From Bandra adda to stage: Nathan Gomes finds his comic voice

Nathan Gomes. PICS COURTESY/NATHAN GOMES

If you ever drop by Yacht on Hill Road on a weekend, a waiter will diligently refill handfuls of chakli with Schezwan chutney between your booze. Bandra boy Nathan Gomes not only swears by this adda, but also finds a parallel with the crunchy chaklis. "When I was 17, there was a talent competition at Andrews [St Andrew's College] and I took stage as the filler between the acts. The job was to keep the audience engaged. That's how I started performing," the comedian recalls.

Nathan Gomes plays humorous characters in his viral reels

Nowadays, you'll find him in his viral Instagram videos where he rates the best chicken puffs in Bandra, pokes lighthearted fun at church-attending aunties in Orlem, and ranks Catholic wedding songs (Maria Pitache takes #1). "They're all based on people I've met. Sometimes, I meet the aunties in and around church. They love how their mannerisms are going viral," he laughs. The 25-year-old's first stand-up show, The Nathan Wants to Know, a dig at you-know-who, opens this weekend. You're coming, baba?

ON March 28; 7 pm
AT Jeff Goldberg Studio, Matsyalaya Bungalow, Chimbai, Bandra West.
LOG ON TO in.bookmyshow.com
ENTRY Rs 299

Just for laughs

The comedian offers a quick snapshot of his debut comedy set.

Toto's

What inspired the new show?
Everything about me, this city, and lived experiences. Expect anecdotes from growing up in a Catholic family, my time at college [St Andrew's College], and timely one-liners.

Give us a peek into the one-liners
>> Mumbai heat is so bad, when I reply to client e-mails I don't write warm regards, only regards.
>> I'm so Catholic, that I don't even have any muscle in my body, only mass.

Do you think the jokes will fare well with a live audience?
After one of my videos, an NRI sent me hate mail saying what I was doing was "blasphemous." But that's one per cent of the audience. The community usually doesn't mind having a laugh at itself.

Bandra binge

Gomes's guide to bar-hop like a Bandra bugger
>> Soul Fry: Come early, stay for the karaoke
>> Road House Bluez: Ideal vibe to keep the night going
>> Toto's: If you love '80s rock
>> Yacht: If all else fails, there's always room (and a queue) here