Award-winning comedian-actor-writer Sumukhi Suresh has had an unusual career trajectory — in 2009 she moved to Bangalore and enjoyed brief stints as a librarian and a chef before settling herself in at a food testing and certification company. In 2013 she joined The Improv, an improvisational comedy company in Bangalore while working at the food laboratory. In 2015, she quit her full-time job to embark on a career in comedy after touring for over 100 shows with The Improv team.
Her big moment came with her YouTube sketch series Behti Naak (2016), as well as her role in the mockumentary web series Better Life Foundation (2016-2018). Then, of course, the hit Amazon Prime Video series Pushpavalli happened. It changed her career. Her latest stand-up comedy special is Hoemonal where she addresses topics like dating after 30, hormones, PCOS, Indian TV shows and the price of being an ambitious, independent woman. Over to Sumukhi Suresh.
Let’s begin with Motormouth Writers, which you founded last year as a content creation company to ensure women in the entertainment industry get heard. What have been some of the challenges that you never thought about?
The idea was to run multiple writers’ rooms that create movies and shows, ideally with a female character as the protagonist. If not a protagonist then a strong parallel character. I am running currently 10 rooms working on commissioned projects and on Motormouth’s slate for next year.
Challenges are so many. Day-to-day running of operations. Projects being put on hold. Feedback takes time to come in for writers. We need multiple projects running while everyone believed theirs is the only project we are on (sigh).
Yes, there are some very good projects we are wading on but the most notable success has been the reception to the idea behind the company. The fact that I want to create more head writers and showrunners for Motormouth Writers to eventually become a production house.
In India, at times it feels like stand-up comedy is a far more dangerous job than being an astronaut. What do you think is the role of a comedian in the India we live in today?
The role of a comedian is to entertain and make you laugh. To ensure you have a good time. While doing that if it’s a slippery slope then I guess we are navigating it. We mean to be cautious about what we speak but being on stage is such a positive feeling, the want to entertain is so earnest... that won’t change.
You have done well when it comes to OTT productions. What excites you more — being in front of a camera or a comedy club with 1,000 people in the audience?
Oh man, this a tough one. Being in front of 1,000 people performing is exciting. Being in front of the camera is truly meditative. I will tear myself into two pieces to be in both places forever.
What is it about live shows that excites you the most?
Every show is a new one. The content may be well rehearsed and workshopped but every audience changes the essence of your show. I love that about live shows.
It’s said that comedians need a dark side to succeed. Do you have one?
I think I am super happy-go-lucky and bubbly. But my colleagues and writers say otherwise. Also, ‘being dark’ is a weird thing to claim. If you are then others will say it. You shouldn’t. I know I love performing, love moving around and physical comedy. I think that’s what’s helping with the magic hopefully.
There are a lot of teenage girls who look up to you and hear what you have to say. What are some of the things you want to talk about through the work you do?
You want to be older quicker when you’re a teenager. The truth is your present is the juiciest part of your life. Absorb all of it and create it into art later. And by art I mean anything. And it’s okay to grow old. Life is not going to end at 25/30, whatever it is that you’re scared of. The rest of your life is in front of you. It’s never too late to be whatever you want to be.
You have a very interesting career trajectory of moving from being a librarian to a chef and to finding yourself at a food testing and certification company before finding your true calling. What have those early years taught you?
Everything. There was a time when I wondered if I should have entered the entertainment industry sooner but now I am just grateful I had all the experiences I did. Working under different bosses, in different fields, has been the building blocks to me being a comic and a show creator.
Do you remember the moment when the career-turning opportunity came and what did you think of it?
Pushpavalli changed everything. It made me realise I can write, act, showrun and eventually start Motormouth Writers. Forever grateful for our wonderful show.
How did Pushpavalli come about and was it difficult to turn your back on it after two seasons?
Pushpavalli was me talking about wanting to play a stalker to my agents at OML. They pitched the idea to Amazon Prime Video and that’s how it started. That show was made in so much chaos, so little money, without any time… with the best writing team and crew ever. Both seasons have been a masterclass for me.
Of course, it hurts to not have another season. But other things are happening. I am creating a show and movie for a leading OTT. I truly believe both stories are promising. Plus, I have written dialogues for Vikramaditya Motwane’s next movie. Working with him has been a milestone/target that I have been working on since 2018 and it happened.
How do you deal with hecklers?
I submit to their nastiness and kill them with kindness if possible.
Were you the funny person in the classroom in school?
Nope. Fat kid who got bullied.