Goodbye, stand-up comic genius of the common man

The premise of a portly gentleman perched on a couch would transpire in material such as “Toh sofa kehta hain, ‘thodi der khada hoja, mujhe bhi saans lene de’.”

Mumbai One of Raju Srivastava’s most memorable sketches had him blinking his eyes in quick succession. It was his impression of flickering festive rope lights. The late comedian and actor, gifted with the inimitable ability to infuse life into inanimate objects, carved a brand of humour that leaned heavily on keen observation and a twisted outlook of the world around him. A master of physical comedy, Srivastava could demonstrate a rocket taking off and subsequently, winding down through his facial expressions alone.

Raju Srivastava during one of his performances at the Rajiv Gandhi awards ceremony in Mumbai in 2009 (HT Archives)

The premise of a portly gentleman perched on a couch would transpire in material such as “Toh sofa kehta hain, ‘thodi der khada hoja, mujhe bhi saans lene de’.” Ahsaan Qureshi, a fellow comedian, who competed with Srivastava on The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (2005) fondly remembers his ability of venturing into uncharted worlds. “Getting two cows splayed in the middle of the road to exchange pleasantries or conveying the woes of a ceiling fan in a crowded local train that huffs and puffs in vain, his material came from everywhere and he could play a geriatric and a preteen with the same immersion,” says Qureshi.

Born Satya Prakash Srivastava, his tumultuous journey to stardom is similar to many others. Once he was recognised as a popular mimic in Kanpur, Srivastava migrated to Mumbai like those million hopefuls who throng to Maximum City to make it. He first found his feet on the stage, opening for established comedians such as Johnny Lever at variety stage shows or as a side act for that odd fundraiser.

“When Rajubhai came to Mumbai, there were no mobile phones. So, he would lug a bag full of coins to a local PCO and ring up every event organiser in town enquiring about forthcoming gigs and if he could get a slot to perform,” shares Qureshi, who also commends the comedian’s benevolent nature towards those from the fraternity. “Kalakaaron ko kabhi niraash nahin hona padha unke darbaar mein. If he learnt that a comedian hadn’t got a show in a while, he would invite him home for a meal and also help him financially,” recalls Qureshi, who received a loan of ₹5 lakhs from Srivastava when he was cobbling together funds to purchase an apartment.

Srivastava’s first big TV break was in Teatime Manoranjan, India’s first variety sketch comedy show to be televised in front of a studio audience which aired on Doordarshan. Actor and filmmaker Deven Bhojani, who also featured on the show, remembers Srivastava as a modest colleague and a talented collaborator. “We improvised a lot in that show and while I was fairly new in the industry then (Bhojani had starred in Dekh Bhai Dekh and Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar at the time), he was always approachable and there to help me sharpen my punchlines,” says Bhojani.

The overwhelming success of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge elevated Srivastava to a household name and also led to a slew of offers from similar shows across primetime TV channels. One of them was Comedy Ka Maha Muqabala, a contest where he was paired with Rajesh Kumar (Rosesh from Sarabhai VS Sarabhai).

Kumar credits winning the show on Srivastava’s sharp writing as they ended up turning several solo acts that he performed on stage into comedy sketches. “He caught the pulse of the aam aadmi and his sense of timing was incredible,” he says.

Having tested his chops with comedy, Srivastava also attempted several reality shows such as Nach Baliye where he teamed up with his wife Shikha. But it was Bigg Boss that gave fans an unfiltered insight into the comedian. Vindu Dara Singh, who also featured in the same season of the reality show, lauds the comedian for the rhyme Jackva and Jillva, the Bhojpuri version of Jack and Jill, which has since become a part of Singh’s comedic act.

“He has a glass room to write and rehearse his skits at home. He would improvise a lot in front of the mirror to see whether a certain piece delivered the desired punch. But it was fascinating to see him on Bigg Boss where nothing was scripted and he had to come up with material on the fly,” says Singh.

The performer even pulled off celebrity impressions with much conviction, most notably of Amitabh Bachchan. But the comic didn’t manage to carve out his film career like his superstar idol. Most of his film outings were restricted to bite-sized parts in big-budget blockbusters such as Tezaab (1988), Maine Pyar Kiya (1989) and Baazigar (1993). Bhabiji Ghar Par Hain! star Aasif Shaikh who collaborated with Srivastava in some projects feels he was keen to pursue a career in acting but there was no platform for comedians at the time. “He was very talented and always believed that he was an actor and not just a comedian. While shooting a film, he once performed for the entire cast and we were blown. He was a complete game-changer who introduced Indians to a new kind of stand-up comedy,” says Shaikh.

Srivastava had been a heart patient for decades and had also undergone angioplasty. But his health concerns made many of his friends and colleagues curious, particularly since he abstained from alcohol and tried to stay healthy. When Kumar voiced this concern with Srivastava, the comic quipped in his signature style: “Kabhi kabhi logon ko hasaane mein bhi stress ho jaata hain.”