When comedian Amruta Bendre walks onto a stage, she is not just telling jokes. She is singing, storytelling and turning the chaos of everyday life into comedy. Her musical comedy show Phulka Dots has struck a chord with audiences across cities, especially women and mothers who often see their own lives reflected in her stories. On June 28, she brings the show to The Street Comedy Club in Madhapur.
The idea for Phulka Dots was not born in a brainstorming session. Recalling how the show came together, Amruta says, “As an artist, especially a performer who does it for a live audience, you should always pay attention to what the audience is saying. A year ago, I put out a line-up show and promoted it through stories.”
Today, Phulka Dots blends both the worlds seamlessly. The jokes are personal, the songs are woven into the storytelling, and the result feels less like a performance and more like a conversation with a friend. Explaining why she often draws from her own experiences, she expresses, “My stories are always personal because it’s better to talk from experience rather than find somebody else, as they may get offended, and that’s my strategy. Mostly, I do personal autobiographical stories, and I don’t get emotional on stage because comedy is trauma-slash-tragedy plus time. ”
Talking about the audience she rarely saw in comedy spaces, she narrates, “I’m struggling with this because stand-up comedy always happens in the evenings, and I have noticed that whether on stage, off stage, backstage, in front of the stage or in the audience, there are hardly any mothers in stand-up comedy. Which mother leaves the house at dinner time? I am not breaking the stereotype, but trying to change it. I want mothers to say, “You take care of the child, I want to go have some good time for myself.” My audience is mothers, which is why my afternoon shows sell out. I would like mothers to step out, have fun, and enjoy a guilt-free break.”
Ironically, comedy was never part of her career plan. Before entering the entertainment world, she shares, “I was never thinking of becoming a stand-up comedian. I was always a teacher, but during the pandemic I had to quit because the subjects I taught, French, theatre and music, were not continued. I then came across a stand-up writing course and started writing jokes.”
As she prepares to return to Hyderabad, her excitement is impossible to miss. Sharing her affection for Hyderabad audiences, she concludes, “I love Hyderabad. The whole world loves Hyderabad, and comics from other cities will tell you the same. I have never met a comic who does not look forward to performing here, which is also why I recorded my set in Hyderabad despite having a bigger audience in Pune and Mumbai, because Hyderabad’s laughter is amazing.”