‘Things They Wouldn’t Let Me Say’ By Aditi Mittal | Stand-up Special Review

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Source: Netflix

Rating- 3/5

Aditi Mittal is one of those names I would hear constantly without every having any personal brushes with her work. The second Indian stand-up comedian to have her own Netflix special, ‘Things They Wouldn’t Let Me Say’ starts on a strong note but is plagued by many lows for it to deliver the promised experience.

Mittal starts the special recalling instances of catcalling and harassment with astute details and hilarious observations. The bit’s transition from street harassment to the final punchline on Taj Mahal is wonderfully done. The airport bit starts in an unimpressive manner with jokes on terrorism and Agartala but has a good turnaround with the ‘women always need to pee’ joke. Kids on the plane makes yet another mention in an Indian stand-up special but the joke this time is on an apparent solution to the ruckus they cause.

Mittal tries to highlight her love for kids while cracking several jokes on them and their parents. ‘Baby product ads’ and ‘Hamley’s’ easily form the highlight in this bit, the former delivered in a resonating and cathartic manner while the latter provides a good insight with humour.

Aditi seems unperturbed on stage by the topic she is discussing- from the comedy cliche to the controversial. A steely dedication exists to the material she has prepared for the evening with discrete jokes being let out one after the other, immune to the audience reactions.

She offers numerous good setups which die due to the want of better punchlines. The observation can hold true for numerous jokes in various bits such as ‘relationship with fashion’. Bad advertising and products have some good moments, especially when observing the gendered differences in marketing of products and obsession with ‘fiber’. Sex education points out some harrowing truths about society and films but offers few laughs in its clear segue setup to introduce Dr Lutchuke.

The special now follows on the lines of Varun Thakur’s Amazon Prime Special and I find myself disinterested. The bit seems to make her mannerisms and innuendoes the focus as she attempts to impart some sex education tips, with only the final ones to men evoking a laugh from me. The writing isn’t necessarily bad but the shift in tone of the special is significant. A gradual traversing through the comedic talents and personal stories of Aditi Mittal is now halted by a character, designed to evoke easy laughs instead of relying on the strength of the jokes, some of which are good.

A relief comes in the form of Aditi returning on stage. Clubbing and parties in the 90s offer good laughs while ruining martinis for me in the process. The fashion and online dating bits start on familiar jokes on brand names and misleading photos, underwhelming the entire bits until a transition into penis enlargement ads.

Sanitary pads offer a slew of good jokes and observations consisting of the show’s best analogy. Mittal offers an excellent commentary on the taboo associated with periods and the ludicrousness of sanitary pad advertisements. The watered down punchline aside, it’s a mystery why Mittal didn’t choose to end the show at some point in the bit as the final segment is an ill-advised conclusion.

The incongruous nature of the special isn’t a novelty but what sets ‘Things They Wouldn’t Let Me Say’ apart is the subtext offered in nearly every second bit or joke. Sexism, misogyny, and sexual violence aren’t topics you can find yourself easily laughing at but Mittal is able to do so here without being dismissive. A laugh is offered at first and then a gradual realisation or reflection on what made us laugh at a taboo quickly draws up; the fault more than often being either society or our own flawed conditioning.

The Indian specials that I have seen so far have rarely offered any commentary on vital issues, much less with such dogged consistency and subtle effect. If only the special had been able to similarly smoothen its tonal consistency with better punchlines, Aditi could have had an instant classic on hand.

Favourite Bits: ‘We have no cure for the common cold and yet’ ‘This is why Indian kids win spelling bees’ ‘Sanitary Pads’

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