The Improv (TV series)

The Improv is an improvisational comedy show which was started in May 2012[1] in Bangalore, India.[2][3] The show has no script and is totally improvised, as its name suggests. The audiences give suggestions, situations and scenarios to the host and taking the cue, the actors create on-the-spot hilarious scenes on stage.[4][5] It is hosted and directed by Saad Khan, an Indian filmmaker. The show is conceptualized by Saad Khan. The show’s performers are Sal Yusuf, Darius Sunawala, Abel Mathews and Tim Schultz.[6][7] The team has performed over 100 shows in Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sweden.[1][8]

This article is about the Indian comedy show. For the American comedy club franchise, see The Improv.
The Improv
The Improv performing during a show
Genreimprovisational
Created bySaad Khan
Presented bySaad Khan
StarringAbel Mathews, Sal Yusuf, Darius Sunawala, Richa Kapoor, Tim Schultz
Country of originIndia
Production
Production company(s)CenterStage India
External links
Official website

Background

The show was created in May 2012 by Saad Khan. College mates, Khan and Sundar spent hours in their campus canteen performing improvisational scenes together. Such impromptu performances in college earned them an early audience, who cheered and motivated them. After college, they pursued their respective media careers and Khan left for the US for further studies. On Khan’s return to India he started Centerstage in 2011.[9][10] On May 6, 2012, Centerstage launched The Improv in Bangalore which had actors on stage performing many scenes without any rehearsal or script and from situations given by the audience. Since then they have performed over 100 shows in Indian cities like Bangalore, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Chennai and their first overseas performance was in the UAE in April 2014.[1] In 2016, THE IMPROV was selected and invited to the Sweden International Improv Festival that takes place at the Regina Theatre in Uppsala every year. Saad's team was the only Indian outfit performing at SWIMP and the audiences couldn't stop raving about the show's format and energy of the improvisers.[11][12] They have had shows for varied audiences like in the general public, corporate houses, college fests, and communities. The show was featured on NDTV prime for its uniqueness, production value and organic reach.[13]

Format
Audience enjoying an Improv show

Every show of The Improv has four to five rounds. Each round has a prefix ‘SHUT UP AND’. The first round is a general improvisation round called ‘SHUT UP AND IMPROV’ where a general situation, topic or location is given by the audience to the host who assigns roles and scenarios to the performers, who must improvise and perform a skit on the spot. The popular rounds of THE IMPROV are Freeze, Switch and Rotate.[14]

Freeze: Where the actors are frozen during the scene and a type of film genre or emotion is taken from the audience and the scene continues. Switch: Where 2 actors are given characters that don't get along with each other. One actor starts aggressive and the other submissive. The host calls out 'Switch' and the actors switch between these emotions. Rotate: It is an improv game for 4 actors. Each actor is assigned an occupation, type of sport, accent and place. Every time the host calls out 'Rotate' the actors shift from one position to the next.[15]

Uniqueness

The Improv, though similar in its genre as the popular show ‘Whose Line is it Anyway', is quite unique indeed. The only common ground between The Improv and ‘Whose Line is it Anyway' is improvisation. The Improv amalgamates acting, spontaneity, interactive banter, entertainment, group dynamic, audience involvement and live reactions.[16][17][18] The Improv and its followers have chosen the ring finger, also known as the ‘Other Finger’ or the ‘Finger of Happiness’, as their symbol. It is a tongue in cheek contrast to the middle finger and its inappropriateness.[19][20] Another highlight of the show is the interactions of the host with the audience. Known for his sarcastic sense of humour, Saad Khan brings out quirky suggestions from audience members.[21]

The team

The show is hosted and directed by Saad Khan and produced by Maaz Khan.[22][23] The on-stage improvisational actors on the show are:[13][24][25][7][26]

gollark: Since my last name sounds like Marx I get jokes about it occasionally.
gollark: I've heard of Karl Marx, a bit.
gollark: That's a few centuries, hydro.
gollark: Depending on how you define it, it's not a hugely old thing.
gollark: Also, if prejudice is... somehow caused by capitalism... how do you explain racism and whatnot before modern capitalism was a thing?

References
  1. "The Movement: New Waves". CenterStage. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  2. Datta, Sravasti (August 23, 2013). "Dine away your blues". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  3. "The Improv By Centerstage". bookmyshow.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  4. "The Improv by Centerstage". Alliance Française. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  5. "Great presence of mind". Deccan Herald. Feb 4, 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  6. "Laugh your hearts out at the Improv". The Times of India. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  7. "Ring Finger First". Deccan Chronicle.
  8. Dhwani, Desai. "THERE IS A LOT OF DEMAND FOR BANGALORE ACTORS: SAAD KHAN". The Times of India. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  9. "THE MOVEMENT SO FAR". Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  10. "Comedy: Vasu Primlani & Kenneth Sebastian". Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  11. "SHOWS". www.swedenimprovfestival.com. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  12. "Bengaluru improv in Sweden". The Hindu. 2016-03-16. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-03-26.
  13. "These guys are just insane, man!". The Daily News Analysis. Oct 4, 2012. Archived from the original on 22 February 2014. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  14. "The New Indian Express-Hyderabad, 06-09-2014 : readwhere". epaper.newindianexpress.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  15. "- Deccan Herald". m.deccanherald.com. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  16. "Why not have a symbol of positivity?". deccanherald. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  17. "Dine away your blues". The Hindu. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  18. "They Script Their Plays on Stage". Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  19. "Why not have a symbol of positivity?". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  20. "Ring FInger". Retrieved 7 November 2014.
  21. "Let's get improvisational". The Hindu. 2014-12-01. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 2016-05-19.
  22. "IN BRIEF". Deccan Herald. Aug 24, 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  23. "'Center' of attention". Deccan Chronicle. 31 Dec 2013. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  24. "Things To Do This Weekend". Mumbaiboss.com. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  25. VAKKALANKA, HARSHINI (July 25, 2013). "Fifty shades of Danish". The Hindu. Retrieved 8 February 2014.
  26. "Dejavu presents The Improv". Time Out Dubai. Retrieved 5 November 2014.
  27. Agarwal, Stuti (1 March 2017). "Bengaluru comedy groups go global". The Times of India.
  28. Prasad, A. Harini (10 August 2018). "Black Dog Easy Evenings' India tour brings Papa CJ, Danish Sait and Cyrus Sahukar to Hyderabad". Indian Express.
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