Neeti Palta - It’s Your Uniqueness That the Audience Will Be Interested In, so Don’t Try and Sound Like Someone Else Who Is Popular (Standup Comedian)

Getting the words right, getting the timing right, tightening the punches, adding tags.

1. Tell us about your background and journey.

I’m an army brat. Have been brought up all over India. That’s why I don’t get the rivalry between the two states. Because when my father used to be out at the front, I don’t think he was fighting for just one part of India! So any time I hear someone ask me which city I like the most, I genuinely start hearing a full on background track in my head – Assam se Gujarat tak… Bengal se Maharashtra tak…complete with the dramatic orchestra!

Have moved around so much in my childhood it’s a good thing I was an extrovert. Been a tomboy all my life. I was mistaken for a boy even in college! Though in hindsight that might not be a good thing huh? 

I was a science student in school. Graduated in English literature. Post-graduation in Journalism & Mass com. Have wanted to be a detective, a pilot, an army soldier, a policewoman, a doctor, a professor till my mom pointed out that I would probably be disruptive everywhere but a creative field.

Started out in advertising. Then quit as Senior Creative Director at JWT after working in advertising for almost 12 years. Then headed a team of writers for Sesame Street USA’s Indian venture – Galli Galli Sim Sim. So basically I have largely used humor to get my point across always. Started doing stand-up as a hobby and was immensely surprised when people started offering me money to do it!

My writing career started when I was six and used to write nasty limericks to bug my elder brother. Let’s just say I have a talent for earning my bruises. Since then I realized the power of words and have stuck to doing just that. Exploring the different genres of writing, I’ve realized that I have an affinity for writing comedy. Though it’s harder to make people laugh than cry.

I had gone to see Collin Mochrie and Brad Sherwood of the “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” fame perform in Delhi. They have a round in which they enact a situation on stage and get volunteers from the audience to provide sound effects for them on the mike. I was one such volunteer. Initially, I dutifully made sounds that matched their story. But after some point, I decided to have fun and started randomly yelping like a dog and making crazy sound effects. 

Brad & Colin had to keep weaving their story around my sound effects. The audience too was having a ball. At the end of the round, Colin said they normally never picked female volunteers for this round since females tend to be reticent. But he thanked me for a good job and said I was really funny and should try my hand at stand-up comedy.

That was it. I decided to take it up as a challenge as “reticent” isn’t an adjective people would ever use to describe me! 

2. What's one misconception people often have about comedians that you'd like to debunk?

We get on stage and rant about whatever we are feeling on the spur of the moment. There’s a lot of thought and process that goes into writing jokes. Getting the words right, getting the timing right, tightening the punches, adding tags. It’s a process unlike what web series and movies would have you believe.

3. How do you balance humor with addressing social issues in your comedy?

I genuinely believe that nothing is funnier than the truth. I speak about issues that matter to me. There is no better way to get your point across than through humor. 

4. What advice would you give to aspiring comedians?

Get as much stage time as possible to find your voice. It’s your uniqueness that the audience will be interested in, so don’t try and sound like someone else who is popular.

5. How do you stay inspired and motivated in your craft?

I love watching other comics on stage. Everyone brings their unique flavor and perspective. When I hear the audience respond, the energy is infectious. 

6. What is a book you love and would recommend our readers to give it a try?

Any book from the P.G. Wodehouse Jeeves and Wooster series is my go-to book to cheer up instantly. Beautiful use of the language.

Bio  

One of the most accomplished Stand Up comedies in the country. Neeti has worn many professional hats - Senior Creative Director in advertising at JWT, Head Writer for Sesame Street USA’s Indian venture (Galli Galli Sim Sim), Bollywood screenplay writer (story, screenplay, and dialogues) for a movie that was produced by Salman Khan. She was voted as the best Stand Up Comic at the Oz Fest and was India’s first Stand Up to perform at Melbourne for the prestigious Melbourne Comedy Festival. 

She has represented India at several international comedy festivals across the globe. Is one of 24 comedians across Asia to be featured on Comedy Central Asia. Has TV credits on ABC Melbourne. Her humor is best described as cuttingly sarcastic and irrepressibly tongue-in-cheek. She was the judge on one of India’s biggest comic talent hunt shows on Amazon Prime - Comicstaan and she also has a comedy special to her name 'Almost Sanskari' streaming on Amazon Prime.

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Interviewed by - Shreya Lingwal

Edited by- Arunangshu Chatterjee