Sumukhi Suresh is certainly that person who hones the tough times into rib-tickling movements with her wit and humour. With her much-acclaimed show Hoemonal going international, she speaks to The Pioneer about her comedy, the show and a lot more about her prowess
Tejal Sinha
Comedy is viewed as a form of art and recognised as a potent means of conveying the truth to authority. Sumukhi Suresh has given us multiple reasons to laugh and wonder in this world of hilarious satires. Donning multiple hats as an actor, writer, comedian and entrepreneur, her journey has been nothing less than fulfilling and exciting. With each of these skills being dynamic, there is something new to learn every day.
“I think they are interconnected in so many ways that help in the overall growth of me as an artist,” shares the multi-faceted artist, who is all excited for her upcoming show, Hoemonal, going international.
But hey, wait! Excited, she says, would be an understatement. “This show has been one of my favourite pieces to write and perform. A global audience will validate the fact that the core concept of Hoemonal is relatable and interesting.”
Since entering adolescence, the gagster has been experiencing hormonal issues and dealing with PCOS. The ongoing hormonal problem initially made her feel less confident because of her body image and physical discomfort, but eventually she learned to find humour in her struggles.
With Hoemonal, she says, “It is all about the struggles of trying to date and explore when you’ve been raised conservatively while dealing with hormone imbalance, PCOS, terrible metabolism and the pressure to not die alone. I sometimes wonder if it’s really bad to die alone since you spend time with yourself the most and also, doesn’t everyone die alone eventually?” Well, all in all, it’s a fun show, says Sumukhi.
Content, body-over-mind positivity and a dash of humour, how does she bring it all together so well? We ask her. With great enthusiasm, she says it’s all about being honest in her storytelling, writing and acting. “I don’t like being preached to, so I try not to do it. With body positivity, I am a work in progress. It’s also different for different people. So now I take my time and allow mistakes and moments of anger and sadness. And try not to punish my body.”
Speaking of her inspiration, she says that many would feel relatable too, which is “The chaos of hormones, the lack of mainstream information and research about female reproductive health. Not just this, the journey of being a feminist and wanting an equal relationship or none at all and the dream of finding the best gynecologist has been the inspiration behind Hoemonal.” Well, we get you, Sumukhi!
In the end, these encounters influenced her thinking and led her to embrace life with humour, as her immediate response to adversity is to laugh.
Despite the numerous successful women comedians like Prashasti Singh, Gurleen Pannu, Kaneez Surkha and Jamie Lever, many artists prefer to be recognised solely as artists without being defined by their gender. Having been tagged as a ‘female comic’, she has her own take on it: “I understand the tag and if it gets more girls to do open mics and try comedy, then it’s a great tag. Female comics shouldn’t mean that we are pitted against each other and fight for the “top position.” Female comics should be a safe community that is funny and fabulous.”
She is heading to the Edinburgh Fringe Fest with Hoemonal now. “I am doing an India and US tour after that. It might be the last leg for Hoemonal. I’ve acted in a show for a leading OTT and am so excited about its release. I’ve written dialogue for Vikramaditya Motwane’s next project, a milestone for me because I have wanted to work with him since I started writing. I’ve written Tushar Hiranandani’s next and here’s hoping it goes on floors soon.”
Motormouth is also developing some fun comedies. As we come to an end, Sumukhi, with great enthusiasm, shares, “I would love to have more hours in a day, but for 24 hours. Also, my studio has some amazing writers working towards reducing my work! As a comic, it’s great to do as many things as possible to be exposed to multiple perspectives.”
