The joke is on us

Vandana Aggarwal

Sharul Channa is a name to reckon with in the Singapore comedy circles. She stands out for being the only full-time, Indian  woman-comedian, who has successfully broken into the traditionally male bastion of this entertainment genre.

A trained actor, who studied at the Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore, Sharul initially tried her luck in Mumbai. Within a few months, she realised that it was not the place for her and returned to Singapore.  Luckily for her, the owner of the club, where her then partner and now husband Rishi Budhrani was performing, gave her three minutes to showcase her talent on the stage. Sharul took up the challenge, and the rest is history. “I was worried about the reaction I would get, but when the audience laughed, my confidence got a boost. I realised that I could be my own writer, director, producer and performer." 

Her husband, a well-known comedian in his own right, swears by equality and this works in her favour. A hardcore feminist, Sharul doesn't take to the exploitation of women very kindly. “It's the anger that makes me use the kind of language that I do,” she says, explaining the use of cuss words in her jokes. Dubbed ‘potty mouth’ by a newspaper in Singapore, the feisty Sharul took to the comment and used it to her advantage, naming her next two shows Pottymouth.

Her stories on the stage deal with growing up in an Indian immigrant family, the psyche of Indian men and women and gender inequality. She also draws attention to pertinent matters, such as unequal wages for men and women and sexual harassment.

People may call her brash, but that does not deter her from stating many uncomfortable truths. “I feel it is my responsibility to shed light on topics that women are not able to bring up. People do not laugh at the language, they laugh because they are hiding their embarrassment at the truth that I speak,” she remarks candidly.

Born to Indian parents, Sharul moved to Singapore when she was only a few months old. She grew up in a typical middle-class environment, but with a difference. Gender lines at home were blurred because her father, a chef by profession, would often be cooking at home, while her mother had a regular job. 

Even as a child she loved mimicking relatives and commenting on their behaviour. Interestingly, it was after five years of being on stage that her parents watched her show for the first time. Coming from a conservative family, it took a lot of courage to stand up and do what she does. She has performed at sold-out shows all over Asia and Australia, including India. On stage, Sharul brings a fresh perspective to social woes. After the laughter subsides, one realises that there is a deeper meaning to her words.

One of her most memorable acts was when she performed at Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh with Vir Das, because her mother hails from the City Beautiful. 

Currently, she is busy directing a Hindi play, Gudiya Ghar, based on Ibsen's A Doll's House. Staging a Hindi play in Singapore will definitely have limited audience, but Sharul knows what she wants. “The Asian culture doesn't traditionally allow women to have a voice. Though women aren't physically abused, they suffer emotional trauma.  I want people watching the play to get angry and then think about this. If what I say becomes a talking point among people, I will consider that my success,” says the 31-year-old.