Laugh riot

“I’m a hardcore news person. I start the day by reading ten newspapers and updating myself on the latest news,” Mann says. “The aim is to use comedy to make a point,to create awareness without making it sound dull and boring.” The decision to opt for the radio,says 39-year-old Mann,was “because of Ramanuj Prasad and Indu Vani of AIR”. “I’ve been living with Akashvani,Vivid Bharati,BBC London and Voice of America. Back at my village in Sangrur,my family could make me do any work by luring me with a radio; in fact,I slept with one tucked away under my pillow,” he adds.

“You can listen to the radio no matter what you are doing. It is still one of cleanest mediums of information,” says Mann,whose career as a comedian began in 1992. He worked in television channels like Alpha ETC and MH One,starring in shows like Jugnu Kehnda Hai,Jugnu Mast Mast and Jugnu Hazir Hai on these channels.

Television comedy,Mann feels,had however become saturated. “Double entendre or abuse can make people laugh but is not comedy. To be effective,comedy must be clean with the right amount of wit,satire and sarcasm,” he says. Mann often uses the comic format in his albums and shows to deliver social messages. “My album on environment,for example,talked about the choked atmosphere,dried up rivers and polluted farm lands. My film Ekam,with Babbu Mann,also talked about real problems,” Mann sums up.

Curated For You

Kamakhya-Howrah: India’s 1st Vande Bharat Sleeper train to start commercial run from Jan 22 – check stops, timings

Kolkata set to experience 4-5°C rise in next few days, Met predicts warm weather during Saraswati Puja

‘I worked even on day my daughter died’: Paid just Rs 66 daily, Chhattisgarh midday meal cooks seek better wages