Sorabh Pant

{{short description|Indian stand-up comedian and writer (born 1981)}}

{{Infobox comedian

| name = Sorabh Pant

| image = Sorabh Pant performing.jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Sorabh Pant

| pseudonym =

| birth_name =

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1981|9|14|df=y}}

| birth_place = Bombay, Maharashtra, India

| medium = English

| nationality = Indian

| genre =

| active = 2010 – present

| subject = Comedy

| influences =

| website ={{URL|sorabhpant.com}}

}}

Sorabh Pant born 14 September 1981) is an Indian stand-up comedian and writer.{{cite web |author=Saraiya, Naman |url=http://nh7.in/indiecision/2012/02/21/the-secret-behind-sorabh-pants-hair-loss/ |title=The Secret Behind Sorabh Pant's Hair Loss

|publisher=Nh7.in |date=21 February 2012 |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120806090929/http://nh7.in/indiecision/2012/02/21/the-secret-behind-sorabh-pants-hair-loss/ |archive-date=6 August 2012 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |author=TWB |url=http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/?p=4199 |title=Pant on Fire! |publisher=This Week Bangalore |date=28 September 2011 |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180701194320/http://www.thisweekbangalore.com/?p=4199 |archive-date=1 July 2018 |url-status=live}}

He has performed over 250 shows.{{cite web |url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_funny-thursdays-in-bangalore_1718985 |title=Funny Thursdays in Bangalore|work=Daily News and Analysis |date=24 July 2012 |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120804030244/http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_funny-thursdays-in-bangalore_1718985 |archive-date=4 August 2012 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.dubainightplanner.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NID=98&t=-Pant-on-Fire--Comedian-Sorabh-Pants-English-Comedy-Special |title="Pant on Fire" Comedian Sorabh Pant's English Comedy Special |publisher=Dubainightplanner.com |accessdate=7 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623164217/http://www.dubainightplanner.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NID=98&t=-Pant-on-Fire--Comedian-Sorabh-Pants-English-Comedy-Special |archive-date=23 June 2012 |url-status=live}} He was rated amongst India's top-ten stand-up comedians by The Times of India.{{cite web|author=Nona Walia |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/Comic-Relief/articleshow/9942909.cms |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906124516/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-11/tv/30141653_1_stand-up-comedy-comedians-russell-peters |url-status=live |archive-date=6 September 2013 |title=Comic Relief |date=11 September 2011 |work=The Times of India |access-date=7 August 2012}} In a poll by IBN Live in March 2012, he was listed number one of the thirty-most interesting Twitter users in India.{{cite web |url=http://ibnlive.in.com/news/twitter6-30-interesting-indians-to-follow/241387-3.html |title=Twitter@6: 30 interesting Indians to follow – India News – IBNLive |publisher=Ibnlive.in.com |accessdate=7 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120823052709/http://ibnlive.in.com/news/twitter6-30-interesting-indians-to-follow/241387-3.html |archive-date=23 August 2012 |url-status=dead}}

Career

Pant started as a writer for television.{{cite web |author=Nona Walia |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/Comic-Relief/articleshow/9942909.cms |title=Comic Relief |date=11 September 2011 |access-date=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130906124516/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-09-11/tv/30141653_1_stand-up-comedy-comedians-russell-peters |archive-date=6 September 2013 |work=The Times of India |url-status=live}}

In March 2008, he met Vir Das and they did a show together on CNBC-TV18 called News on the Loose.{{cite web|url=http://www.starworld.in/show/ripping-the-decade/about_89.aspx|title=About R.I.P.Ping The Decade|publisher=Starworld.in|accessdate=22 September 2012}} Pant's career in comedy took off when he started as the opening act for Das's show, Walking on Broken Das, later that year.{{cite web|author=Catherine Rhea Roy |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-features/tp-metroplus/article2532560.ece?textsize=small&test=2 |title=FEATURES / METRO PLUS : Laugh Your Pant Off |work=The Hindu|date=13 October 2011 |accessdate=22 September 2012}}

After working with Das for three and a half years, he did his first solo act at HQ.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report_wearing-the-comic-pants_1308928 |title=Wearing the comic pants|work=Daily News and Analysis |date=8 November 2009 |accessdate=22 September 2012}} In November 2009, he became one of just three Indian comedians to hit auditoriums with his solo show, Pant on Fire.

Sorabh also featured in F.A.Q. on Pogo television.

In July 2011, when American comedian Wayne Brady toured India, Pant was his opening act.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/slideshow_wayne-brady-s-performance_1563756#top |title=Wayne Brady's Performance – DNA |work=Daily News and Analysis |date=9 July 2011 |accessdate=22 September 2012}}

In November 2011, Pant opened for American actor and comedian Rob Schneider on his India tour.{{cite web |url=http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Hollywood/rajinikanth-looks-like-me-i-don-t-look-like-him-rob-schneider/Article1-775424.aspx |title=Rajinikanth Looks Like Me, I Don't Look Like Him: Rob Schneider |work=Hindustan Times|date=29 November 2011 |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120104160948/http://www.hindustantimes.com/Entertainment/Hollywood/Rajinikanth-looks-like-me-I-don-t-look-like-him-Rob-Schneider/Article1-775424.aspx |archive-date=4 January 2012 |url-status=dead}}{{cite web |author=Rodricks, Ranjit |url=http://www.missmalini.com/2011/11/29/hollywood-star-rob-hot-chick-schneider-had-sidhartha-mallya-atul-kasbekar-elahe-hiptoolah-and-nagesh-kukunoor-in-splits-at-the-black-dog-comedy-evenings-in-mumbai/ |title=Hollywood Star Rob 'Hot Chick' Schneider Had Sidhartha Mallya, Atul Kasbekar, Elahe Hiptoolah Apand Nagesh Kukunoor in Splits at The Black Dog Comedy Evenings in Mumbai |publisher=MissMalini |date=29 November 2011 |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120429061720/http://www.missmalini.com/2011/11/29/hollywood-star-rob-hot-chick-schneider-had-sidhartha-mallya-atul-kasbekar-elahe-hiptoolah-and-nagesh-kukunoor-in-splits-at-the-black-dog-comedy-evenings-in-mumbai/ |archive-date=29 April 2012 |url-status=live}}

Pant released his debut novel, The Wednesday Soul, in December 2011.

