Review: 'Wake N Bake' is Not LOL Funny, But Still Probably The Best Stand-Up Special in Recent Times

It is rather easy to feel detached and confused at the same time with the barrage of stand-up specials coming in almost every month. As we know, Amazon Prime Video in India pretty much has monopolized it so far with some already known and loved comedians coming up with their stand-up specials on the streamer.

So, just in case you have been wondering on how to bifurcate and only willing to watch one - Wake N Bake may just be the answer.

Comedian and former AIB man, Rohan Joshi became the latest to have his own stand-up special and while there is a plethora of comedians to choose from, this one I was looking forward to the most.

What stood out for me straight off the bat initially was the trailer of the special. Just like Joshi's style of humor, it was intelligent, funny and extremely witty. That is what I expected from the special too.

Joshi didn't quite enter the stand-up scene per se owing to being completely dedicated to his group, All India Bakchod (AIB) with co-members, Ashish Shakya, Tanmay Bhat and Gursimran Khamba.

However, the group's disbanding due to all the reasons is known already and how it happened. So, cut to Joshi coming in strong as a stand-up comedian.

Wake N Bake begins with a bang and the pacing of the special throughout the 57 minutes was pretty much rock steady. One of the best things about stand-up specials is how comedians almost everytime get anecdotal with a blend of topical comedy - that is also what happens here. From talking about his hilarious struggle of realizing he is 36 years old to a poignant but hysterical look at the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) and Indian Education System in general, Joshi's biggest punches came in with these segments.

One thing is certain - except for three of four instances, the jokes or the overall material isn't Laught Out Loud funny; I don't know about you though but I personally actually look for that in a stand-up special. Just like watching a movie, while watching a one hour special, you want to be hooked on it with heart-warming moments and smiles. Joshi's material does that with sheer conviction and so does the man himself.

Joshi is electric, energetic and knows the right buttons to push for the viewers to not only enjoy his content but take the right pauses and go mildly over the top when needed.

The best part about the whole special is his take on topical things ranging from politics to race discrimination to difference between the rich and poor among other things. Even if you aren't a sucker for these things, they happen with the flow and not for a moment, preachy or unfunny.

If you are one of those people who just watch one comedy special and want to choose from - this should be your pick, and if you just like comic content generally - you should watch it anyway.