Indian comedy, particularly political comedy, faces an existential problem within the present socio-political local weather, noticed Anuradha Menon, a pioneering standup comic and VJ of India, in a session at The Huddle by The Hindu.
Best identified for her Malayali-coded ‘Lola Kutty’ alter ego on tv, Anu Menon sat down for a light-hearted session on the inaugural day of The Huddle.
However, through the chat, she known as consideration to the latest mob assault on Habitat Studio in Khar, Mumbai. The fashionable comedy club-cum-performance venue was vandalised after a YouTube particular taped there by comic Kunal Kamra offended a political group. Soon after the incident, Habitat Studio shut down operations indefinitely.
“They (the mob) went to the comedy club and trashed the place when people were sitting inside,” Menon stated. “For some reason, they did not realise comedy specials are shot a few months prior, then edited, sound-mixed and released later. It’s not like it’s happening in real time that you can go and ask, ‘Arrey, Kunal Kamra kidhar hai? (Where is Kunal Kamra?)”
Menon remarked that people at present are ‘easily offended’, and that it’s laborious to foretell what may offend them. And whereas satire and political jokes usually draw the heaviest fireplace, even seemingly innocuous topics—such as Menon making enjoyable of her personal son—can rub audiences the fallacious manner.
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“I have never been a political comedian so that has gone in my favour. I talk about everyday things. And my target usually are my family members. But even then, I have been asked questions.”
Menon, with attribute sprint, illustrated the challenges of being a girl comic in what’s, by and huge, a male-dominated ecosystem.
“One Women’s Day, I made enough money to go on a holiday to Paris and watch my favourite tennis player Rafale Nadal play. After that, it’s been a downward spiral because people are too scared to touch comedy sometimes.” She talked about numerous limitations imposed upon comedians acting at company occasions.
“People say there are few women comedians but it is true of most professions in the world,” she stated, including that typically, a efficiency by a feminine standup at a company present is seen as a ‘jokes mujra’.
Menon stated she is ‘not comfortable’ with utilizing too many swear phrases in her standup, however doesn’t oppose those that do. “I don’t think there is extra virtue in me not swearing. If a comedian is doing it, that’s completely okay.”
Published – May 09, 2025 07:56 pm IST
