The Improv (India)

This article is about the Indian comedy show. For the American comedy club franchise, see The Improv.
The Improv

The Improv performing during a show
Genre improvisational
Created by Saad Khan and Siddhanth Sundar (May 2012)
Presented by Saad Khan
Country of origin India
Production company(s) CenterStage India
External links
Official website

The Improv is an improvisational comedy show which was started in May 2012[1] in Bangalore, India.[2][3] The show has no script and is totally performed on improvisation, as its name suggests. The audiences give topics to the host and taking the cue, the actors create on-the-spot hilarious situations on stage.[4][5] It is hosted and directed by Saad Khan, an Indian filmmaker. The show is conceptualized by Saad Khan and Siddhanth Sundar. The show’s performers are Danish Sait, Siddhanth Sundar, Sal Yusuf, Richa Kapoor, Sumukhi Suresh, Kenneth Sebastian and Praveen Raj.[6][7] The team has performed over 75 shows in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Dubai and Abu Dhabi.[8][1]

Background

The show was created in May 2012 by Saad Khan and Siddhanth Sundar. College mates, Khan and Sundar spent hours in their campus canteen performing improvisational scenes together. Such impromptu performances in college earned them an early audience, who cheered and motivated them. After college, they pursued their respective media careers and Khan left for the US for further studies. On Khan’s return to India, the two friends again collaborated and started a media company named CenterStage in 2011.[9][10] On May 6, 2012, CenterStage launched The Improv in Bangalore which had actors on stage performing many scenes without any rehearsal or script and from situations given by the audience. Since then they have performed over 75 shows in Indian cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and their first overseas performance was in the UAE in April 2014. [1] In 2016, THE IMPROV was selected and invited to the Sweden International Improv Festival that takes place at the Regina Theatre in Uppsala every year. Saad's team was the only Indian outfit performing at SWIMP and the audiences couldn't stop raving about the show's format and energy of the improvisers.[11][12] They have had shows for varied audiences like in the general public, corporate houses, college fests, and communities.[13]

Format

Every show of The Improv has seven to eight rounds. Each round has a prefix ‘SHUT UP AND’. The first round is a general improvisation round called ‘SHUT UP AND IMPROV’ where a general situation, topic or location is given by the audience to the host who assigns roles and scenarios to the performers, who must improvise and perform a skit on the spot. The popular rounds include the freeze round, guessing the scene between two actors where one of them has no clue about the situation and a round based on live news broadcast.

Uniqueness

The Improv, though similar in its genre as the popular show ‘Whose Line is it Anyway', is quite unique indeed. The only common ground between The Improv and ‘Whose Line is it Anyway' is improvisation. The Improv amalgamates acting, spontaneity, interactive banter, entertainment, group dynamic, audience involvement and live reactions.[14][15][16] The Improv and its followers have chosen the ring finger, also known as the ‘The Other Finger’ or the ‘Finger of Happiness’, as their symbol. It is a tongue in cheek contrast to the middle finger and its inappropriateness.[17][18]

The team

The show is hosted and directed by Saad Khan and produced by Maaz Khan, Pooja Sampath[19] and Sumit Ghosh.[20] The on-stage improvisational actors on the show are:[13][21][22][23]

[25][26]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The Movement: New Waves". CenterStage. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. ↑ Datta, Sravasti (August 23, 2013). "Dine away your blues". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  3. ↑ "The Improv By Centerstage". bookmyshow.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "The Improv by Centerstage". Alliance Française. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Great presence of mind". Deccan Herald. Feb 4, 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  6. ↑ "Laugh your hearts out at the Improv". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Ring Finger First". Deccan Chronicle.
  8. ↑ Dhwani, Desai. "THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND FOR BANGALORE ACTORS: SAAD KHAN". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "THE MOVEMENT SO FAR". Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  10. ↑ "Comedy: Vasu Primlani & Kenneth Sebastian". Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  11. ↑ "SHOWS". www.swedenimprovfestival.com. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  12. ↑ "Bengaluru improv in Sweden". The Hindu. 2016-03-16. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  13. 1 2 "These guys are just insane, man!". The Daily News Analysis. Oct 4, 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  14. ↑ "Why not have a symbol of positivity?". deccanherald. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  15. ↑ "Dine away your blues". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  16. ↑ "They Script Their Plays on Stage". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  17. ↑ "Why not have a symbol of positivity?". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  18. ↑ "Ring FInger". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  19. ↑ "IN BRIEF". Deccan Herald. Aug 24, 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  20. ↑ "‘Center’ of attention". Deccan Chronicle. 31 Dec 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  21. ↑ "Things To Do This Weekend". Mumbaiboss.com. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  22. ↑ VAKKALANKA, HARSHINI (July 25, 2013). "Fifty shades of Danish". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  23. ↑ "Laugh your hearts out at the Improv". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  24. ↑ "One person's distress is a million people's laughter: RJ Danish Sait". The News Minute.
  25. ↑ "Ring Finger First". Deccan Chronicle.
  26. ↑ "Dejavu presents The Improv". Time Out Dubai. Retrieved 5 November 2014.

External Links

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