Comedian Sahil Shah, recognized for his flawless grasp of observational comedy, returns with one of his most reflective stand-up performances to date, Broken. The 34-year-old comic, who has taken the stage over 1500 times in cities such as New York, London, Toronto, Nairobi, Singapore, and Dubai, spoke with Hindustan Times regarding his evolution as an artist and the significance of mental health.

He also discussed the recent controversy involving Kunal Kamra, who reportedly made a remark directed at Maharashtra Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, labeling him a 'traitor,' which resulted in the vandalism of his stand-up venue Habitat studio. Sahil shared his perspective on comedian Samay Raina's India Got Latent controversy, where podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia's joke about parents caused him considerable trouble. Sahil emphasized the role audiences can play in supporting comedians during uncertain times within the Indian comedy landscape.

Excerpts from the interview:

Tell us about your latest standup comedy show on YouTube, Broken.

 It is a comedic performance focused on my struggles and the various actions I am undertaking to improve myself. This show is very personal to me, and I have been developing it for five years. My initial special was Childish Behavior, so Broken serves as a counterpoint, indicating that I am no longer immature. When Covid struck and my mental health fluctuated, I began to ponder existential questions, which ultimately shaped the show. A significant portion of the show also revolves around my dog and cat.

What made you turn your existential crisis into a comedy special?

Comedyis the ultimate form of emotional release. When a comedian experiences a breakup, there are two reflections. The first reflection is, 'Oh my god, I am heartbroken' the second reflection is 'Waah, kya joke milega isme' (Wow, what an incredible joke will arise from this). Therefore, as I was experiencing these feelings during the lockdown, I began to document them, and the more I wrote about it, I considered it would be enjoyable to talk about mental health, the sorrow I am experiencing.

What is your process when coming up with jokes on everyday situations?

So let me present you with an excellent example. I was speaking with my therapist, expressing that I feel I haven't accomplished enough in my life, and my therapist replied, look at Vincent Van Gogh; he gained fame posthumously. I responded that this is the worst piece of advice you have given me, highlighting the clear irony in the scenario. Even she recognized this after a while and stated, almost in a panic, 'No no. I am not suggesting you have to die to achieve fame. ' At that moment, I noted that this is such a humorous joke that my therapist also believes that perhaps you will gain fame after you're gone! Therefore, when events like this occur in my life, I reflect on what transpired, and the next step is that I can transform it into a joke.

You had mentioned in a previous interview that comedy should be taken as an art form and not a threat. Why do you think people are taking it as a threat?

So let us simply phrase it this way, humor relies on a fundamental aspect known as context. If you were attending a comedy performance in person, you would recognize that when I am on stage and telling my jokes, they are not originating from a place of spite, there is no ulterior motive, no one has compensated me to express what I wish to. My humor comes from a space where I aspire to convey my feelings.

Now, for instance, tomorrow, I may tell a joke about a therapist, hypothetically, and if a group of therapists becomes upset, I would then ask why they are upset. I am not attempting to threaten you. That was not my intention. I was sharing my experiences and my thoughts. As a creative individual, I hold the belief that we are all entitled to our thoughts, viewpoints, and if you do not agree with my views and opinions, you have the right to disagree. However, if that escalates to you becoming hostile or aggressive, that is when it becomes an issue because we aren’t posing any threats, we are simply joking, it does not constitute hate speech.

Yet what can individuals find offensive, we cannot ascertain. Indeed, it is an intimidating period for artists where, tomorrow for example, if you are crafting this article, you may feel anxious or worried about expressing your thoughts but then contemplate whether I can or perhaps I shouldn’t.

Have you had a conversation with fellow comedians like Kunal Kamra, Samay Raina or for that matter Ranveer Allahbadia?

I do not know Ranveer personally, but I have contacted Kunal and Samay through messages and had conversations with them. And you see, I can only support my fellow comedians. I sent a message inquiring, 'all good? ', 'hope all is well? ', that's all.

You also mentioned that the audience should be there for the artists. What do you actually expect from the audience?

I don'texpect the audience to take any action. If someone arrives to deface the property, the audience will flee. No one will step forward. I concur, I acknowledge. I am stating, online, endorse the individual, that’s all. Tomorrow, I have provided you with a joke about dogs and PETA reacts negatively towards me, I want individuals to be present and assert no Sahil was joking. He possesses a dog, he is speaking from personal experience, I do not believe he harbors hatred, we stand by him.

