Bhubaneswar: The Odisha-born stand-up comic Biswa Kalyan Rath, known for his stand-up special Biswa Mast Aadmi and the web series Laakhon Mein Ek, recently revealed his last drawn salary before quitting his job to start standup full-time.
During a podcast with Pakistani host Junaid Akram in London, IIT Kharagpur graduate candidly shared his journey from being a graphic designer to becoming a full-time comedian.
Biswa Kalyan Rath said that his last drawn salary before quitting his job was around Rs 40,000. He was working as a graphic designer at a company which was later acquired by US tech firm Oracle.
He said he was doing open mics or standup shows part-time along with his good friend Kanan Gill. Then came the turning point—one gig earned him a staggering Rs 80,000, double his monthly salary. That was all the motivation he needed to take the plunge into full-time comedy.
Now an established name in India’s stand-up scene, Biswa is busy working on his next stand-up special, which he plans to release soon.
Biswa also reflected on the rapid rise of stand-up comedy in India. He highlighted how OTT platforms like Amazon Prime played a crucial role in shaping the industry from the ground up.
Biswa Kalyan Rath explained that after the platform’s entry, comedians could upload their stand-up specials, earn a sustainable income, and consider comedy as a viable career choice.
He acknowledged his contemporaries, including Zakir Khan, Abhishek Upmanyu, Tanmay Bhat, Kanan Gill, and Kenny Sebastian, who have also made their mark in the industry.
Additionally, Biswa spoke about Comicstaan, a competition show where stand-up comics battle for the top spot. He noted that Comicstaan brought many rising stars into the limelight, including Samay Raina and Aakash Gupta.
You can watch the podcast here:
PNN & Agencies