Format shows are the new normal in Indian standup comedy. Unhelpful relationship advice, drinking games and zany talent shows have entered the mix to give the audience something beyond traditional standup comedy. Keeping that in mind, comedian Madhur Virli recently threw his hat in the ring with his new Kill Tony-inspired show Madhur Model. In the series, the comic and a fellow comedian judge open micers based on a 90-second performance.

In the first episode featuring roastmaster Aashish Solanki, everyone who managed to crack up the duo got a Parker pen. But Virli has bigger ideas to level up the show and up the ante. With three more episodes already shot and in the edit process, we caught up with the comedian to understand his motive behind starting the new property, how people can get on the lineup and what’s in it for the open micers. Virli also tells us about the positive response his debut standup special The IIT Dream got and why he was on the fence regarding its release.

How did you come up with the idea for ‘Madhur Model’?

I had started watching Kill Tony very regularly some time back. So I thought that if I get the opportunity to create something similar, I should. There’s this very small room in Delhi called The Comedy Cookie where I put up a show. I asked Aashish Solanki if he would like to be a part of the show and he agreed. But at that point I wasn’t thinking of creating any IP. We just recorded it for fun. Even the shoot was done on my phone. The episode worked well. It felt good that these new comics were getting some recognition and views. The idea was to normalise seeing newer faces. If they have good jokes, then the audience should give them the time to grow and not just go to watch known faces.

How are you planning on releasing these episodes?

*Laughs* To be honest, I wanted to put out these episodes every weekend. But because I edit these videos myself, it takes a lot longer. I have 1-2 hours in the day where I go and skateboard or do something just for myself. Then I have my open mics to hit every evening. In Delhi and Gurugram, open mics go on till 2-3 am. So I have to actively set aside time to edit the episodes and that doesn’t happen as frequently. So now I’m planning to edit the three episodes I have quickly and release them with a three-day gap in between.

Who are the guests in the next three episodes?

So, I’ve recorded with Gurleen Pannu, Onkar Yadav and Chirag Panjwani. The release order will depend on which episode gets edited earlier. *laughs*

During these shows, have you guys come across any interesting voices?

Yes, absolutely. As I was editing the Gurleen episode I realised that the first contestant had a very unique voice. And it’s always nice to hear fresh perspectives on topics that have been done before. Because this is a phenomenon that happens in every city, where at some point you feel like you’ve heard everyone because there’s a general style to everybody’s observations and performance. To avoid this, I also curate the lineup in such a way that there are people from all age groups. In that process I’ve come across 40-50 year-olds who have just started performing comedy. It’s refreshing to see that these people haven’t held back because of their age. Because it’s never too late to start anything, right?

How do you curate the lineup for these shows? How can one apply?

Basically, I have a Google form that I put out on my Instagram stories and give it to local producers and comedians who run clubs in Delhi. Then they share that in their open mic groups. In the form I ask people their age, profession, favourite comedian. There are like 3-4 questions and I try to keep the lineup as diverse as possible based on their responses to these questions. I want to eventually make it a little more detailed. But basically, if there are three comics who are pursuing engineering and like the same comedian, we are picking only one out of them so we get to hear different styles and voices.

Do you plan on giving stage time to the comics who perform well at these shows?

Yeah, so in the episode with Gurleen, one person did well so I asked her to let them open at her next show. I personally don’t think I’ve reached a level where opening for me is a big opportunity for an upcoming comedian. So I put it on the guest to help out these people. *Laughs* But overall I do want the good comics to get some recognition and come into the public eye.

You also released your debut special recently. How has the response been to that?

Honestly, I was having so many second thoughts leading up to the release of The IIT Dream. I didn’t expect it to get such a great response from the audience. Because, if you look at my previous work, the special is quite different from that material. I was always focused on just dishing out as many jokes as possible in my previous videos. In this special, I have a story and a narrative that I take time with. So the hour is not as dense in terms of punchlines but people still enjoyed it.

I was honestly expecting around 500k views. Because the video’s over an hour long, so one’s view will also be counted after a significantly longer watch-time. And I had people who had subscribed to my channel just after my last video which was mostly dark material. So I had thought that the retention won’t be as high. But something clicked with the audience that even I can’t put my finger on.

As a comedian whose material leans towards the darker side, do you believe that Indian audiences are developing a taste for comedy that makes them uncomfortable?

Yes, that’s a function of the amount of comedy that is being consumed nowadays. I also feel like it’s every artist’s duty to talk about topics that haven’t been probed yet. Or pick up on observations that people might not have given a thought to. I feel like constantly trying to be “relatable” doesn’t serve the art or the artist. Also, I don’t intentionally write material that is dark. I’m just trying to say things that people might not think or might think but are scared to say. That’s what I try to do.