A year after starting Gigstart, an online platform for stand-up comedians, Atit Jain has managed to get over 500 artists connected to audiences around the country.

The company, which has Snapdeal’s Kunal Bahl as an investor, clocked ₹40 lakh revenue last quarter and expects to earn about ₹60 lakh by March.

“There is huge potential in this industry as several corporate houses are these days asking to entertain their clients at parties or award functions, not with some item numbers but with stand-up acts,” says Jain.

A number of stand-up comedians and indigenous groups are not only getting a platform to showcase their talent but are also earning big money. While some well-known performers rake in as much as ₹4 lakh an event, a few lesser known local comics can earn ₹20,000-50,000 a day at birthday parties and private events.

As stand-up acts get bigger, they have given rise to a number of start-ups such as Cheese Monkey Mafia and Canvas Laugh factory that are also laughing their way to the bank.

Clearly, the ‘Great Indian Comedy’ industry is on the upswing. This can be gauged from the fact that Mumbai-based comedy group AIB’s (All India Bakchod) recent “insult comedy” show is still the most discussed and trending subject on social media. According to one estimate, AIB mopped up about ₹40 lakh in one day from its ‘AIB KnockOut’ last month.

According to Gigstart’s Jain, the comedy industry is worth $60 billion globally while India is at $3 billion, growing about 25 per cent year on year. People are now more open to different kinds of art forms and not just plain old Bollywood entertainment.

Mumbai-based Qyuki, started by AR Rahman, Shekhar Kapoor and Samir Bangara, also provides a platform for comic artists. Bangara says comedy attracts a lot of eyeballs on television and YouTube. “We are providing a platform to upcoming talents who earlier used to perform only at restaurants and small events,” he adds.

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