=''Pant on Fire''=

Pant on Fire is Pant's first comedy special, and was staged in more than ten cities in India, Dhaka, and Dubai. The tour reached North America in November 2012.{{cite web |url=http://www.dubainightplanner.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NID=98&t=-Pant-on-Fire--Comedian-Sorabh-Pants-English-Comedy-Special |title='Pant on Fire' Comedian Sorabh Pant's English Comedy Special |publisher=Dubainightplanner.com |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120623164217/http://www.dubainightplanner.com/NewsDetails.aspx?NID=98&t=-Pant-on-Fire--Comedian-Sorabh-Pants-English-Comedy-Special |archive-date=23 June 2012 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/article.aspx?277738 |title=Sorabh Pant | Madhavi Tata |publisher=Outlookindia.com |date=1 August 2011 |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110924030534/http://outlookindia.com/article.aspx?277738 |archive-date=24 September 2011 |url-status=live}}

=''Traveling Pants''=

Traveling Pants is a comedy special which takes on cultures and people in India and around the world.{{cite web |url=http://in.bookmyshow.com/events/The-Travelling-Pants-A/ET00009961 |title=The Travelling Pants (A) event tickets now available |publisher=In.bookmyshow.com |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121012232531/http://in.bookmyshow.com/events/The-Travelling-Pants-A/ET00009961 |archive-date=12 October 2012 |url-status=live}} In July 2012, it became the second show by an Indian comedian to be showcased at the Comedy Store, Mumbai.

=East India Comedy=

In 2012, Pant founded the comedy company East India Comedy, and over the next year recruited comedians Kunal Rao, Sapan Verma, Sahil Shah, Atul Khatri, Azeem Banatwalla and Angad Singh Ranyal. Pant and Khatri are no longer a part of EIC.{{cite web|url=http://www.indianexpress.com/news/comic-timing/960084/ |title=Comic Timing |work=The Indian Express|date=10 June 2012 |accessdate=22 September 2012}}

The East India Comedy performed 130 shows across the country in 2013, including the specials Men Are from Bars and Comedy News Network.{{Citation needed|date=May 2022}}

= Bibliography =

= Books =

The Wednesday Soul: The Afterlife with Sunglasses (2011)
Under Delhi (2014){{Cite web |title='Under Delhi' by Sorabh Pant {{!}} Book Review |url=https://indiannerve.com/under-delhi-by-sorabh-pant-book-review-16732/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Indian Nerve}}
Pawan: The Flying Accountant (2017){{Cite web |date=2017-12-12 |title=It took comedian Sorabh Pant 5 years to write his new humour novel. Here’s why |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/it-took-comedian-sorabh-pant-took-5-years-to-write-his-new-humour-novel-here-s-why/story-I24i4vRbtpDDaN018mhN0J.html |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=Hindustan Times}}
Vote for Pant: But, Don’t (2022){{Cite web |last=Pant |first=Sorabh |title="Vote for Pant: But, Don’t": A book of political satire by comedian Sorabh Pant |url=https://www.thedispatch.in/vote-for-pant-but-dont-a-book-of-political-satire-by-comedian-sorabh-pant/ |access-date=2023-05-16 |website=The Dispatch}}

Comedic style

Pant's material has been described as "over the top", "manic", and occasionally "marginally unstable."

Wayne Brady, for whom Pant has opened, has said: "He's the second brilliant Indian comedian I've seen, after Russell Peters."{{Cite web|url=https://eventseeker.com/artist/49202-sorabh-pant|title=Sorabh Pant – Artist Profile|website=eventseeker.com|access-date=2020-02-27}}

Pant's jokes take a dig at communities and involve a lot of sex – two things which he says work "big time" in India. He also does impersonations of communities, and some of his jokes are about women. Pant says, "I am a home-grown comedian. I have the Indian sensibility". He has also been working on a lot of material that revolves around politics and puns.

''The Wednesday Soul''

Pant's book The Wednesday Soul is a "fictitious and comic take on life after death".{{cite web |url=http://idiva.com/interviews-work-life/how-to-get-published-sorabh-pant/12214/1 |title=How to Get Published: Sorabh Pant |date=18 April 2012|publisher=iDivayhyyg6g6g6d6h.com |accessdate=22 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120626024625/http://idiva.com/interviews-work-life/how-to-get-published-sorabh-pant/12214/1 |archive-date=26 June 2012 |url-status=live}} It was published by Westland Books.

Personal life

Pant's sister is writer Meghna Pant.{{cite web|url=http://www.dnaindia.com/lifestyle/1875922/report-sibling-speak |title=Sibling Speak|work=Daily News and Analysis |accessdate=2013-08-18}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.themetrognome.in/art-and-culture/read/two-pants-on-fire|title=The Metrognome – Two Pants on Fire|date=18 October 2012}} He is married to Iva Bagchi, and together they have two children.