Doctors don their creative hats in Hyderabad

Dr Christopher John Paul straddles two seemingly unrelated worlds — dentistry and stand-up comedy. A dentist from Sangareddy, he spends weekdays treating patients at his clinic in Jogipet, and weekends cracking jokes on stage in Hyderabad, around 75 kilometres away.

His knack for humour dates back to his college days. “I discovered I was a funny guy,” he says, grinning. Whether entertaining family, friends, or relatives, Dr John always had a story, often exaggerated, always hilarious. A chatterbox since school, he would turn everyday observations and petty street fights into laugh-out-loud narratives. During his Civil Services Exam preparation in 2014, he began writing jokes and watching stand up comics such as Rajasekhar Mamidanna and Karunesh Talwar.

Dr Christopher John Paul 
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Once settled into his dental practice, he began performing at open mics. His first full-length show followed in November 2023. “Open mics are great for learning,” he says. “Nobody is perfect, but that’s where you refine your craft.”

In just two years, with over 100 performances under his belt, his comedy spans a range of themes — from funny clinic moments and quirky patient chats to hangouts with friends and his parents’ ongoing concern over his single status. His solo show is titled Paisal Important, and he is also known for Lite Teesuko, Hasytantram, and Best of Telugu.

Proudly wearing both hats, he co-founded Silly South Comedy, a Telugu stand-up collective, with fellow comic Anudeep Katikala. The group turned one in March. He credits his flexible schedule — clinic hours mostly in the morning — for helping him pursue comedy in the evenings.

As for relocating to Hyderabad? “I have thought about it,” he admits, “but Jogipet is home to my primary clinic. I am not ready to let that go.”

Social films with a message

Dr Bharat Patodiya (second from left) in a scene from the play ‘Ballabhpur ki Roopkatha’
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“Whatever a doctor says often gets ignored — but when the same message is delivered by an actor in a film, it creates a paradigm shift,” says Dr Bharat Patodiya, oncologist at Pi Cancer Hospital, who credits Three Idiots with changing the course of his life.

While training at Hinduja Hospital in Mumbai, he encountered a young cancer patient whose story eerily mirrored Jimmy Shergill’s character in Munnabhai MBBS. But Dr Bharat struggled to find films that realistically portrayed patients discussing symptoms, or the emotional effects of habit withdrawal during treatment. That gap planted a seed — to create films that addressed social issues with authenticity.

Years passed as he worked in corporate hospitals in Hyderabad, his cinematic ambitions quietly shelved under the weight of long shifts and growing responsibilities. But in 2020, the forced pause of the pandemic gave him time to reflect. He enrolled at Anupam Kher’s Actor Prepares, travelling to Mumbai on weekends for in-person acting classes and taking online courses in scriptwriting, direction, and choreography.

Dr Bharat Patodiya (second from left) in a scene from the play ‘Ballabhpur ki Roopkatha’
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His first theatrical break came with two productions by Samahaaraa Hyderabad-based theatre group. This was followed by Ande ke chilkea cancer fundraising play which addressed the delicate subject of telling a patient they are dying. “If I mention death during a consultation, patients often switch doctors,” he says. “But through drama, you can approach these conversations with greater empathy and impact.”

Dr Bharat, who has acted in Inspired, Ballabhpur ki roopkatha and The Last Supper believes a silent barrier often exists between oncologists and patients. “We are expected to provide a timeline, but we do not have one. And because of that, patients often cling to false hope, delaying what truly matters.” His goal is to create films that foster mature conversations and informed decisions, not just emotional endings with grieving families.

Despite juggling his medical practice, he continues to pursue his creative calling. “There is never a perfect work-life balance,” he admits. Yet he remains hopeful of one day creating a web or TV series — something in the spirit of House or The Good Doctor — where each episode delivers a message with heart and honesty.

Artist-doctor sketches away

Dr Neeraj Raj. Shot oneplus #framesofindia | Photo Credit: Neeraja Murthy

Coming from a family of doctors, Dr Neeraj Raj naturally gravitated towards medicine — but his heart, since childhood, has always belonged to art. Even as a student at Osmania Medical College in 1982, he approached medicine through an artistic lens. “The human body is artistic — inside and out,” he says. “I was fascinated by the colours, textures, the meshwork of blood vessels, the neurological patterns, the interconnections of neurons.” He would even carry watercolours and brushes to his anatomy exams, translating science into sketches.

After practising as a general physician for eight years in Filkhana, Begum Bazaar, he eventually merged his dual interests — art and medicine — by venturing into medical illustration. Starting with traditional painting, he later embraced digital tools, creating 35mm slides and graphic designs for medical education. With a growing interest in emerging tech, he pivoted to multimedia animation, developed an e-learning platform to digitise the MBBS curriculum, and now works with virtual reality, designing virtual patients to enhance clinical training.

“This brings together everything I love — my medical knowledge, my passion for art and design, and my interest in new technology,” he explains.

A co-founder of Urban Sketchers Hyderabad (USk-Hyd), Dr Neeraj is also known for sharing hand-drawn portraits of friends and relatives on their birthdays via social media. Each sketch is carefully crafted with up to 10 detailed layers.

Dr Neeraj Raj. Shot oneplus #framesofindia | Photo Credit: Neeraja Murthy

His current artistic obsession? 360° VR painting. “I paint on a physical canvas with acrylics or oils, deliberately distorting the image. But when viewed through a VR headset, it transforms into an immersive three-dimensional experience,” he says with visible excitement.

Recently, Dr Neeraj exhibited over 200 of his sketches and paintings, as part of a USk-Hyd event that also featured 45 artists sketching live at the venue — an intersection of tradition and tech, much like the man himself.