BhaDiPa hunting for its next Marathi comic, to use college fests as a platform

Sarang Sathaye (right) on stage at a previous performance

For urbanites unversed in Marathi, the idea of a man wielding a mic speaking the language to an audience often brings to mind Ravi Shastri's booming "Kasa kai, Mumbai?" ritual that sets the Wankhede Stadium abuzz with excitement before every IPL match. In a quieter, yet equally passionate sphere, BhaDiPa, a group of Marathi stand-up comedians has been garnering chuckles, cheers, and even raging laughter for their performances around the world in the last seven years. The collective is now setting out in search of the next big Marathi comic through a state-wide talent hunt, Campus Bhankas.

Conceptualised by its founder Sarang Sathaye and creative producer Ameya Kadam, the tour will make pit-stops in six cities across Maharashtra, scouting for
potential talents using college fests as a platform. "Colleges are a breeding ground for untapped and unshackled talent. Once you're out of college, you're bound by responsibilities and distracted by monetary endeavours," shares Sathaye. The Mumbai layover is set to take place at Ramnarain Ruia College's annual fest Utsav Aarohan. "I have judged stand-up competitions at the college fest before. When I approached them with the plan for the tour, they were welcoming towards the initiative; the goal to promote performance arts in the vernacular is a shared one," the founder reveals.

Ameya Kadam

Over a phone call between juggling arrangements for the tour, Kadam reveals more about what the initiative has to offer. "The closest thing to an audience that Marathi comics have today are open mics. But what happens after your first, second or third open mic? What does one level up to?" he points out. The tour aims to answer the question, he remarks, sharing that three deserving winners from each city will be initiated into a workshop where they will train under the wings of veteran Indian comedians.

"The idea is to get them stage-ready. Once the training concludes, they will perform in all six cities once again, where the audience collectively decides the ultimate winner," Kadam explains.

Members of the group at a previous comedy workshop

What makes the initiative commendable, this writer believes, is the inclusion of cities like Kolhapur, Sambhajinagar (formerly, Aurangabad) and Nashik that seldom make it to urban discussions around performing arts, let alone stand-up comedy. "We were traversing across eastern Maharashtra in 2020, conducting comedy workshops for students in rural and Naxalite-affected areas when we noticed the immense talent the hinterlands were hiding," Sathaye recalls. "For a majority of Indians, English is not the first language, and most definitely not where humour lies. Rural comics speak to a wider audience, sans the high-handedness and that is what sets them apart,"
he concludes.

On December 22; 12.30 pm to 3.30 pm
At Ramnarain Ruia College, Matunga (Central Railway).
Call 9833025302 (registration for college students only)
Free