Pawan Bhattarai Discusses Comedy Journey on 'Star and Stories'

Kathmandu. Pawan Bhattarai came to Nepal from Assam, India, with the dream of participating in Comedy Champion Season 2. He auditioned and passed, then performed comedy with gusto. The audience greatly liked his Assamese accent and style. Although he did not become the winner of Comedy Champion, his art got good 'exposure'. That's why he did not return to Assam and is freely continuing his comedy journey in Nepal.

Pawan is considered one of the popular comedians lately. Currently, he is making the audience laugh in 'Comedy Night with Champions'. In this show, he has won the hearts of the audience through many characters including Balen, Haribahadur, BK Bhai, Chulte Uncle. He believes that comedy should be suitable for geography and environment.

Before entering comedy, he was working as a chef in a hotel. He harbored the dream of becoming a teacher when he was young, and until shortly before coming to Comedy Champion, he was a chef in Dubai. How did comedy and artistry attract him? In RatoPati's 'Star and Stories', a conversation was held with Pawan about his dream of becoming a teacher, being a chef in Dubai, and his Nepali comedy journey. Here is the edited excerpt of the interview (detailed can be seen/heard in the video):

How is your comedy journey going?

It's going well so far. Every Tuesday our show 'Comedy Night with Champions' comes, and I am giving various performances in it.

You play many types of characters in comedy. How do you create new characters?

First, new characters are created by watching and learning from the work of senior and contemporary artists. Another thing is that new characters have to be presented based on the different guests coming to the program. Presenting the same style all the time can be boring for the audience.

You caricature Hari Bansh Acharya perfectly. What was his reaction?

I sometimes do caricatures of Hari Bansh sir. I did it for the first time when Hari Bansh sir himself came as a guest on the show. He is a respected personality in the Nepali art sector. I have repeatedly done the character because I felt it would be easier to satirize (roast) other guests by presenting in his style. Hari Bansh sir said nothing in front of him while imitating him. After the show ended, backstage, he gave positive feedback saying, 'You are doing well, it reminded me of the old days.'

How much fear is there of being scolded when caricaturing in front of the real character?

There is a possibility of criticism if the choice of words in the performance is slightly off. But since we always use decent words, such a problem has not arisen so far.

What was the reaction to the character of Prime Minister Balen Shah?

I have done the character of Prime Minister Balen Shah two-three times. Many people said it was good and perfectly matched. Some have also given suggestions that the appearance is exactly right, but if the voice were even more matched, it would be even better. I have not received a reaction from the Prime Minister.

Are you satisfied with your comedy journey so far?

So far, I have no regrets about coming into comedy. I feel that I will get even more self-satisfaction in the coming days.

You came from Assam and are doing artistry here, right?

Yes, I came to Nepal for the first time with the intention of visiting Kathmandu and auditioning for 'Comedy Champion Season 2'. Fortunately, I was selected in the audition and managed to reach the top 6. After that, I got the opportunity to work in 'Comedy Club', and after that, I didn't have to look back.

What difference did you find in the style of making people laugh between Assam and Nepal?

The style varies according to place and environment. Audiences laugh more at contemporary and relatable topics. If I do caricatures of local subjects or leaders from Assam here, the audience here will not understand. Therefore, comedy must be done in a way that suits the geography and environment.

How did the idea of becoming an artist come about?

As I worked and received love from the audience after coming to Nepal, I got the inspiration to continue in this field. I am a hotel management graduate. Before coming here, I had also worked as a chef in Dubai. In between, I also read news for about 6 months on a Nepali news channel in Siliguri. That also awakened my hunger for artistry.

Does satire have limits or not?

Of course, it does. When satirizing, one should not cross the boundaries of decency and decorum. Attention should be paid to ensuring that the person hearing the satire can laugh and not feel hurt.

What is your dream now?

Dreams change with time and circumstances. I wanted to be a teacher when I was young. Now I am a comedian. I cannot say about the future.

Video/Photo: Manoj Khadka/RatoPati