Stand-up comedian Amit Tandon is back in Mumbai for the last leg of his set with nostalgia dipped anecdotes and timeless punchlines
Amit Tandon on-stage in Sydney earlier this year
There has been an undeniable return to the 1990s in almost every sphere. Be it fashion, make-up, film re-releases, song remakes or even show reboots, all of us love to be cradled in the sweet swing of nostalgia. Joining this cultural fervour is stand-up comic Amit Tandon, returning to the stage with his popular set, Hamare Zamane Mein for one last time. We catch Tandon mid-week amidst preparations for his performance to chat about the set. “The show is basically about nostalgia. All of us have heard our parents say “hamaare zamane mein aisa hota tha...” as a way to discern generational changes, but I wanted to talk about how things have really changed or if they have changed at all. When I started writing the show, I realised that it is not only about how kids these days are being brought up or how the 1980s and 1990s were so tough in general; it is about a lot of other aspects as well. I wanted to capture the nuances of these changes beyond obvious things like technology and lifestyle,” the Chandigarh-based funnyman explains.
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Tandon is known for delving into amusing anecdotes about the Indian middle class life, inspired by his own experiences and the cultural milieu that he grew up in. How do audiences respond to these reflections, we ask? “People love to relive the old times. When I share these stories, they get transported to their childhood which makes it special. This one time I was performing in London and I got to know that a group of 10 to 12 people, all above the age of 80, had travelled for two hours to attend my show. I was touched by their love,” he shares.
Audience members laugh along during a previous performance
It can be safely established that Tandon’s comedic hold is strongest with the Generation X and millennials but he is also popular with the Gen Z. How does he manage to be funny, or even relatable, for people across generations and especially the Gen Z? “I don’t try hard to be relatable. I just tell my stories. When I am writing this content at the age of 49, it still has the possibility of resonating with people above the age of 35 or 40, but Gen Z liking my content is definitely a little surprising. I think what they like, apart from the jokes obviously, is that a lot of my anecdotes remind them of things that they have heard from their parents. It’s like seeing things from your parents’ point of view but in a funny way,” he observes.
Tandon has his plate full with new projects even before the last shows of Hamare Zamaane Mein roll out this month. “There is a Bollywood show that I am writing and there are a few OTT scripts in the pipeline as well. Hopefully, in the next two to three years I will put out a diverse range of work. The response for our podcast, Chaar Yaar has also been phenomenal and we will come back with a second season in May or June next year,” he informs us before signing off.
ON December 8; 7.30 pm onwards.
AT Lata Mangeshkar Natya Gruha Auditorium, Mahajan Wadi, Mira Road East.
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