Stand-up comedian Sonali Thakker

 ‘Don’t look out to impress the other comedians, impress the audience’: Stand-up comedian Sonali Thakker

 

Sonali Thakker is a Mumbai-based comedian who has been writing, performing and convincing audiences (read: her parents) that she’s a stand-up comic for over six years. With an observational style peppered with self-deprecation, she delights audiences at comedy clubs and festivals around India. She recently finished touring her debut show ‘Almost There’ across India to widespread acclaim, proving to her family that leaving chartered accounting behind was the right choice.

 

Indus Age spoke to Sonali on the sidelines of Melbourne International Comedy Festival 2019 where she opened up about her popularity, the perks of being a known face, the most hilarious moment and more. Read on:

 

Interviewed by Nidhi Kumari

 

You’ve gained huge popularity and acceptance today, did you expect it, when you started?

I’m not sure about the popularity part but if you’ve asked me this question it must be true. haha. As far as  acceptance is concerned, I never felt not accepted in the first place to begin with. Since the first time I hit an open mic, up until now, I’ve just focused myself on getingt as much stage time as possible and that’s probably going to continue 🙂

 

What drove you to this field of stand-up comedy? When was the time you decided that you wanted to do this?

 

My then boyfriend (now husband) enrolled himself at open mic. We were two years into dating, and both of us were pursuing to be Chartered Accountants. I wasn’t having much luck with those exams and as a way to distract both our minds I took up dancing and he took up stand up and I’d go watch him at mics and I loved it. I lived the environment and 6 months later I hit an open mic myself.

 

You have millions of fans who connect with you, what do you think makes the audience identify with your acts?

 

Again, I don’t think 14 of my family members would qualify as millions of fans but since I identify with their bloodline they HAVE to identify with my act. How can they not? I mostly talk about them anyway.

 

How do you create that charm, coming up with new and unique ideas every time? And what is it that you have to do to stay relevant?

 

I think constantly writing new jokes is the only way to stay relevant. of course there’s social media and all, but what’s the point of collecting followers if you don’ t follow up with content on stage? I don’t really come up with ideas as such, I tend to talk a lot about myself. So, it’s mostly a lot of  what’s happened to me in real life that I talk about on stage.

 

To make someone smile and laugh is a very serious business and is extremely difficult, as there are chances of offending someone . What do you have to keep in mind as a comedian?

 

I haven’t (yet) offended anyone in a way that I have to have a strategy in place. But I guess I’ve just been lucky to have people in the audience who have so far taken everything as a joke, which it is. I’m even more grateful to those audience members who may have gotten offended but decoded to bury the hatchet anyway.

 

You are visiting Australia for the ‘Melbourne International Comedy Festival’, is there any special preparation that you’ve done for the show? What’s instore for the audience?

 

This is my first time here so I’m very excited for that. No special prep except that I try to keep my keep my jokes as relatable as possible.

 

In this competitive world of entertainment industry, what do you think sets you apart from the others?

 

I can sleep anywhere and at anytime. It’s a skill that’s taken 29 years to master and it definitely does set me apart, I think.

 

If you had to tell us about the most hilarious moment/s you have had while performing on stage . Your answer would be:

 

I once spotted my mother-in-law in the audience, a month before my wedding and before she was my mother-in-law officially. So, I made her take an oath in front of everyone that she won’t judge me or cancel the wedding no matter the punchlines.

 

There might be times when you aren’t in a good mood, still you have to do the show, how do you motivate yourself?

 

Yeah, that happens, a lot. But its showbiz and you got to do what you got to do. Mother always said, “the outside world is not easy’ and I guess this is what she meant.

 

What is your advice to aspiring stand up comedian?

 

Get on stage. Everyday. And don’t look out to impress the other comedians, impress the audience.

 

Your Message for the people in Australia?

 

Please come for my shows guys. I’ve come to another continent to create a bigger fan base that currently consists of 14 people.

 

Some Quick questions :

Who is the last person you think of before going off to sleep at night?

 

The audience member who didn’t move his face at all during the show.

 

What is the funniest thing that has happened to you recently?

 

This question has put me under immense pressure and now I can’t think of anything.

A piece of advice someone gave you:

 

Read, read and read.

What’s the best thing of being a popular face?:

 

You get free stuff (sometimes). Or an uber ride.

What is it like to be on the stage as a stand-up comedian?:

 

The best adrenaline rush.

 

If not a comedian, what else would you have been?:

Stock Broker.

 

To know more about the Comedy Festival visit: comedyfestival.com.au