People fail to grasp this but everyone is impacted by it. It involves not just Kunal Kamra but also Habitat was closed, affecting the livelihoods of those employed there, what actions did they take? None. Their means of living are being jeopardized. We no longer have a location to perform.

How do you think online support will help the comedy scene in India?

I'll be Honest, no controversy is a bad controversy. Individuals believe that silence is a very effective tool; however, silence can have an opposite effect. On one side, if you inform someone that they will never be allowed to perform, when that individual goes and performs in another country, they are likely to be sold out. The more you attempt to prevent people from doing something, the more they will want to do it. It is that straightforward.

Observe Kamra's YouTube channel and note the number of super thanks he has received. I recently noticed that someone sent him ₹10,000 with the message 'bro keep up the good fight. ' This exemplifies what I refer to as support. You are financially backing someone who may have faced a lost opportunity. You are monetarily aiding someone by purchasing tickets when they eventually begin touring. You emotionally uplift someone by sending them a message during their tough times. We are nothing without our audience. We are simply individuals who communicate. If my audience were to stop attending my shows tomorrow, it would not matter what I do; my support would be gone forever.

Even the audience is at a loss when something like this happens, like them being questioned.

This was unpredictable. I don’t believe that venue anticipated it would be disrupted. We are experiencing uncertain times. You can't predict how someone might respond to something for valid, legitimate reasons too. What Kamra mentioned must have offended someone, prompting their reaction, which may seem valid to them but not to us. There are two sides to every story. Therefore, as an audience member, I am stating that things will resume. Performances are still taking place. The Habitat will return once more. When it does, come watch performances, and support the artists.

As an artist, how important is it for you to be fearless?

It totally relies on what you believe in. Kamra is incredibly fearless, he is intensifying his stance. His Tamil Nadu situation is the most amusing thing I have ever heard. (In a viral audio clip, Kunal Kamra was reportedly confronted by a person asking for his address, but the comedian informed him that he is in Tamil Nadu). I am also unafraid when it comes to the subjects I address. As a comedian, you get to choose which subjects you want to address. Fear arises from ‘I don’t believe I can speak on this’. I want to discuss death; that is more significant to me.

When I mention support, I would also like to highlight that if someone is cancelled or faces threats, as Ranveer mentioned regarding the threats to his family, it’s important to recognize that these individuals’ mental health would be at an unprecedented low. A simple message saying, I love what you do, I will always support you, means significantly more than purchasing a ticket, though buying a ticket does contribute. Even in my show, there is a crucial segment where I discuss the significance of this relationship between comedian and audience.

You have been performing since 19 and now you are 34. How do you think your journey has been all over these years? And how has your audience evolved?

I think what we often overlook is that after every comedy show there’s inevitably someone who says, ‘Oh my god, I am seeing you for the first time’. We often overlook that not only are there fresh comedy audiences emerging but there are also familiar audiences. I have encountered parents who mentioned, ‘Listen I was in college when you used to perform. Now this is my child and I am like ‘Oh my god’, that is when you recognize, your audience is also aging alongside you. My responsibility now is for my audience who have matured with me to take pride and say, ‘hey when I was 19 and he was 19, that was enjoyable but now as we have grown older, it still feels the same. I have evolved, he has evolved, I appreciate it’.

What are the new experiments you are trying to do?

I put my all in this performance. There is a fresh production I am developing and its theme revolves around continuing to express how I am mediocre in all aspects and how I have come to understand that I don’t desire to be exceptional. I find joy in being average. There is excessive stress associated with being the best, and that’s the complete next direction in my life. I want to introduce my little one (new production) to the world, I want it to grow and as it matures, I wish to savor life a bit more with my dog and cat.

You talk about mental health and how you have coped over the years in your show Broken. What has helped you that the audience can take a cue from.

In improv comedy there is this basic fundamental rule called, 'Yes, and?' I have learnt to 'Yes, and?' my life. If anything happens I have learnt to be like, 'Yes, and now what?' Covid happened, I started doing digital shows, streaming. Live shows are happening, I am adapting. YouTube is happening, I am adapting. Reels are happening, I have adapted. It is very important to keep adapting and growing. So that's the advice I would give, if anything happens, accept it, say ‘yes, and now what’ and look forward to the next chapter.

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