My mantra is to stick to basics, not get carried away by trends: Aiyyo Shraddha

CHENNAI: Stand-up comic Shraddha Jain, fondly known as Aiyyo Shraddha, is coming back to Chennai, as she concludes the India tour of So Mini Things. It will be a package of mini-stories, perspectives, and versions of herself, set against the backdrop of Indian families’ lives.

Talking about how the tour has impacted her, as she had a jam-packed crowd in Pune and New Delhi, Shraddha tells DT Next, “The tour has changed me in many ways that I have not realised. It will be my most rewarding project because the joy, kindness, generosity and love I experienced remain unmatched. It has improved me as a person and is truly life-changing.”

Shraddha, a former engineer and an RJ, began her journey into content creation during the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. With unparalleled efforts and perseverance, she rose to fame and received the Most Creative Creator award from Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the National Creators Award Ceremony in 2024. “Radio has been the biggest influence in my career. Those small steps during the pandemic to create a space for myself in the growing digital age are still motivating me to work further. I am grateful to receive the Most Creative Creator award, and pushing my boundaries to do justice to the honour. That includes improving my writing, editing and presentation skills to give more quality content,” she shares.

The stand-up comic’s forte lies in clean and observational humour, tickling the audience from different walks of life. “The recognition for stand-up comedy is on an upward curve across the country. We have many artistes performing on global stages, which is absolutely wonderful and fascinating. My mantra is to stick to the basics and not be carried away by the short-lived trends. Basics of storytelling and the structure of a joke make all the difference. I think if the fundamentals are strong, eventually we will find our niche audience. It is crucial to stay true to our personality and write for our audience,” she suggests.

She also feels that the growing spectrum of stand-up comedy in India still has a long way to go in terms of bringing in the audience from all walks of life. “People believe that stand-up comedy is for a particular section, which is not true. Laughter is for everyone, and that thought needs to be changed,” Shraddha adds.

For this stand-up comic, Chennai is like a homecoming. “In my view, one aspect that is distinctively Chennai is simplicity. People here are unpretentious and don’t want to make an impression on anyone. This phenomenon is evident in all aspects of the city. Kapaleeshwarar temple and Mylapore are my go-to places. If not Bengaluru, a city I would love to settle in is Chennai,” she notes with a hearty smile. Shraddha wants Chennaiites to come to her show and hopes to make it worth their time.

Embark on a rib-tickling journey with Aiyyo Shraddha’s So Mini Things show, helmed by Livetree Entertainment. The stand-up comedy show will take place on July 26 at 7.30 pm, at Sir Mutha Venkatasubba Rao Concert Hall, Harrington Road.