Abish Mathew on the art and science of laughter

Abish Mathew’s ability to generate laughs comes from his parents, he says as he performs for his first ticketed event in Visakhapatnam

In the space of two decades, Abish Mathew has been a musician (he was part of a school band), a radio jockey, an event host and finally, he found his calling as a comedian. Today, the 32-year-old is one of the well-known faces in the Indian comedy circuit. He enjoys alternative comedy and peppers his acts with sketches, drama and songs. Whether it is about him being a Malayali, being brought up in Delhi or being the only brother to five sisters, the content for his shows are drawn from his personal experiences and observations, he says. We caught up with him as he visited Visakhapatam for a show at Fairfield by Marriott. Abish is excited because this was his first ticketed performance in the city. But he does take time out to wax eloquent about the local cuisine, especially the gongura chicken that he describes it as a ‘tangy and spicy experience’.

“As a kid, I was always inclined towards the performing arts. In school I was also a part of a band and while I toyed with the notion of becoming a robotics engineer as a kid, I eventually settled for radio jockey,” he says. Abish believes that his instinct for comedy comes from his parents. “My father has an amazing sense of humour but isn’t so confident about his jokes ( incidentally the title ‘Son of Abish’ was his dad’s idea). On the other hand, my mother cracks bad jokes with unbelievable confidence. I inherited the funny genes from my dad and the confidence from my mother,” he laughs .

On a fun trail


   •  The comedian is also hosting a celebrity talk show called Son of Abish which recently came out with its sixth season. The episodes are available on YouTube and Hotstar.


   •   He hosted both the seasons of Comicstaan, produced by Amazon Prime.


   •   In 2019, he launched an audio show called The UnExperts on a streaming app Audible Suno. It is a talk show where Abish converses with celebrities.


   •   He enjoys watching comedians American comedian Kristen Schaal and John Drone


   •   His go to movie is the Jack Black starrer School of Rock

Chasing his dreams

When he started on this path, the industry was still nascent in India. “Open mics were not common even in Delhi at that time. Comedy was rare in the times of music performances at cafes or poetry recitation,” he says. His first open mic was in May 2008. “There were hardly 30 people in the crowd and most of them were my friends and colleagues whom I had invited. The first 10 minutes were really good when people laughed at my every joke but after that I tanked very badly. I struggled to make a joke while everyone sat there staring at me blankly,” he says.

However, that did not stop him. He kept honing his jokes and frequenting open mics. It was after three years of juggling the radio station and open mics, that Abish finally quit his job and took up comedy full time in 2011. Today, he is considered one of the pioneers in the Indian stand-up comedy circle. “Being an early bird in the industry comes with its own pros and cons. While you have the advantage of making the first move you are also experimenting with an art form that you are unsure will generate any revenue. Thankfully, comedy as an art form worked, and we managed to pursue it full time,” he says.

Despite a decade of performing across the world and in India, Abish still has the pre-show jitters. “Nervousness is too weak a word to describe how I feel! The 20 seconds that pass by between the host announcing my name and me getting on stage are all about existential crisis where I begin to question everything I do. But then I get on stage and get the first laugh and I know why I chose comedy,” he smiles. Though known for his improv skills, Abish still holds on to the old way of scripting jokes. “While I write down my jokes, the connecting segment between them are always improvised. That ensures I do not stagnate and discover new things about myself in every performance,” he adds.

Sailing through changing times

Speaking of YouTube and the internet, Abish says they have revolutionised entertainment. “Before YouTube most of the material we performed used to be local and city-specific. But now the reach is so much more. Our audience is varied, across languages, age groups and sectors of society. It takes two or three viral videos for people to start recognising a comedian,” he says.

Online streaming platforms brought in even more changes. Abish believes that solo shows on these platforms are a badge of honour for any comedian. “Having a solo or a comedy show on these platforms means that companies are investing in your art. So far, for most of the comedians, their careers have been self-funded,” he explains. Abish recently released his stand-up solo Whoop on Amazon Prime.

Abish doesn’t think streaming sites will put live shows out of business. “They can never go out of fashion as people will always step out to enjoy the experience of a live show. As a comedian, live shows are always a delight as they allow me to experiment with new jokes and build new material.”

Right to express

Abish is undeterred about how comedians often become the butt of trolls. “Everyone should have the right to express what they feel fearlessly. If I think something is funny, then I should have the right to say it. If you are offended by it, you have the right to express your disagreement by tweeting or commenting, but dragging someone to court and slapping lawsuits on them for a comedy show is not the right thing.”