"Will invest in mutual funds"; Aakash Mehta on winning Rs 50 Lakhs in Social Currency [Exclusive]

If you love watching stand-up comedy, you must have stumbled upon Aakash Mehta aka Kuch Bhi Mehta's videos. From witty one-liners to relatable jokes. The ace comedian was seen in Social Currency, which is streaming on Netflix a reality-based show for influencers and actors who stay together without their gadgets.

Aakash is the only stand-up comedian against some of the most sought-after influencers and has won the reality show.

In a free-wheeling conversation with International Business Times, Aakash Mehta spoke at length about his journey in stand-up comedy, how he bagged the reality show and his plans after winning Ra 50 lakhs and more.

Excerpts from the conversation

Congratulations on winning Social Currency. How was your experience inside the house?

Aakash: It was so many things! Call it an eye opener cum confidence builder cum masterclass in influencers and their content. Like nothing I'd done before!

You are an inspiration, one of the most real and honest people. Did you agree to participate instantly?

Aakash: Thank you, I'm glad you think so. I didn't say yes instantly but it was pretty close. I jumped at the idea of being around this new breed of entertainer as I always felt that I was lucky enough to be the last generation of artists before the influencer craze began. Plus, it's Netflix so there was a lot of faith that the end product wouldn't be cringe.

Who is your friend from the Social Currency team? (influencer or actor)

Aakash: I think I got closest to Bhavin in the house. But time goes by and people drift apart. The show was shot back in 2021 so you can imagine we've all gotten on to lots of things after.

You said, "Parth has fans, not mere followers". How was your camaraderie with Parth Samthaan?

Aakash: Parth is a very sweet guy and is very sorted in his head about what he does and what he wants to do. In that, he provided a lot of stability and some perspective in the house. More than anything he never hesitated to help in any way he could. Definitely a fine quality in a house like that.

You have a decade-long career you spoke about your ups and downs, and anxiety attacks as well. How has your life changed post the show?

Aakash:  It's definitely been a huge confidence builder. Life has really changed since the show came out including more shows and touring and most importantly, getting married. I think before the show I was on a path that was full of joy but also of uncertainty. I feel like winning the show put a lot of doubts I had about my approach to my career to rest. The kind of validation that likes and followers can't give you.

How did stand-up happen to you?

Aakash:  I started comedy back when I was in my first year of law school. As an 18-year-old I didn't really have any concrete plans or expectations from comedy. I just wanted to tell jokes and get better at it. But as you keep working in the scene you begin to realise that there's a lot of stuff around the actual telling of the jokes that you also need to figure out like production, marketing, videos, social media and the list is endless!

Go on..

When you don't have any big management agency or senior in the scene that sees potential in you, you have no choice but to do things yourself. And so, I did!

It started with organising my own shows and then quickly moved to start my own management company. Of course, you get looked over for a lot of things when you're a small fish in a big sea but comedy gives you the freedom of going out on tour and building your own audience one show at a time. And that's pretty much the story of how I got to where I am today. One step at a time, still just trying to tell better and better jokes to more and more people.

Who is your favourite standup comedian?

Aakash:  Mandar Bhide, Tarang Hardikar, Deepak Singh, Mohd Suhel, Urjita Wani, Siddhartha Shetty, Fatima Ayesha, Kaustubh Agarwal, Navin Noronha who also just put out India's first Queer stand-up comedy special. The list goes on...

Who was fake inside the house Social Currency?

Aakash: I think that's for the audience to judge. I see no point in using binary terms to describe spectrums.

What next are you open to more and more reality shows?

Aakash:  On the contrary! I think the only way I'll work on a reality show now is if I'm the host or the producer! This was fun but it's really not what I was made for.

What do you binge-watch?

Aakash:  Believe it or not I usually only binge-watch documentary series if at all. Binging requires you to have that much time somehow, I'm always running to some shenanigans or the other that I'm up to.

Last words for fans you always have had and now after winning?

Aakash: The ones who've been already known, but to the new ones, it's pretty straightforward. Welcome to this crazy ride that has been my creative career. There are up and downs and even sudden drops but I promise you I'll do my best to get better and better! Thanks for being here to watch! I hope you stick around and trust me; I see you!

What are your plans since you have won 50 lakhs what will you be doing with the money?

Aakash:  First and foremost, I'll sit and calculate how much will reach my account. Most of it will go to Mutual funds. Some part to my other projects and some part to charity.