Ritushree Panigrahi is all set to embark on her debut solo tour Coming Out! The comedian is more than prepared and ready to serve up jokes that she has been cooking for the past five years. Although the comedian started her standup comedy journey in 2017, she only came out to the circuit in 2021, and her show documents these moments, and people’s reactions to them as well as a few observations on parenting. It’s great to see the circuit grow with more voices from the margins getting the stage time they deserve! If you want a taste of what’s to come, she also recently dropped her second standup clip on YouTube, check it out!

1. QUICK! WHAT’S THIS SHOW ABOUT?

It’s partly about my coming out and how people reacted along with some jokes about politics and a few observations on parenting. So, these are random sets of jokes I prepared in the last couple of years.

2. HOW MANY SHOWS ARE YOU DOING, ACROSS HOW MANY CITIES?

So the January leg is coming to an end with the last show in Mumbai on 28 January. In February I’m doing Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Other cities are on plans we are working on it.

3. HOW LONG DID YOU SPEND WRITING THE SHOW?

Some jokes are pretty new, some are from 2019, so it has jokes about my last five years’ journey.

4. IS THIS ALREADY LEADING UP TO A RECORDED SPECIAL FOR A STREAMING PLATFORM?

No, no, no.

5. WHY SHOULD WE WATCH IT LIVE?

Because it’s not on any other platform. And also it’s unlike anything you have seen so far.

6. ACCORDING TO YOU, WHO WOULD BE THE IDEAL PLUS-ONE TO BRING TO THE LIVE SHOW?

Anyone! Your boss, colleague, date, friend, enemy or your society secretary! Anyone can be a plus one.

7. WHY ARE YOU CALLING THIS TOUR ‘COMING OUT’?

That’s the easiest name I could think of. The show starts with a routine about how I faced people after coming out and ends with how I started my journey of coming out.

8. ON A SCALE OF 1 – WTFAMIDOING, HOW NERVOUS ARE YOU?

9.0567.

9. IS THIS YOUR FIRST TOUR? WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO THE MOST?

I have done solo shows before but this is my first tour. I’m excited about everything! A new experience.

10. IF YOU HAD ALL THE POWER, WHAT’S THE ONE THING YOU WOULD CHANGE ABOUT THE INDIAN COMEDY SCENE?

I would make it more inclusive and more courageous.