Earlier this year, we spoke with comedian Madhur Virli about his format show Madhur Model. Back then he had released only the first episode with comedian Aashish Solanki and had a couple more in the bank. Since then, the show has amassed somewhat of a loyal following, with people tuning in to check out new comedic voices.

Virli has managed to make the open mic energy enjoyable with his format show. He might have had to gamify it with the giveaways to keep the live audience involved and present. But for him the major idea was “to normalise seeing newer faces” and he’s nailed that brief. With 13 episodes out, some of them gaining over a million views, Virli is using his platform to showcase and amplify comedians’ voices who otherwise would take a much longer time to catch the public eye and break into the mainstream.

We at DeadAnt always look forward to Virli’s 3 AM uploads. Here are some of the comedians who were a part of Madhur Model and made us laugh out so loud, everyone in the office gathered around the laptop.

Shubh Pratap Singh

Before the show had found some fame and had started attacting seasoned comedians, we had to live through some middling performances. Virli and his co-host would manage to inject some humour with their “betting” rounds. But Shubh Pratap Singh’s performance in the second episode was the first glimpse of a promising comedian. Simple and quick, Singh used the 90 seconds he had to deliver a well thought-out bit.

Aashna Suneja

Aashna Suneja has been around for a while. People who frequent comedy shows in Delhi or keep tabs on who’s opening for comedians might have seen her perform previously. She’s one of those people whose India’s Got Latent episode never aired. Luckily for her, the Madhur Virli episode was uploaded. While the audience might not have picked up on her energy, we enjoyed her performance. Quick and funny, Suneja clearly knows her way around the stage and she brings that confidence in her performance.

Priyam Pandey

Self-deprecatory humour can get quite predictable at times. But this set by Priyam Pandey was refreshing. It was far from perfect but if Pandey keeps at it, he could be a crowd favourite. He showed a bent for dishing out slightly intelligent put downs, whether he was talking about his physique or his lonely romantic life. Beyond that, the man has the patience of a saint. Check out his post-performance discussion to know what we’re talking about.

Ajay Negi

Ajay Negi was this episode’s dark horse. With just six months of experience under his belt, people were gearing up for a lukewarm performance. But Negi’s deadpan humour managed to earn him some incredibly large laughs and rightfully so. The comedian has one thing down pat and that’s misdirection. Throughout his 90-second performance, Negi manages to pull the rug from under our feet enough times for us to look forward to more of him.

Vikash Singh

This was one of the most taut sets we’ve seen on Madhur Model. Vikash Singh manages to get consistent laughs through his two-minute performance. He’s got some experience on the stage and he’s putting it to good use. He’s comfortable to take a pause just to punch up his joke. He’s not afraid of silences. And with material like that, he shouldn’t be.

Samarpan Bose

Another known name for comedy enthusiasts, Samarpan Bose’s performance on the eighth episode of Madhur Virli was a breath of fresh air. He’s the kind of comedian who uses everything that is at his disposal. He’ll speak in a high-pitched voice, he’ll mispronounce words, he’ll throw in some physicality. Nothing is off limits as long as it gets a laugh. Bose’s comedy is a strong reminder that sometimes standup can just be all about having fun.

Deependra

It’s hard to imagine all the things that Deependra managed to touch upon in the two minutes he had on stage. He went from talking about cops to his Gen-Z nephew to his inability to grow a beard. It was a rollercoaster set packed with laughs. A lot of promise from this up-and-coming talent.

Sangeeta Reddy

This one was just packed with banger after banger. Sangeeta Reddy took the stage and first voiced her annoyance with Virli’s format. You see, she believes the 120-second performance is very male-coded, if you know what she means. After getting the audience on her side with this opening, she goes on to acknowledge the India’s Got Latent controversy that had landed Samay Raina and Ranveer Allahbadia in trouble. She had a very simple solution for the latter to skirt all the controversy. Check out her performance to know her fix.