BENGALURU: Born to a South Indian émigré family in Singapore, the rise of Kumarason Chinnadurai, popularly known simply as Kumar, in the Southeast Asian comedy scene has been as unconventional as it has been remarkable. In his decades-long career that stretches back to the early 1990s, as an openly queer comedian, Kumar has been a pioneer in making socially taboo themes the centre of his humour, tackling race, sexuality, and social expectations. This month, the beloved comedian and drag performer will bring his unique brand of unabashedly edgy humour to Bengaluru, one of three stops on his India tour alongside Mumbai and Delhi-NCR with Kumarsutra.
“In India, everyone’s hungry for humour! Bringing it to India feels brilliant. It’s great to go back to where you come from, and this one’s going to be a bit raunchy. People should come with that mindset; it’s not going to be safe,” he quips. “I’ll also talk about mental health – my own too – because it’s something we should all keep track of, especially now.”
For long-time admirers and first-timers alike, the show is expected to be an immersive, Broadway-style experience that blends his best-loved material with new, India-specific content. “In places like Singapore or Australia, a lot of Asians come to watch, and they love hearing the local slang – the Malay, the Chinese accents – all that relatable stuff,” Kumar explains. “But in India, I can’t do the same thing because people here don’t understand that lingo. I have to adjust to the situation and make it work for an Indian audience.”
Family, generational divides, and the challenges of modern dating will be central themes, all of which he addresses with characteristic candour. “For one, parents today do not understand the language of Gen Z and Gen Alpha– they’ve created an entirely new language, and the parents are like, ‘What’s going on?’” he shares.
“Then, there are all the marital problems out there, and so many single people who grow older and are not getting married – like women in their 40s still dating, trying to figure out how to meet someone!” He continues, “My biggest advantage is that I can talk about both men’s and women’s perspectives and get away with it because I understand what both are thinking. Dating apps are a whole other story; you don’t even know what you’re going to get!” he laughs. “When you meet them, they’re often nothing like you expected, and that whole process can be funny.”
With the tour being his first large-scale performance in India, Kumar hopes Kumarsutra will foster a deeper connection between India and Southeast Asia as he brings a unique perspective on the similarities and differences between life in India and abroad. “Given my Indian background, people are curious about hearing from ‘one of their own’ who has a totally different life experience,” he says. “Life in Singapore is different from life in India so I’ll talk about those differences – stuff that’s relatable but also a bit of an outsider’s view.”
Kumar is also a beloved figure for his advocacy work, particularly around LGBTQ+ issues. For younger queer persons wanting to walk the same path as he did, he offers, “I’d say do not get into comedy just because it’s a tough job, and keeping it going is even harder. If you’re serious, all I can say is good luck!” He continues, “I love what I do, and that’s key. Also, I keep up with current events and take on topics people won’t talk about among friends, but they want to hear someone talk about on stage. They think, ‘Oh, finally, someone is talking about this!’ It’s relatable stuff that young comedians in Singapore can’t get away with because audiences aren’t as accepting of them yet. But since I’ve been doing this for so long, they think, ‘This might be out there, but it’s fine if Kumar says it.’”
(Kumarsutra is scheduled to be held at Prestige Centre for Performing Arts, Kanakapura Rd on Nov 23, 7.30pm. Tickets priced at Rs 1,000 onwards and available on bookmyshow.com)