The Indian Comic Scene has been flourishing in ways it has never. Many ace Indian comics have made their presence felt in International set-ups and foreign countries. Outside of comedy, many of these comedians are venturing into different fields. Recently, Comedians Abish Mathew, Kunal Rao, Shashwat Maheshwari, and Urooj Ashfaq showcased their talent by lending their voice in ‘Domain8,’ a recently released animated mini-series on YouTube. The brainchild of director Karan Asnani, known for his work on various Indian stand-up specials and web-series, the show features a star-studded cast.

Stand-up comics voice characters in Domain8

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Cast and Production

The quartet of Abish Mathew, Kunal Rao, Shashwat Maheshwari, and Urooj Ashfaq play pivotal roles in the five-episode series, which has a runtime of approximately five minutes per episode. 

Asnani, the director, also co-produced the series through his company Myoho Films. Known for his involvement in stand-up specials and web-series, Asnani has previously directed projects like ‘Koi Load Nahi,’ ‘Done,’ and the Amazon MiniTV series ‘Hum Do Teen Chaar,’ featuring Sumukhi Suresh and Biswa Kalyan Rath.

Stand-up comics lend voice to characters in Domain8

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Plot Overview

Domain8 revolves around the power struggle between Proxy Torrentino (voiced by Kunal Rao), an internet tyrant withholding access from the residents of Cryptopur, and Codec Encoder (voiced by Urooj Ashfaq), a determined teenager rebelling against Torrentino’s oppressive control. The series is available in both Hindi and English.

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Voicing Characters

Abish Mathew, known for his background as a professional radio jockey for Hit 95 FM, lends his voice as the narrator in the English version. Shashwat Maheshwari takes on this role in the Hindi version. 

Popular Stand-up comics voice characters in Domain8

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Mathew expressed his excitement about exploring different approaches to narration, drawing on his radio experience. Kunal Rao, having collaborated with Asnani in the past, was eager to voice an animated character. Rao shared that Asnani instructed him to infuse his character with a calm yet slightly evil demeanour, providing a fun and unique experience.

Director’s Vision

Mathew commended Asnani’s visionary approach to the project, describing him as someone consumed by a creative vision. The collaboration excited Mathew, who acknowledged Asnani’s significant contributions to the comedy scene.

Stand-up comics voice characters in Domain8, mini-series on YouTube

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All five episodes of Domain8 are currently available on YouTube, offering viewers a bite-sized animated experience featuring the comedic talents of Abish Mathew, Kunal Rao, Shashwat Maheshwari, and Urooj Ashfaq.

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Rishi Jain
Rishi believes in experiences over possessions. A healthy political discussion is her espresso shot. She loves all things Bollywood and finds solace in words.