Mr Gravitas: Adil Hussain's journey from stand-up comic to standout actor

Hussain has in recent years further cemented his reputation as a crossover artiste who is as sought after abroad as in India

Over three decades ago in Assam, a lanky youth mimicking leading men of Bollywood such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shatrughan Sinha was one of the highlights of a popular stand-up comedy group that went by the name of Bhaya Mama. The satirical group was a rage among listeners in the state in an era of audio cassettes. And until six of its members met with a tragic end in an accident in 1999, they were a much-loved troupe whose skits at the seasonal Bihu functions had audiences in splits. One of the few survivors from that group, and also its