The Great Indian Laughter Nite

Blake Whitaker July 9, 2009 4:00AM

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Comedy has sent Sunil Thakkar halfway around the world and back again. The -Mumbai-native-turned-Houstonian won over the judges on Great Indian Laughter Champions — the Indian equivalent of Last Comic Standing — with his distinctly American style. Now, the Rice grad and local radio host will enjoy a hometown crowd when he serves as emcee of The Great Indian Laughter Nite at the Arena Theatre, which will feature six top-10 contestants from the 2008 Indian TV show. (Thakkar, the TV show’s only international contestant, dropped out after making the final nine — he had a gig on a cruise ship.) Be forewarned: Though Thakkar does most of his act in English, the other performers will incorporate a goodly amount of Hindi into their sets. But variations in comedic style may be a boon to the linguistically lost. “[Indian comedy] is like bang-bang-bang,” Thakkar says. “Not so much monologue…it’s quicker and more energetic. The punch lines keep coming.” So even if a joke is lost in translation, you won’t have to wait long for the next one. 8:30 p.m. 7326 Southwest Freeway. For information, call 832-618-3333 or visit www.laughternite2009.com. $15 to $35.
Fri., July 10, 8:30 p.m., 2009