaped my content. And on stage, the shift was big at first. At the start, my radio jockey kicked in. I would not pause enough, and I would talk very fast. It took some time, but now I have settled into the set. Now I am comfortable with hecklers, improvisation, and the live energy.
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Let’s say you have a show at 6 pm one day, and you arrived in the city the previous evening and checked into your hotel. What are the hours leading up to the show usually like for you? What do you spend that time doing?
I go for walks! I really enjoy exploring new places on foot. In Melbourne, Sydney and London, I watched local stand-up shows and many musicals. I have spent whole days in art museums in Cleveland and Chicago!
Right before you go on stage to perform, what’s the last thing you do or make sure of?
I think of my parents and I say to myself, ‘Every single person in the audience is my own’. And I am ready.
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It’s often said that “the personal is political”. Since your set comprises mini stories, anecdotes and observational humour, let me ask, are you a political person? If so, how would you describe your politics?
I’m not someone who enjoys the theatre of politics — the slogans, the mudslinging, or the relentless jockeying for power. If anything, my ideal version of politics would be very little politics; minimalist, pragmatic and focused. I believe governance should be like good plumbing: quietly efficient, not constantly in your face. In a country like India — diverse, complex, and emotionally charged — politics often gets tangled up in things it has no business meddling with. For me, the real business of governance is quite straightforward: ensure quality education, sanitation and public health, public safety, and create employment opportunities.
Do you think artistes — comics in particular, given the massive legacy and impact many have had on people — should have a sense of responsibility towards society, and that their art should reflect that?
Yes. As an artiste, I ask myself, ‘What is my motive behind this piece that I want people to see? What do I want them to feel?’ This has always given me clarity and weeded out my material.
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Watch SCREEN’s exclusive interview with Roshan Mathew here:
What would you say is your biggest strength, and your biggest weakness?
Preparation. That is my biggest strength. The time I take to prepare is my big weakness! It takes forever to believe I am ready!
And finally, the worst request anyone can ever make to a comedian: tell us a joke, Aiyyo Shraddha…
How can you be sure Artificial Intelligence is a South Indian? ‘Cos it’s AI.yyo!’
