Hosting for Punjab Kings is a cakewalk for Shashi Dhiman as she loves cricket and is naturally funny

Yathesht Pratiraj

A pharma-scientist, Shashi Dhiman, moved to Mumbai to chase her dreams. She has made her name in the stand-up world and is now a part of the Punjab Kings as an anchor.

The journey from an open mic in Chandigarh to comic stages in Mumbai to a host for the IPL franchise has been an interesting one.

“I always wanted to do something creative. I come from a traditional family and there was always emphasis on education during my growing up years. But the passion for creative fields never faded. I was a part of a theatre group in college. I was always a good storyteller and a source of entertainment for my friends. They introduced me to stand-up comedy and encouraged me to pursue it as a career. I started by making funny videos for my social media handle, and then I took to the open mic in Chandigarh. That gave me the confidence. I quit my day job a month ago and I am able to sustain myself in the fields I love working in,” she says.

The field of stand-up is very unpredictable, but Shashi says she does not succumb to the pressure as she is working on something that she loves. “You have to be true and transparent with the audience. My work does not feel difficult because I am the same on and off the stage. When I am interacting with the audience, it feels like I am talking to my friends. My personality is my X factor.”

Shashi feels lucky to be working with the Punjab Kings but gives credit to her stand-up career for helping her land this gig. “I got that gig because of my stand-up shows. I shot a video for them in 2021. People from the management of Punjab Kings came to one of my shows in Mumbai. They needed someone who had a Punjabi accent and an outgoing personality while being funny. I love cricket, so it never feels like I am working,” she says.

She has been trolled on social media for some of her statements, but it does not faze her. “If you are on social media, you are bound to receive some sort of negativity. If I made a comment that hurt the religious or political sentiments of certain people, I would apologise for that. If someone has constructive criticism, I welcome it because that is something that would help me improve, but otherwise, trolls do not bother me at all; I just ignore them,” she says. Shashi wants to try out acting too.