Comicstaan 3: A Stand-Up Comedy Reality Show

Plot

For those who enjoy stand up comedy, Comicstaan 3 makes amusing viewing, enough to lift the monsoon gloom. The format of the show involves judges and mentors, audiences scoring participants trying out different formats such as improv, sketch, anecdotal, and so on, and vying for a Rs 10 lakh prize.

Acting

The contestants in this season were well-prepared with sharp timing and some really witty sets. Good to see three young women Gurleen Pannu, Pavitra Shetty, and Shriya Priyam in the group with Aman Jotwani, Adesh Nichit, Shamik Chakrabarti, Natiq Hassan, and Aashish Solanki. The mentors and judges corrected the participants' mistakes with kindness and roasted one of the roasters in an innovative way.

Cinematography

The Comicstaan set lacks the resemblance of a comedy club, resembling The Great Indian Laughter Challenge instead. The canned laughter used throughout the show is the worst, and in addition to being reminded of Sidhu paaji, it’s likely that you’ll also be reminded of Kapil Sharma now, too.

Direction

The Comicstaan format is a reality show that unites seven of India’s most prominent comedians as judges/mentors to the 10 handpicked contestants from all across India. The show’s quest to appease every sort of audience member fails at cultivating an identity of its own. The judges and mentors are always polite and encouraging, even when they are critical of a performance.

Overall

Season 3 has some of the best contestants so far, and Gurleen Pannu, the girl from Chandigarh was fearless and quick-witted. It unites some of the most acclaimed comics of the country, but there’s something so outdated about this entire exercise - Comicstaan, starting with the damn name that it almost makes you feel for some of the judges. The show takes a safe approach, which is not necessarily a bad thing.

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