If unabashed wit had an identical twin, it would be comedienne Sravanthi Basa. She is like that elder sibling who gives you those tough reality checks yet turns even the most serious situations into a joke. A word to the wise — her dark humour will make you traverse deep into the crevices of your mind. You will come out of her show laughing uncontrollably, but will also feel a renewed sense of purpose. Her upcoming Telugu-English show ‘A’ Certificate is set to blow everyone’s minds on April 19 at The Street Comedy Club in Madhapur. The comic speaks to CE about her show, why she chooses to tread the dark humour road, how she deals with trolls, and more.
Excerpts
How would you define your style of comedy?
Well, it is mostly observational. In ‘A’ Certificate, for instance, I touch upon topics like domestic violence, the Allu Arjun incident, trolls, my father’s death, and many other relatable issues.
Your comedy is dark, witty, and unabashed. Where does that fire come from?
While I respect those who make clean jokes, I see the world differently; the reality is that in everyday life, we don’t encounter ‘clean’ things. Life is very real in the way it stares at you. People do not approve of the ‘dark’ things, but I want to validate them through my comedy. And honestly speaking, everyone can’t afford therapy, right? So, going on stage and expressing myself is cathartic. It is artistic pride — I take pride in being able to tickle your mind with the deepest, darkest stories.
When I was younger, I used to be very naive, worrying about what people thought of me. But I realised that I had my fair share of personal trauma — due to family problems, I had a tough time growing up — and so, one day, I just decided not to care about people’s opinions of me. Oh, and there are many trolls on social media, but I know they talk about me only because I intimidate them so much! (laughs)
How did you get into comedy?
Because of a rough childhood, I always had this fire in me to reach great heights. I did my BTech and MBA before working in business development. Then I went to the US, did my master’s degree and worked there. But somewhere deep inside, I was not happy. I happened to watch comedian Ali Wong on Netflix and I thought to myself, ‘If she can do it, so can I!’ I also watched Queens of Comedy, the all-women comedy show, and admired Urooj Ashfaq, Niveditha Prakasam, and others.
So, I became a feature-level comic in the US, doing many shows over three to four years. I’ve performed with Mark Normand, Raj Sharma, and Ralph Barbosa. The first show I did after coming back to Hyderabad was for Raja Sekhar Mamidanna’s Comedy Express. I bombed that one — not even a single laugh, can you imagine?
I was very used to performing in the West and had to learn the ropes here to understand what the Hyderabadi audience liked. But today, after seven years of doing comedy, I am proud of myself for how far I have come. Many people along the way have advised me to steer clear of the sex jokes and dark humour, but I have always turned the other cheek.
What is your creative process like?
Well, I write whenever I feel inspired; there is no specific time for it. I just constantly observe and look for inspiration everywhere. For instance, if I’m at a restaurant, I observe the waiter’s mannerisms, their way of talking, whether they like their job, and so on. Even on my way to open mics, I constantly observe.
If not a comedian, what would you be?
Unhappy.
What has comedy taught you about life?
Honestly, it hasn’t taught me anything about life per se. Life happens to me, and I turn it into comedy!