Letter to 2020

Dear 2020 

I would get on a zoom call with you however I’ve had my share of hearing the two phrases that have been echoing throughout the universe – ‘Am I audible?’ and ‘You are on mute’. Therefore your end-of-year review shall be done via this letter. 

January was a real high. While my parents launching my book ‘Naked’ in front of an endless sea of people at Jaipur Literature Festival was fantastic, the peak of my joy came from a comment on Twitter. Dr Shashi Tharoor had launched my book at the Kerala Literature Festival. Since it was incredibly hot and humid and was a beach festival, I wore attire appropriate to the weather and location. My spirits were lifted beyond my imagination when someone commented on Dr Tharoor’s photo tweet of the launch with the words ‘Bas bhagwan aisa confidence de de… K itne bade stage par nikkar aur chappal mein jaa saku’.

March started beautifully. My Happiness Project took me to perform at a home for underprivileged children in Calcutta where we invited guests from a home for the elderly as well. I’ve received rounds of applause in front of a sold out Sydney Opera House but I can’t think any stage show that gave me the unadulterated joy that I felt that morning. 

It is my birthday on International Women’s Day, the 8th of March, when I’m normally invited to be a part of some panel discussion with five women and me. For the duration of said panel it is my duty to represent mankind, accept responsibility and apologise. This year instead I hosted an Author Awards for women so that was a pleasant change. 

Come April 1st it became clear that the joke was on us and income would not be an outcome for the foreseeable future. Organisations can’t justify paying for comedians when pink slips are being handed out and salaries are being cut. Yet one could only feel gratitude when the heart ached at the plight of migrant workers walking hundreds of miles just to be with their own families. 

Like with many others I treated the early days of the lockdown as a productivity contest. Regular workouts, learning new skills, writing a new book…and like many others within no time I said to hell with this, I’m just going to be a slob and watch Netflix. Henceforth every day became Groundhog Day. 

August started with me wishing I could be performing at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and ended with organisations in India realising that mental health and boosting morale was the need of the hour and nobody better than a comedian to do that job. My online shows ranged from 25 people to 7000 families and I donated my time and jokes for multiple fundraising initiatives.

By September I had learned how to really add value to my clients. Customising content, hosting events, running corporate training sessions, having interactive performances and mentoring C-level executives. I started to draw on my entire repertoire of education, skills and experience to create bespoke solutions. I also launched my e-book globally.

By the end of the year I had learned even more. Each one of us has asked ourselves the question, ‘When a vaccine is found and all of this is over, what will we do’. After all you can ground our flights but you cannot stop our flights of fancy. For some asking this question has led to exotic travel plans but for me, shutting down the outside world has led me deeper into my own world.

Putting a mask on my face has helped me unmask what really matters to me. 

Like going on a high-altitude trek and living under terrible conditions, it has made me appreciate the beauty around me and become grateful for the all the things that I take for granted under non-trek and non-Covid circumstances. I have developed a greater respect for what and who are important in my life. 

During the lockdown I have taught my mother how to dance salsa and played badminton with her four times a week. Every morning I order take-away coffee that I have with my father in the car. When someone pointed out to me what two coffees a day have cost me over six months, it didn’t take me even half a second to tell them that one hour of quality time with my father every day was priceless to me. 

So in the end 2020, while you may have been able to change our circumstances you’ll never have power over our attitude and how we choose to respond to what you throw our way. Please have 2021 know that while you may be able to claim victory over a few human bodies, you will never be able to defeat the human spirit. Unless of course, Trump somehow gets a second term. 

My best wishes

Papa CJ

Photograph from an online show:

This letter was published in the December 2020 edition of Man's World India magazine. Thank you Samreen for publishing this. I've posted this on LinkedIn so I could share the photographs, videos and links that we were unable to include in the magazine.