As part of a themed show – Joke’s on Us, I performed a brand new 15-minute comedy set—Two Malhars— at Courtyard Koota, the same place where I first stepped on stage for stand-up less than three years ago.

It was a packed house. The laughs were real.
And the material? Performed for the very first time.

That’s probably not something you’d notice unless you’re familiar with how stand-up usually works. Most comics test their material through months of open mics—building 4 minutes, then 7, then maybe 10—across different venues, adjusting based on audience reactions until every line lands. That’s the norm.

In my case, every joke in this set had its first trial live on stage. No prior rounds, no open mic safety nets. Just a mic and a wonderfully generous audience.

I say this not as a humblebrag, but to give context. Comedy online often looks polished, smooth, effortless. What we rarely see is the hundred failed attempts behind it. To the audience who cheered me on, I can’t thank you enough for being part of that first attempt.

This set was about life at Malhar. The contradictions, the compost, the WhatsApp conspiracies.
If you missed it—or want to relive it—here’s the full video: