BENGALURU: Comedy has long been a monopoly of engineering graduates who can’t get girlfriends,” says Amruta Bendre, a city-based comedian, known for her relatable takes on women’s perspectives. “I always say that on stage. Because the city’s comedy scene is largely dominated by men,” she adds. A former teacher in her late 30s, Bendre got into standup comedy only recently after the pandemic when virtual ‘zoom mics’ threw open the stage to everyone.
Nearly three years on, the virtual mics have helped female performers like Bendre get a foothold in the comedy scene. “Before 2019, there were only a handful of notable women comics in town. People were hesitant to give spots to women performers because there wasn’t enough belief that it would work out. But Zoom mics helped change that perception,” explains comedian and producer Bindu Rao. The virtual mics helped many performers do spots from the comfort of their homes, essentially taking away the pressure and levelling the playing field.
But the transition to offline mic throws up several challenges that are often overlooked but might make it harder for a woman performer to continue doing comedy. “Issues like lack of good washrooms, faraway spaces, or even unlit streets are some of the factors. Furthermore, if you’re just getting started, it can be intimidating to find yourself in a place where there is nobody like you around. You are the only woman comic,” shares comedian and curator Varuni Khare.
To make the scene more accessible and safer, a number of productions in the city have been doing women-only lineups that aim to alleviate such issues. Mahila Mandal, a weekly lineup produced by Khare and held at the Art Gully Studios in Koramangala is one such show. “We were not the first to do it, but we are the only ones who have been doing it consistently every week. We started in early December 2022 and so far, the response has been positive, especially from the audience. Unlike the perception that online audiences have about women comics, which is that they aren’t funny, the audiences at our shows come with an open mind without any sort of expectation or bias,” Khare shares.
According to producer Bindu Rao, a support system helps people rely on each other. “Having another woman performing with you can be reassuring. Most of the time, it can be difficult to break ice with male performers. You might end up being awkward among them. The good thing about the women-only line-ups is you get to meet each other and listen to each other’s material or jokes, and be supportive of each other,” she says.
Apart from providing a safe spot to women performers, the show is also encouraging a lot of women to take up comedy. “Quite a few audience members are coming here only because it’s a women-only show. And they enjoy it, because they get to hear a different perspective on issues. A few audience members have shared that they also want to get into it owing to a sense of safety,” she concludes.