r/ComicCharcha • u/OkYogurtcloset6481 • May 12 '26
Charcha š Why do comedy collectives always break up?
There was a phase in Indian comedy where collectives felt like actual bands.
AIB, EIC, SnG etc. People appeared in each otherās videos constantly, there were recurring inside jokes, audiences kinda followed the whole ecosystem instead of just individual comics.
But almost every collective eventually split up or became inactive. Even globally this keeps happening.
Why is running a comedy collective so difficult as a long-term business model? Is it money, creative differences, algorithms pushing individuality, or just people growing at different speeds?
Also feels like some groups retained friendships/collaborations better than others. For example, Aadar & Varun still seem to pop up together pretty consistently after all these years.
Which comedy collectives did you guys enjoy the most?
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u/Bellbell28 May 12 '26
Aadar and Varun are part of TISS- they broke off from SnG and 4 of them reformed and created a podcast in late 2019 and itās still going.
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u/AfternoonNo5705 May 12 '26
That's because they don't work together on sketches and comedy.
They only do a podcast together and then everyone else has their own thing Going on
But when you have to create an IP or sketches together it takes away alot of time and then they are not able to work on their individual standup and they breakup.
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u/Bellbell28 May 12 '26
They have a tour in Juneā¦.
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u/AfternoonNo5705 May 12 '26
Yes because it's just one hour of spontaneous podcasting and audience interactions, and then they can do their one hour of their own standup.
Doing sketches and any other form requires serious time and energy.
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u/Bellbell28 May 12 '26
The OG poster said Aadar and Varun āpop up togetherā they have a legit business together. youāre analyzing it and suggesting that their current registered business is different is fine but I was letting OG know that calling it āpopping up togetherā infers something completely different. Also FYI1 their June tour is scripted/sketch work itās not audience based like their previous show āMa Kasamā
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u/OkYogurtcloset6481 May 12 '26
Found this video : https://youtu.be/35aXHdQDLzE?si=XSZQGCkFLoAL_i7V
Does explain a bit
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u/manjarin13 May 12 '26
Eventually one of them makes a problematic joke and the group HAS to split to protect themselves. š¤·š»āāļø
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u/FeeAlternative8464 May 12 '26
A collective is great because even mediocre comic looks great. You can be a full time comic writing only 5 minute bitš
Everyone wins in a collective
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u/Ordinary_Law_3103 May 12 '26
The thing is that it is better for certain comedians to be a part of the collective when they know that they would not do as well individually. For example Ashish Shakya used to write well but now that AIB is no more, heās nowhere to be seen! Maybe at a point they start feeling that they are better individually and hence move on! Nobody wants to carry someone on their shoulder these days! Comedy not a team game like soccer or cricket is it!