Mumbai is set to host a roast in which various media professionals take digs at each other without holding back
Ranveer Singh bends before Karan Johar during the infamous roast held in Mumbai in 2014
If there is one thing that the infamous AIB roast of 2014 reaffirmed, it is that moral outrage remains one of the country's favourite pastimes. Yes, the show did involve expletives being thrown around like confetti at a wedding. But the backlash to it was so severe that even the usually vocal members of the comedy troupe decided to exercise judicious silence. It seemed then that it would still be a while before the idea of a roast gained acceptance in India (despite it being so commonplace in the West that even Donald Trump was the subject of one before he became the American President). But now, the city is gearing up to host another such event, to be held at a Lower Parel venue two days from now.
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Sujit Patil, Harshil Karia and Shriram Iyer
It features three stalwarts from the advertising, PR and digital industries taking humorous potshots at each other's work. They are Shriram Iyer, national creative director of Mullen Lintas (advertising); Sujit Patil, head of corporate communications, Godrej Industries (PR); and Harshil Karia, managing director of Schbang (digital). And the roast master is Prasad Sangameshwaran, managing editor of trade magazine Campaign India, which means that even the print media industry might be laid bare at the event, warts and all.
Illustration/Ravi Jadhav
The hour-long show is being organised by The Commune, a two-year-old forum meant to promote knowledge-sharing among different media professions. Deepak Kapoor, its founder, tells us, "You know, as professionals, we love to crib about our jobs. And this is true for people across hierarchies and fields. So, we thought that it would be interesting to find out how senior people view their own industry and competing ones. That was the reason we decided to host this roast, because panel discussions where people air their thoughts happen all the time. This is more upfront, and we have told all our speakers that since it's a roast, there is no restriction on the kind of things they want to say or even the language they use."
That means that even at this particular event, the choice of words that the speakers employ are unlikely to be sugarcoated in nature. But does that indicate that Indians are gradually warming up to the idea of people using "flowery language" on stage to poke fun at each other? Or is it that the organisers are simply cocking a snook at the moral brigade, which stands ready to take offence at the drop of a hat? "The AIB roast was definitely an eye-opener for many people who didn't know what a roast was. And I am sure that people are opening up to the idea of one. So, I think that we are halfway there and that in a couple of years, people will learn to see the lighter side of such events," Kapoor answers.
On: Thursday, 7 pm
At: Verbena, Kamala Mills Compound, Lower Parel
Call: 9833582474
Entry: Rs 250
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