{{Short description|Indian stand-up comedian and actor}} {{Use dmy dates|date = November 2019}} {{Infobox person | name = Alexander Babu | image = | caption = | birth_name = Alexander Babu Arulanthu | birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1975|12|18}} | birth_place = Andavoorani, Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu | death_date = | death_place = | occupation = Comedian, actor, YouTuber | years_active = 2014 - present | spouse = Sumitha Mohan | children = Aadhavan Jude and Varun Simeon Alexander | known_for = | website = http://alexanderbabu.com/ }}
'''Alexander Babu Arulanthu''' is an Indian stand-up comedian, singer, yoga instructor, musician and actor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b2jftj|title=BBC Asian Network - Ashanti Omkar, Alexander Babu Arulanthu|website=BBC|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/thiruvananthapuram/2019/jul/05/the-yogi-act-1999733.html|title=The yogi act|website=The New Indian Express|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref>
In 2014, Alexander Babu left his corporate job as a software engineer to focus on stand-up comedy and theater shows.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/culture/theatre/2019/jul/05/stand-up-comedian-alexander-babu-talks-about-using-music-as-a-tool-of-storytelling-in-his-show-alex-16174.html|title=Stand-up comedian Alexander Babu talks about using music as a tool of storytelling in his show, Alex in Wonderland|website=www.indulgexpress.com|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref> He has toured the United States, Dubai, Singapore, Malaysia, United Kingdom, Kuwait and Australia for his performances.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ticketmagic.me/eventtickets/event-details/alex-wonderlands|title=Alex in Wonderland|website=www.ticketmagic.me|access-date=2019-11-06|archive-date=6 November 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191106160117/https://www.ticketmagic.me/eventtickets/event-details/alex-wonderlands|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://deadant.co/alexander-babus-comedy-special-alex-in-wonderland-amazon-prime-video-release/|title=Alexander Babu's Special 'Alex in Wonderland' Hits Amazon Prime Video on 23 August|date=2019-08-19|website=Dead Ant|language=en-US|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref> In 2019 he produced his 120-minute English-Tamil stand-up-musical special, ''Alex in Wonderland'' for Amazon Prime.<ref name=":0" />
== Personal life == Alexander Babu was born and brought up in a small village called Andavoorani in Ramanathapuram district, Tamil Nadu in a Catholic family.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/light-music/articleshow/70930026.cms|title=Light music|last=Suhasini|first=Lalitha|website=Pune Mirror|language=en|access-date=2019-11-07|archive-date=8 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008054345/https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/light-music/articleshow/70930026.cms|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.indulgexpress.com/entertainment/theater/2017/sep/16/alexander-the-comic-bring-his-first-solo-show-to-coimbatore-today-3543.html|title=Alexander the Comic bring his first solo show to Coimbatore today!|website=www.indulgexpress.com|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref> He studied engineering in College of engineering Guindy in Chennai, studied his master's degree in the United States and worked as a software engineer at Amazon in Seattle.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/alexander-babu-brings-alex-in-wonderland-to-coimbatore/article27572228.ece|title=At home in funnyville|last=Philip|first=Susan Joe|date=2019-06-06|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-11-06|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chennai.citizenmatters.in/alex-in-crazy-land-tribute-to-a-comic-genius-10574|title=Alex in Crazy Land: Tribute to a comic genius|last=Alexander Babu|date=2019-06-14|website=Citizen Matters, Chennai|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref> He began his training as a Carnatic vocalist when he was in the United States.<ref name=":4" />
== Career == Alexander Babu started his stand-up comedy career after leaving his corporate job as a software-engineer.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/mumbai-events-guide-things-to-do-in-mumbai-chennai-stand-up-comedian-alexander-babu-tamil-films-music-lifetsyle/18541192|title=Meet stand-up comedian Alexander Babu for an hour over Tamil films and music|date=2017-08-30|website=mid-day|language=en|access-date=2019-11-06}}</ref> During his early life in stand-up comedy he worked in the South India-focused comedy movement Evam Stand-Up Tamasha<ref name=":2" /> During July 2017, he began his musical stand-up act, ''Alex in Wonderland'' which combines music, storytelling and stand-up<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/life-and-style/alexander-babu-has-decided-to-move-on-to-his-next-endeavour/article28292680.ece|title=One last time: Alexander Babu bids farewell to 'Alex in Wonderland'|last=Murthy|first=Neeraja|date=2019-07-05|work=The Hindu|access-date=2019-11-07|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X}}</ref> and earned him numerous accolades.<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|date=6 April 2020|title=Watch: Comedian Alexander Babu sings 'Mouna Raagam' classic in English|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/watch-comedian-alexander-babu-sings-mouna-raagam-classic-english-121964|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409010844/https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/watch-comedian-alexander-babu-sings-mouna-raagam-classic-english-121964 |archive-date=9 April 2020 |access-date=2020-06-18|website=www.thenewsminute.com}}</ref> He performed 115 shows of ''Alex in Wonderland'' worldwide after ending it in 2019 and it is now an Amazon Prime special<ref>{{Cite web|last=|first=|last2=|last3=|first3=|date=|title=Light music|url=https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/light-music/articleshow/70930026.cms|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191008054345/https://punemirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/light-music/articleshow/70930026.cms|archive-date=8 October 2019|access-date=2020-06-18|website=Pune Mirror|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> He is popular in YouTube for his stand-up comedy performances; his videos have gained him millions of views and has more than 1 million subscribers as of April 2020.{{Citation needed|date=March 2024}}
== Filmography == ===Actor=== ====Films==== *''All films are in Tamil.'' {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Key | style="background:#ffc;"| {{dagger|alt=Films that have not yet been released}} | Denotes films that have not yet been released |} {| class="wikitable sortable" |- ! Year ! Film ! Role ! Notes |- |2025 |Alexperience |Himself |Stage show and OTT Anba TV |- | rowspan="2"|2019 || ''Adadae'' || || |- | ''Alex in Wonderland'' || Himself || Television film |- | 2020 || ''Maara'' || Thief || Amazon Prime Video release<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/standup-comedian-alexander-joins-madhavans-maara/articleshow/71850938.cms|title=Standup comedian Alexander joins Madhavan's Maara|website=The Times of India}}</ref> |}
==== Web series ==== {| class="wikitable" !Year !Program Name !Role !Network !Notes |- |2020 |''Time Enna Boss'' | Santhosam |Amazon Prime |<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-09-15|title=Time Enna Boss trailer: A fun Tamil series about time travel|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/time-enna-boss-trailer-a-fun-tamil-sitcom-about-time-travel-6596868/|access-date=2020-09-18|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> |}
===Singer=== {| class="wikitable" !Year !Film !Song !Notes |- |2020 ||''Dharala Prabhu'' ||"Rasa Mavan" || |- |2021||''Aelay''||"Muthukutti Settai"|| |- |2024||''Captain Miller'' || "Koranaaru" || |}
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == * [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvGYGWOKEkBWl9WB2Lg21IQ Alexander Babu] on YouTube
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Babu, Alex}} Category:1975 births Category:Indian stand-up comedians Category:Indian YouTubers Category:Living people Category:Indian yoga teachers Category:Musicians from Tamil Nadu Category:Indian male musicians Category:Tamil-language playback singers Category:Male actors in Tamil cinema Category:YouTube channels launched in 2016