Alexander Babu | Photo credit: Johan Satyadas
In a parallel world, Alexander Babu is a singer like SPB; a tabla player like Zakir Hussain; a comedian like Vivekh. However, in the real world, stand-up comedians do a little of all of the above: their trademark style is musical comedy, and Alex plays several instruments on stage, including the tabla. His popular show Alex in Wonderland, now on Amazon Prime, was an ode to the 80s Tamil cinema playlist that Alex grew up listening to. Now he is bringing his new show Alexemption to Coimbatore next month.
The show will be similar to Alex in Wonderland and yet different. “The plot will surprise you initially,” he says, “but everything else has to be experienced.”
Alex, who lives in Chennai, hails from Andavurani village in Ramnad district. He went to a Christian missionary-run school and grew up singing in the choir at the local church and playing musical instruments like the harmonium and tabla. He also listened to Tamil film music a lot, as his father was a fan of Sirkazhi Govindarajan and TM Sundararajan and elder brother was a fan of Yesudas.
Years later, when he sat down to write material for his first stand-up show, all these elements came together. “It was in late 2016,” Alex recalls, adding that he used to do 10-minute open-mics at cafes in Chennai to test his material. “My audience was mostly people in their teens and 20s, and I was around 40. When they laughed at the old SPB songs, I realised the songs still held up. Then I pushed the boundaries, and came back with Sirkazhi songs for the next open-mic,” he recalls. Alex found that his audience enjoyed the set. “Then I realised there was a spark here somewhere.”
Alex is now on the final leg of a world tour with Alexpiracy | Photo credit: Special Arrangement
When he did his first show at the Museum Theatre in Chennai, the response proved that, “People won’t hesitate to tell stories about the 80s Tamil playlist he heard over and over again,” says Alex. The show was a turning point for someone who had quit a successful IT job to try his hand at standup comedy. “I had taken a break for two years, and thought if nothing happened I would come back,” says Alex.
But it happened. Now he’s on the last leg of a world tour with AleXperience, and is ready to wrap it up after five shows, with the last show to be recorded and released digitally. Alex says his goal was simply to work on something with conviction that would sustain him for a long time. “I felt it was a very achievable goal.”
Alex’s jokes are clean and he says he makes sure they all have a purpose. “They shouldn’t just be silly jokes about marriage or bathrooms, they should be something I can tell my sons,” he says. The stand-up comedian had a cameo in the Madhavan-starrer hitand says he is always open to playing good, important roles in cinema. “I recently auditioned for an interesting role,” he says.
His next show will be based on the history of the Tamil language, for which the material is ready. Along with constantly touring around the world, Alex says he always makes time for his family. “I am approaching 50, and right now, I want to spend more time at home, and spend time with my kids,” he says. What is Alex like as a person? He pauses to think and says: “I am a little more serious than the guy you see on stage.”
The event, open to people aged 13 and above, will take place on August 10 from 4 pm to 7.30 pm at the PSG Convention Centre. Tickets are available on insider.in and alexanderbabu.com.,
