Returning to Dwarka’s Yashobhoomi after two years, Russell Peters kicked off the India leg of his Relax Tour on Sunday. He entered to an upbeat tune and a roar of applause, dressed in a shiny black hat and chunky glasses. “Delhi, you good? We won the cricket, that’s good news, right?” he said, energising the crowd.‘About 22 years ago, I started to get popular. Well, clearly that’s over now!’Aiming to help audiences unwind, the show opened with a set by comedian Nitish Sakhuja. In his 90-minute performance, Russell touched on everything – from Indian weddings to unique names, blending observational humour with crowd work. Reiterating what he had told us in an interview last week, he shared that he would live in India if he could. Mimicking the classic street uncle and the unmistakable Indian aunty stare, Russell had the audience laughing at the accuracy of his impressions and Indian accent.
He entered to an upbeat tune and a roar of applause, dressed in a shiny black hat and chunky glasses
Bringing his brutally honest humour to the city, he shared how he got into comedy in 1989 but got popular much later. “About 22 years ago, I started to get popular. Well, clearly that’s over now! (laughs) But I had a good time. I’m glad to be here. I’m not living in a fantasy world.”‘America is not what it once was’With roots in India, the global comic reflected on his long connection with the country. “I’ve been living in America for 20 years and I’m worried about it. I can’t leave, I’m stuck there. America is not what it once was. I’ve been coming to India my whole life since the 70s. And I’ve watched India change, and watched it get better and better. Every trip I come, I’m like, it just gets better!” he said, drawing applause from the audience.“The US could very well be the first country we’ve seen in our lifetime had to go from a super power to a third world country. That’s a strong possibility! Now India, started as a third world country, and in the next two years, we will be a f*cking super power.”
Audience responses range from praise to comparisons with earlier productions
Audience responses range from praise to comparisons with earlier productionsWhile the crowd cheered and whistled throughout the performance, reactions to the show were mixed. “His crowd work was pretty funny and witty. I enjoyed the show,” said Anuj, a first-time attendee from Saket. His wife, Kanika, however, disagreed, saying she had attended previous shows where Peters was funnier and felt he probably didn’t find the right audience for his style of crowd work.
