Comedian Neel Kolhatkar: "I Want To See More Brown Sex Symbols"

When it comes to career ambitions, Neel Kolhatkar follows the go big or go home school of thought. That's perhaps unsurprising given the impressive numbers the 22-year-old comedian already boasts. Since launching his own YouTube channel a little under a decade ago, his online following has sky-rocketed, with many of the young comic's character and impression driven videos raking in millions of views. Most notably, his 2013 video, Australia In 2 Minutes, made him a viral sensation practically overnight, drawing well over a million views in just a few days, eventually plateauing at nearly four million hits.

Any stand-up purists rolling their eyes at pesky millennials hiding behind their laptops, dodging the spit and sawdust graft of the comedy club, should also note that Kolhatkar is also a force to be reckoned with live on stage. If you don't want to take my word for it, his CV highlights speak volumes. He picked up Melbourne International Comedy Festival's teen talent gong, The Class Clown Award, in 2009, followed by a coveted invitation to appear at the MICF's Comedy Zone break-out artist showcase in 2013. By 2015 he was already touring nationally in Australia as well as flying the Aussie comedy flag overseas in New Zealand and at that most hallowed international platform, the Edinburgh Festival. Now the wunderkind comedian is a headliner with his eye on world domination.

"I've definitely been trying to make material that's more global in its appeal. When I got my start on YouTube, the content was definitely very Australian-centric, but lately, I think I have been taking my comedy in a direction that will appeal to an international audience," Kolhatkar shares. "I mean, of course there's still plenty of Aussie references. I'm very proud of being Australian and Aussies like nothing more than some good home grown banter, but I'm definitely trying to work in global themes more. Ironically enough, the far-right craziness that's taking over the world right now, trying to put up walls - literally - and keep people of different nationalities and ethnic backgrounds apart, is actually bringing people together. These are topics that are on a lot of people's minds, and that's basically what comedy is, right? We look at the world around us and make observations. So it makes complete sense that comedians are kind of on the front line when it comes to making sense of those things."

 "Brown men are often seen as not as masculine, maybe a bit weaker and feminine, kind of shy."

Roasting current affairs may have tapped Kolhatkar into the global zeitgeist, but the Indian-Australian comic's personal heritage has put him in an innate position as a voice for minorities. While not always overtly political, as a comedian of colour, Kolhatkar's jokes have always skewered certain racial and cultural stereotypes - rap and hip hop tropes and true blue larrikin Australiana are favourite subject matters - with often eye-wateringly close to the bone punchlines. The land Down Under hasn't always been supportive of multicultural diversity, to put it mildly. But Kolhatkar is part of a vanguard of comedy and entertainment personalities championing those often neglected viewpoints, including artists like comedians Ronny Chieng and Nazeem Hussain, TV presenter Waleed Aly and Black Comedy writer-performer Nakkiah Lui.

However, winning over hearts and minds in Australia, one non-white comedian at a time, is a work in progress, he admits. "I think things have improved - or let's say they've changed, maybe that's a better way to say it," Kolhatkar smiles. "There is definitely a lot more diversity represented nowadays, even on those more traditional networks like Channel 9, with Here Come The Habibs. That came in for some flack when it first aired, but it definitely shows that Australia is embracing a more multicultural identity. There isn't just one 'Australian' kind of comedy, it's a massively diverse range of voices and experiences and stories, so yeah, maybe some way to go yet, but I think any step in the right direction is a good thing."

Challenging racial preconceptions has been on Kolhatkar's mind of late while preparing for his latest show, #ObjectifyNeel, which comes with the eye-catching tagline, "because brown men need to be more sexually objectified." It's the latest display of the comedian's unique combination of political incorrectness infused with thought-provoking smarts. "I think the sorts of sexual themes in this show are relevant to everyone. They're very universal and they can still be done in a very high-brow way without losing the sharpness of that humour. I hope it's got a little more substance and a bit more thought behind it than just, 'Hey guys, sex is funny!'" he notes. "We live in a very sexualised world, but I really wanted to bring in the idea of racial stereotypes, particularly the way brown men are often seen as not as masculine, maybe a bit weaker and feminine, kind of shy. Because I want to see more brown sex symbols, ya know. I want to be a brown sex symbol! And there is still that edge of crude comedy, but I like that there's something maybe something a bit challenging and a bit thoughtful in there too."

Kolhatkar rarely pulls and punches on stage, but he's no firebrand. In fact, his upbeat, disarmingly charismatic delivery is often cited by critics and fans alike as the X-factor behind his ability to land jokes that could be wincingly off-key in the hands of a lesser performer. But, while he may not be an activist in the traditional sense, he is most definitely an instigator, given his signature shock and awe style.

As Kolhatkar explains, he's never been afraid to go down that oh-no-he-di'int route. "I should have just stopped that sentence with, 'Not afraid to go down!'" he quips with on-brand cheek. "Yeah, um, I can't really put my finger why that sort of comedy appeals to me, but it's what I've always done and what has really worked for me. It's just something that I caught onto from a young age and my humour's always sort of pushed the boundaries. You've got to be really unapologetic about it for it to work. If I have something to say, I will say it,  I won't shy away from it. It's me, it's all me. It's my voice, my opinions, I'm saying exactly what I want to say and I personally think that that's the best kind of comedy. It's the kind of comedy I respond to — the kind of gig I'd go to."

Neel Kolhatkar's #ObjectifyNeel 30 Mar — 23 Apr, at Melbourne Town Hall, part of Melbourne International Comedy Festival.