'Pity I Have Never Visited North Madras'

Stand-up comedian and Chennai paiyan Murali Satagopan wants Crazy Mohan to take him on a grand tour of Mylapore along with a lesson in history, and calls Besant Nagar ‘Orrey Cool Place’!

Murali Satagopan is a stand-up comedian by passion and the founder of Brigge, an activity-based social platform app. He leaves people in splits when he is on stage and can get your thinking caps on with his digs on politics, films and more. Let us see what this Chennai paiyan has to say about the city.

Your favourite spot in the city, why?

Broken bridge. Super empty places, and any place that has deadly breeze at night. And you may come back home safe sometimes too.

A stereotype about Chennai which you’ve found to be funny? 

The lungi! It is not even a Chennai thing. Indonesians wear it, Keralites wear it. But just because Shah Rukh Khan wore it, they want to show Chennai as a city filled with lungi-clad idiots.

Have you danced in a lungi?

Oh yeah! I was at a beachhouse lungi party when a death procession came by. I danced right in the middle. It was INSANE!

With which Chennai-based celebrity would you like to hang out and where would you want to go in the city?

Crazy Mohan. I’d just ask him to take me on a tour round Mylapore giving me his historical quips and anecdotes. Day best spent!

A place in namma Chennai which you would love to explore?

North Madras. As a man who has never left Chennai for longer than 12 days in my entire life, it’s a pity I don’t even know that side of the city. I don’t want to get diabetes without even trying Sowcarpet sweets!

If all the statues in Marina beach came to life at night, what would your reaction be? Which one would be your favourite and what would you tell that person?

Gandhi and Kannagi — one who doesn’t swat a mosquito and another who would burn a city down. Scary combo. Kannagi would scare the life out of me. She might join the feminists and burn down half the men in the city.

Things you think is synonymous to the city

Filter coffee, autokaaran, beach sundal and temples.

What makes Chennai special?

Oh, the people. The floods totally showed the world that united we stand, and even more united when we fall. The people are exceptionally nice and welcoming and I will never call another city home.

Where would you take a person who is new here?

Ennore for the view, Marina beach for the feel, Ranganathan Street for the chaos, a kutchery for the music and my house for my mum’s food.

How do you think the city has changed overtime?

It really has improved in infrastructure and technology, but in terms of culture, we are just as good as we always were. We’ve become a great tourist spot and I love how we’ve stamped our spot on the world map.

An incident that made you think ‘This is Chennai’.

I saw so many during the recent floods. But that one auto guy who was commuting people for free all through the flood season, touched me. It was the true spirit of Chennai.

A place to unwind?

Besant Nagar beach. Cool breeze. Cool ladies. Orey cool!

Madras Bashai words which you think are awesome!

Dagalti, Domar, Gupsa, Galeej.

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