Tere Gully Mein: Kullu Tours Bhopal With Kamiya Jani, Opens Up About His Stand-Up Journey & More

Our Editor-in-Chief, Kamiya Jani, explored the beautiful City of Lakes, Bhopal, with none other than stand-up comedian Aditya Kulshreshth, aka Kullu. In a recent episode of Tere Gully Mein, he took Kamiya on a journey through his hometown. From visiting his favourite local spots to sharing childhood memories, Kullu opened up about everything. He shared about his life, his journey into stand-up comedy, and why he takes pride in calling himself a true Bhopali. He’s a proud son of Bhopal, and through his eyes, we got to experience the city’s charm in the most authentic way. We visited legendary cafes and restaurants, enjoyed Bhopal’s go-to dishes and got a taste of what the locals truly love. Here’s how the Bhopal adventure with Kullu went down.

For Kullu, Bhopal Is Everything!

Though Kullu lives in the fast-paced city of Mumbai for work, the moment he gets even two days off, he rushes straight to Bhopal. But why is that? He believes that Bhopal is a city where people don’t rush through life; they’re calm and carry a chill, relaxed vibe. He said, “Mai jab bhi Mumbai mein rehta hoon, toh itna miss karta hoon na—the lazy Saturdays of Bhopal.” Kamiya said that even though it was a Thursday, people still seemed relaxed and carried that same lazy vibe. “But I feel ‘lazy’ is not the word; ‘laid-back’ is the word. We’re very ‘lag’ people,” he replied.

His Journey Into Stand-Up Comedy

Every spot we visited with Kullu made him nostalgic about his old days, when he used to hang out with friends, and he fondly put it in his Bhopali accent, ‘Bataolibaazi karte the.’ We kicked off the day with a delicious breakfast at the iconic Indian Coffee House, a cafe that’s been around since 1958. Over filter coffee, idli-vada, and French toast, Kullu opened up about his early life and career.

Although he earned a degree in engineering, he eventually found his true interest in stand-up comedy. He began performing stand-up in his first year, and it quickly got picked up in Bhopal. He said, “Bhopal ke logon ko mehfilbaazi badi pasand hai. Unhe pasand hai ki log aayein, perform karein, isiliye mujhe yahan comedy karne mein bohot maza aata tha.” 

And guess who inspired him back then? Zakir Khan, The OG Himself. With the rising popularity of AIB and The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, Kullu realised that comedy wasn’t just a passion; it could be a real career. From that point on, he started paying serious attention to it and never looked back.

Also Read: Purav Jha Is Equally Fluent In Hindi And Maithili, Says, ‘’Maine Ghar Pe Kabhi Hindi Me Baat Hi Nahi Kari’’

Two Traits Of Bhopal In Him Are…

We headed to our next spot, Manohar Dairy, one of the most iconic places in Bhopal. This 55-year-old restaurant is a local favourite and is known for serving some of the yummiest dishes in the city. Over wholesome Dahi Puri, Chole Paneer Bhature, and more, Kullu shared two traits that, according to him, make him a true Bhopali.

He said, “Dekho, do traits hain. Ek toh relaxed mind se kaam karte hain, koi pareshani, dhakka-mukki, jaldbaazi nahi hoti. Hum log welcoming, relaxed, aur mehfilbaaz hote hain. Jab bhi aap mere ghar aayengi, shaam ko 4-5 log milenge wahaan.” The second trait, he says, is the depth of friendship Bhopalis maintain. If he ever calls a friend to come along, they’ll show up, no questions asked.

After lunch, he drove us around to give a tour of Bhopal’s scenic lake view. We even played Never Have I Ever, relished Tutti-Frutti ice cream, asked him to describe his comedian contemporaries in one word, and had plenty of laughs along the way.

Want to see all the fun? Watch the full episode now.

Cover Image Courtesy: Internal