Comedy Store wins legal victory after its Indian joint venture collapses

The Comedy Store’s joint venture to run a stand-up club in India has fallen apart with a protracted legal battle, following allegations of financial irregularities.

The British company has just won its latest court case to extricate itself from a deal with local promoters, in a ruling which gives it the sole right to use its name and logo in the sub-continent.

The Comedy Store opened a 300-seat club in Mumbai with much fanfare in June 2010, in conjunction with Horseshoe Entertainment & Hospitality. Don Ward, who co-founded the London venue, promised a weekly roster of international comics and local acts.

However, his company terminated the joint venture in June last year, and began a number of actions in Mumbai’s High Court in February. Further cases are yet to be decided, but the latest ruling gives Ward 100 per cent ownership of the brand again.

The Store has now set up in another – non-purpose-built - venue in Mumbai, kicking off next weekend, while Ward tries to secure private-equity investment to roll out its clubs across India.

He told Chortle: ‘When I started The Comedy Store Mumbai, people told me I was putting my money on the wrong horse. But I know that Mumbai, in fact India on the whole, has been starved of quality alternative comedy entertainment.

‘The association with the Indian partners has been, to put it mildly, disappointing – but following recent High Court judgments and I can finally set out to do what I always wanted, to take comedy to not just Mumbai but to the whole of India.’

Ward’s daughter Charlotte will be running the Indian operations, and said: ‘I have grown up at The Comedy Store and comedy is in my blood. I am happiest doing this and can't wait to see what the markets of Delhi, Pune, Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata [Calcutta] have to offer in terms of both audience reaction and the search for new talent.

‘We have a fantastic team already in place solely focussed on building the brand across India to the highest of standards and quality.’

Local comic Anuvab Pal, a writer who Don Ward encouraged on to the stage, said: ‘This man has been solely responsible for the sea change that has come over the Indian stand-up comedy spectrum.’

The Store’s old Mumbai venue, The Palladium, now hosts a stand-up night called Canvas Comedy, set up by Horseshoe.

Published: 17 May 2013