These 5 women comics are shattering the glass ceiling with the sound of laughter
Laughter is the best therapy, and why not? Who doesn’t want a good dose of laughter after a long, tiring day? Comic artists across the world are ensuring just that, spreading laughs along the way.
Comedy has so far been a male-dominated field, be it stand-up comedy or televised versions. However, that is gradually changing, with women comics showing the world just loud they can make everyone laugh.
There are few women comic artists who have taken the stand-up comedy route, while several others are using social media platforms to showcase their talent. Here is the list of five women comedians who have taken the country by storm.
1. Sumukhi Suresh
Raised in Nagpur, Sumukhi began with theatre while pursuing her graduation in Chennai. Her first brush with comedy was in Bengaluru, when she joined an improvisational comedy show ‘The Improv’ in 2013. In 2015, she changed career paths and took up comedy as a full-time profession. From comedy sketches, to acting in web series on YouTube and Amazon Prime, to starring in movies, she has many laurels to her credit. Speaking with YourStory, she said:
From a phase where the focus was on becoming the best woman comic, the idea now is to focus on becoming the best comedian.
2. Kaneez Surka
A well-known name in the Indian comedy scene, Kaneez Surka is one of the first women comedians to get into improvisation. She conducts improvisation workshops, sketch shows, and is a part of many popular YouTube videos. While talking about the role of gender in terms of opportunities, she said, “I have never felt any different from other comedians. The comedian community has been very open and friendly, and I have never felt or had any form of differentiation.”
3. Mallika Dua
Quitting her advertising job in Delhi, Mallika decided to pursue her passion of entertaining people and quickly rose to fame with her Makeup Didi series on social media platforms. Her YouTube video Shit People Say: Sarojini Nagar Edition also garnered her many fans.
4. Aditi Mittal
Counted among India’s top stand-up comedians, Aditi has featured in ‘Fools Gold Award’ on Comedy Central India, and ‘Ripping the Decade’ with Vir Das. One of the first Indian women to enter the stand-up comedy scene, her shows mostly run to packed audiences. Apart from being a popular stand-up comedian, she is also known for her acting, and voice-over stints.
5. Punya Arora
Popular for her stand-up comedy, Punya has struck a balance with her roles as a professional photographer and teacher. Passionate about all her roles, she describes herself as a South Indian Punjabi girl. Drawing her acts from real-life experiences, Punya says,
At the end of the day, comedy is serious business. And despite your gender, you need to make sure you get the audiences to laugh. Man or woman, in comedy you do well only if you're funny.
