BLENDING personalities on stage will come with a hidden social message when this Monterey actor gets under the lights.
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Neel Kolhatkar, 18, is gearing up to perform a one-man show at the 2012 Sydney Fringe Festival.
As the youngest solo performer in the event this year, Kolhatkar will bring Kogarah to town, in his humorous musical comedy, The KogDog!
He described it as a "satirical illustration of commercial music that delves into the lack of identity facing Australia's multicultural youth".
The top drama student who graduated from Caringbah High School last year will channel a young Indian man who is "heavily influenced by popular culture".
The funny bit? Kolhatkar takes on an African-American gangster persona.
The "Kog" stands for Kogarah — his version of a ghetto and a "non-existent street gang lifestyle".
"I'm playing a socially inept second generation immigrant, and sort of taken his awkwardness to the next level by creating comedy rap songs," Kolhatkar said.
"It's about using modern commercial music to reflect social ideals. I come from an Indian background, and I've come across immigrants who seem to have a false sense of identity.
"Some of them try to portray an Americanised character, which I think seems contrived and artificial. It's quite humorous but I don't want to offend anyone."
Kolhatkar recently took a gap year to try out the stand-up comedy carousel overseas.
"I went to LA, New York, London, Montreal, where there are a lot of comedy festivals," he said.
"I was trying to do as much as I could in the lead-up to this show."
Kolhatkar's two-night performance will be at 6pm on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 25 and 26, at King Street Theatre, Newtown. Details: 9519 5081.
