By Palash Srivastava
New Delhi [India], November 4 (ANI): Stand-up comedian Anubhav Singh Bassi never expected his first stand-up video, 'Cheating', to cross 100 million views on YouTube and burst open the doors of opportunities in his life.
Anubhav Singh Bassi is among India's most popular stand-up comedians, attracting audiences with his humour and live performances across the country. His debut YouTube stand-up special, Cheating, proved to be both his introduction to a wider audience and a major breakthrough in his comedy career.
While talking to ANI, Bassi said, "I didn’t expect it. When I uploaded the video, I thought it might reach one or two million views, which could help convert viewers into ticket sales. I never expected it to go this viral. I knew it was a funny set because audiences enjoyed it when I performed it live, even before I was well-known in Delhi. When it reached around 90–92 million views, we started thinking it might cross 100 million. Now that it has, we’re very happy."
However, releasing Cheating as his debut comedy special was never part of the comedian’s original plan. Instead, the set evolved from experiments he had tried and tested during his live performances.
"During my initial 1.5 years of stand-up, I performed different sets like ‘Waxing’ and others. I worked on 'Cheating' regularly for around one to one-and-a-half years, almost every day at open mics and open spots. I already knew the final joke would get a strong laugh, so I built the set backwards around it. While writing it, I realised this was the strongest set I had and that I should release it first. Since it was my first YouTube release, I also wanted to introduce myself, share a little about my background and help people get to know me," said Bassi.
Following Cheating, Bassi emerged as a unique comic voice on the national stage, bringing with him his Meerut roots, distinct accent and pride in his hometown. The comedy special also opened doors for him in Bollywood, eventually earning him a role in Ranbir Kapoor's hit film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar. It was directed by Luv Ranjan.
"After Cheating, I started selling around 250–300 tickets in Delhi and other metro cities. A lot changed for me. Director Luv was a fan of the video and asked to meet me. He told me he liked my style and the way I delivered jokes. He was writing a film and said he would write the role in my tonality so I could perform it naturally. I agreed, and I think it worked out well."
The stand-up comic also shared his views on the recent controversies against Indian stand-up comedians, including Samay Raina, Pranit More, Kunal Kamra and others.
"The audience reacts to what you do. If they laugh, you know something is working; if they don’t, you can work on it. If I’ve written something badly, I’ll try to write better next time. I keep performing and see how people respond. Touring helps me develop the material over time. Once I feel it’s ready, I put it in front of the audience. If they still don’t like it, I work harder. That’s our job," added Bassi.
The stand-up comic is currently working on a new comedy set for his stand-up special. While sharing his future projects, Bassi said, "Right now, I’m focused on stand-up. I’m recording a show and want to keep refining my work before thinking about a concept show. I enjoy watching different formats, but I’ll give myself another year or two before deciding whether I want to try something new."
Anubhav Singh Bassi is the first Indian stand-up comedian to reach 100 million views on a video on YouTube. He came up with his first stand-up special, Bas Kar Bassi on Amazon Prime Video in February 2023. (ANI)
"Unexpected, I'm happy": Anubhav Singh Bassi recalls 'Cheating' success, aftermath, new projects
