With her quick wit, sharp observations and a strong improv background, comedian and actor Kaneez Surka has carved a distinctive space in India’s comedy scene. After moving to New York four years ago, she is back in India for a tour with her latest stand-up show Foreign Return. The comedian will perform in Hyderabad on March 15. In a candid conversation, she speaks about finding her voice across cultures, dealing with trolls, and what it means to be a woman in stand-up comedy.
Excerpts
Tell us about your show Foreign Return.
I moved to New York four years ago and this is my first tour in India since then. I wanted the show to reflect my experience of living abroad but also my childhood in South Africa. In many ways, Foreign Return is about how I always feel like a foreign return wherever I go. Even when I live somewhere, I still feel like an outsider. The show explores my life across three places — South Africa, India and now America. I also talk about it through the lens of love and relationships. It’s about what it has been like trying to find romantic love in three different cultures and at different stages of my life. One of the opening lines of the show is that the most foreign thing to me is the language of love — immigration has actually been easier than intimacy. That idea really sets the tone for the show.
Is this your first time performing in Hyderabad?
I’ve visited Hyderabad before but never performed a solo show here. I’ve done festivals in the city but never brought my own show. The first show sold out, which was really exciting, and we’ve now added a 9.30 pm show.
What do you like about the city?
Hyderabad is a fascinating city. A friend recently told me the story behind the famous fish-shaped building and said it never gets old. The city has such a rich cultural mix because of its history. When I think of Hyderabad, it doesn’t just feel like another Indian city — it has its own unique identity.
Tell us about your journey in comedy.
I was heavily involved in theatre during high school. It wasn’t just a hobby; I even took theatre as a subject. My teacher noticed that comedy was where I really shined and told me that it was my forte. At that time, improv comedy wasn’t very popular in South Africa. Comedy was mostly one-person shows, similar to stand-up. So I initially thought acting was the only way into comedy. I later studied law and psychology, but when I moved to India I knew I still wanted comedy in my life, even if it was just a hobby. I began performing with improv groups and eventually got cast in The Week That Wasn’t. That was the moment I realised comedy could actually become my career.
What has changed in your comedy since you started?
When I began, I was mostly doing improv comedy, which is very different from stand-up. Improv is spontaneous, while stand-up is largely scripted. I explored stand-up gradually but only fully committed to it after moving to America. That’s when I began seriously studying the craft. Last year I released my YouTube special I Found My People, and creatively that period felt like a turning point. I think I finally found my most honest voice as a comedian while living in America. In India, I sometimes struggled to talk about my South African experiences because audiences couldn’t always relate. And in South Africa, people didn’t fully understand my life in India. In America, I could talk about both identities openly. When I share those stories now, it doesn’t feel like I’m talking about different countries — it simply feels like I’m sharing my life.
What challenges did you face in your career?
One challenge was being seen as a foreigner in India. I received backlash and still get trolls commenting on my accent. It took time for audiences to accept me. Eventually I realised I just have to be myself. Whoever connects with my comedy will follow regardless of where they’re from. Another challenge is being a woman in stand-up comedy. People are comfortable with women being funny actors or doing improv, but a woman standing alone on stage with a microphone and expressing her opinions can still make some people uncomfortable. Comedy is still widely seen as a male-dominated space.
How do you deal with trolls on social media?
I stopped engaging with them a long time ago. Trolls want a reaction and I don’t give them that. One of my earliest experiences with trolling was in 2011. Vir Das had posted a photo of me performing and someonge, so I usually find a way to maintain the momentum. Earlier in my career it was harder. I ree commented asking why he liked ‘fat people’. At the time it affected me, but after so many years in comedy it doesn’t bother me anymore.
Has a joke ever completely failed on stage?
Of course. But now if a joke doesn’t land, I work with the audience and keep the energy going. I’m quite physical on stamember once when a joke didn’t work and I kept stepping backwards until I literally reached the wall behind me on stage.
What does comedy mean to you?
For me, comedy is a way to express myself. It allows me to say what I want while having fun. If something makes me laugh, I enjoy performing it — and if the audience laughs too, that’s the best outcome.
What is a compliment that has stayed with you?
Recently, someone told me they watched my special and a joke I made about divorce gave them the courage to leave an unhappy marriage. That meant a lot to me. I don’t see myself as a voice for women, but if sharing my experiences helps someone leave a bad situation and find happiness, that’s the biggest compliment.