Sweta Mantrii's comedy show will make you laugh and think

Mantrii at a previous live gig

Sweta Mantrii is always candid and honest in conversations, making a career that keeps a mic in her hand, the best decision (for our benefit). This is why we were thrilled to hear the comic, writer and disability inclusion enabler announce another edition of With This Ability: Comedy and Conversations, taking place tonight.

The show takes place over Zoom, which in the comedy space is a thing of the past. But in this age of video content and OTT specials, why can't we see more digital stand-up gigs? Mantrii offers a balanced perspective, "To be fair to my artform and as a comic, I know the experience of a live show brings a certain excitement for both parties. I don't deny that, nor am I saying I won't do live shows. But there are a lot of physical barriers for Persons with Disability (PwD) in attending a live show as audience members or as performers. It takes a lot of work and research to reach the venue, which causes a lot of anxiety."

During the surge in online stand-up gigs a few years ago, she had learnt to leverage her strengths in digital shows where the format negates physical restrictions otherwise faced in live shows. "In the end, I'm doing what works for me; here I'm conveying that I'm exercising my agency and also that we need changes to physical spaces to make them more accessible."

Sweta Mantrii

Through her set, Mantrii will address how people treat PwD using instances from her interactions with strangers, dates, parents, as well as the government, and in the way they choose to work around issues that lead to a challenging life for PwD. Leading into the conversation part of that show, the comic will direct questions to the audience, asking them what they would do in different scenarios that include interacting with PwD. Mantrii reveals, "We will also move to a nuanced conversation about psychological barriers [of people without disability] that lead to physical barriers and vice versa; and what they can do as people who are not change-makers, but with regard to their biases and mindset when they converse with or about PwD, and physical changes like accessibility needs." About the onus of initiating this conversation, Mantrii shares, "I'm not here to spoon-feed a person without disability. Rather, I am inviting them to have a conversation with me on creating a better space for PwD."

"The aim is to have people leave the show with evolved perspectives," she adds. From previous editions, has this come to fruition? Mantrii recalls an important post-show interaction. "Someone approached me admitting that they didn't know if it would be right to laugh at such content, and if I did that on purpose. I'm not saying we should laugh at disability or be insensitive, but we should question why it is hard and uncomfortable to laugh at these jokes. We need to understand disability beyond the lens of sympathy and inspirational [stories]. Instead, let's reflect on what needs to change and work towards initiating it," she concludes.

On: Tonight, July 25; 8.30 pm
Log on to: linktr.ee/SwetaMantrii
Cost: Rs 200 onwards