Vadodara gave me my roots; Ahmedabad will give me the wings to fly: Manan Desai

Manan Desai, who has shifted base to Ahmedabad, says, “Vadodara gave me my roots; Ahmedabad will give me the wings to fly.” The popular comedian from Vadodara adds, “I had worked in Vadodara for years, including a stint as an RJ.

In between, I moved to Ahmedabad for two years (2012–2014) to establish our comedy group as a brand. However, I felt I didn’t receive the right kind of support then and soon moved back to Vadodara. While I could have still operated from Vadodara, which I will always consider my home, I felt it was the right time to shift base to Ahmedabad. I will be based here at least for the next couple of years and after that, I will take a call on where I want to spend the rest of my life.”He adds, “Vidya (his wife) and I love eating sushi, and we have discovered some amazing sushi places in Ahmedabad. It’s an exciting city if you are a foodie.” Excerpts from a chat:‘The resources Ahmedabad provides are incredible’The resources Ahmedabad provides are incredible. In fact, I think it’s ahead of Mumbai in that respect. Whenever I visit the old city, I’m amazed by how systematically everything is organised: all the cloth shops are in one lane, the jewellery shops in another, and the electronics stores in yet another.

It teaches you that when more people do the same thing together, everyone grows. If all of us work collectively for the betterment of the Gujarati film industry, we can take it to even greater heights.‘Executing my dream project will be easier now’Since the Gujarati film industry is primarily based here, it made sense to shift base here. I am working on my dream project (he will be directing a Gujarati film, which he is co-writing with Om Bhatt and Chirayu Mistry) and executing that plan will be easier if I am based here.

I am very excited about collaborating with talented minds from the industry. Together, we can scale up the industry.‘It’s more of an expansion than migration’After the pandemic, regional content started getting a lot of space. We are collaborating with non-Gujarati comedians too. While Vadodara has helped me build a brand, Ahmedabad will help me in building what I really want to do next. I am also launching a new company based in Ahmedabad, a full-fledged club that will promote multiple art forms and provide a dedicated space to budding artistes to showcase their talent.

The community has given me a lot, now it’s time for me to give something back. It’s more of an expansion than migration.‘My roots will always remain in Vadodara’I consider the entire Gujarat, and even Mumbai, as my karmabhoomi because our best audiences belong to these places. My roots will always remain in Vadodara, and I will forever be indebted to the city. But I needed to move to a bigger city. We want to target the Gujarati audience in global markets now. What I will miss about Vadodara is the patience this city has. It has taught me to be calm and patient. Vadodara offers good opportunities too, but in comparison, Ahmedabad is a very fast and competitive city.

It teaches you to be ambitious and dream big. I have met so many young entrepreneurs in the city, who always talk about the next big thing they are aiming for. Being in such an environment motivates and encourages you.