Freedom to laugh writes Aditi Mittal

Events around the world in the past month have bought into light 'The Freedom of Speech' question. It is ironic and meta at the same time to debate the nature of freedom of speech. Like we're talking about what you're allowed to talk about while telling you to shut up. That's why having the opportunity to write/say ridiculous things that make people laugh is sacrosanct. Laughter- is one of the most effective forms of dissent.

And we Indians have long been accused about not having a sense of humour, which is not true. We have had a lot of tragedy and in the adage comedy=tragedy+ time, in said time, we have found a lot of comedy. From bawdy rendition of street plays in rural areas to Jaspal Bhatti's bitingly satirical sketch show- Flop Show, or the silly yet profound Khichdi, to the latest youtube viral sensation, the looped telecasts of Comedy Nights with Kapil, a live show of stand up comedy at your nearest pub, and even today's Whatsapp forwards- we are taking the joke- everyday.

As I sit here, preparing for of India's biggest comedy festival in the next three days (I'm not talking about Delhi elections, I'm talking about an actual comedy festival, where the intention is to make you laugh), in 10 venues across 3 days and 3 cities all over the nation, and prepare myself for another comedy festival in Chennai at the end of the month- I wonder what makes audiences flock to comedy. Is it dissent? Or is it agreement, or is it a little bit of both? It's that collective nod, that spontaneous applause or even silence that breaks out when people for a moment agree, or disagree on something. It's the unanticipated hyuk that you let out at a joke you didn't expect to find funny- in that moment we unwittingly unmask our selves. (That's why comedy is best enjoyed in the dark, where no one can see who laughs at what). It's the one second silence after the delivery of a potentially "unparliamentary" thought- that split second an audience take to make up it's collective mind whether to be an accomplice to by laughing along. Laughter is one of the pillars of a democracy- when dissent is allowed and it's even celebrated. And nothing cuts straight to the crux of a matter, like an eloquent jibe. In a world where the power is inordinately in the hands of a few, laughter lets you take it back some, through dissent and thought agreement.

On The News Hour last night one of the panelists in the middle of the debate stopped and asked "That idea is ridiculous. Do you want me to start laughing?" For a second Arnab Goswami and his opponents all froze. It was the threat of being laughed at, more than the embarrassment of yelling like drunk pirates in a karaoke bar on national television, that got them quiet. (Another amazing interaction on the show last night had one person yell- "Please don't give me comic relief- I'll go mad with laughter" to which his opponents responded with "Don't worry, you're mad without laughing also." This has been the riveting stuff that the nation has been demanding to know all this time apparently. )

And as much as we're learning to take a joke, we're also great at taking offence. My question is: How can one take offence at a joke about poverty, when one should be offended at poverty? How can one be offended at a joke about about discrimination when one should be offended at discrimination? But that's the best part of dissent- we are free to laugh and agree, or remain silent and disagree and we are free to be the ones to get up on stage and be the ones to make a joke. All three at the same time.