Amazon Prime has been instrumental in bringing the stand-up comedy scene in India to every home in a big way - first with the stand-up specials, then with 2 seasons of Comicstaan and now with One Mic Stand. It just takes the reality factor from Comicstaan one step further by getting in non-comedians and non-aspiring comedians to try their hands at stand-up for the very first time.
They have kept the reality factor on the show 'real' and not made it medodramatic. The performer in every episode seems genuinely nervous yet not dramatized to cinematic effect. The host and creator of the show Sapan Varma comes across as easy-going and charming. The celebrity guests are largely selected on the basis that they are popular to some extent in social media or viral videos, lending themselves organically to controversy or comedy or both.
From the celebrity guests the first and last - Bhuvan Bam and Shashi Tharoor - are the best! Others do well as per their individual capabilities. The stand-up acts are kept short with around 4-5 minute performance. Other than that each episode comprises of an individual act by the guest mentor and Sapan Varma plus the mentoring sessions.
These are my individual ratings for each celebrity guest.
Bhuvan Bam - 4/5
Taapsee Pannu - 3/5
Richa Chadha - 3.5/5
Vishal Dadlani - 3.5/5
Shashi Tharoor - 4/5
These are my individual ratings for the mentors' performances on the show
Zakir Khan - 4/5
Angad Singh Ranyal - 4/5
Ashish Shakhya - 3/5
Rohan Joshi - 2/5
Kunal Kamra - 3/5