This section is Friendly Fridays, where we ask fun and weird questions to cool and famous personalities.
This week we have with us Sumukhi Suresh a.k.a Anu Aunty or Behti Naak.
Let’s get this rolling:
ED: Hello Sumukhi, welcome to our section Friendly Fridays. To begin with, we would ask you a very generic question: Why Comedy?
Sumukhi: Why not! I am doing comedy because I am enjoying it.
ED: What is the cruellest pun made out of your name?
Sumukhi: Suzuki Samurai, no problem.
ED: You have acted in various videos on YouTube. You are famous for Anu Aunty and being Sumukhi in The Better Life Foundation. You have your own channel on YouTube. You have a TedTalk on your name. You have been associated with The Improv for a while. You have written your own sketch show that’s touring the country right now- Go Straight Take Left. You have acted in a lot of lakh videos including those of AIB and Girliyapa. You have performed hundreds of stand-ups. So, tell us, when are you running for the President?
Sumukhi: Hahaha! You make me sound like a superhero. May I pass my mum’s number to you and you convince her as well? ;)
ED: Should comedians have a no go zone? Where to draw the line?
Sumukhi: Oh hell no! We should be allowed to explore all kinds of topics. It is our job to do justice to them and make it as funny as possible.
ED: If the front page article was about you, what would the headline be?
Sumukhi: Sumukhi Suresh accepts the role of James Bond.
ED: Rapid Fire: Choose one
Kanan, Biswa, Kenny?
Sumukhi: This is too tough. I choose the question mark.
West Bengal, Bengal, Bangal?
Sumukhi: Bengal
Bikini, Burkini, Kurti?
Sumukhi: Kurti
Mumbai or Bangalore?
Sumukhi: Bangalore
ED: What is the story behind your name?
Sumukhi: Sumukhi means a pleasant smiling face that my dad thought was perfect for me. I think I agree with him.
ED: Can a person with stage fright ever become a stand-up comedian?
Sumukhi: Yes. Stage fright is not genetic. One can overcome it and become a performer.
ED: Of all the videos you’ve acted in, which role is nearest to you as a person?
Sumukhi: None for now. I am yet to play something very similar to how I am as a person.
ED: How did you get the idea of “Behti Naak”? What do you think is the future of subtle comedy?
Sumukhi: Actually Behti Naak is not only about societal issues. Behti is a mean child who uses the truth about a person against them to get what she wants. Sometimes what she says seems like a social commentary, but not always.
ED: Any advice to ED readers and writers?
Sumukhi: Fresh cut fruits always look better at 5 star hotels than at home. It’s all an illusion.
We thank Sumukhi Suresh for taking out time for us from her busy schedule and special thanks to her manager Prerna for making her do this (finally).
Interview conducted by Prateek Gupta.
Other Friendly Fridays:
http://edtimes.in/2016/01/friendly-fridays-comedian-suresh-menon/
http://edtimes.in/2015/10/friendly-fridays-chapter-47-comedian-actor-cyrus-sahukar/
http://edtimes.in/2015/10/friendly-fridays-chapter-45-actor-neil-nitin-mukesh/
http://edtimes.in/2015/11/friendly-fridays-chapter-48-actor-naveen-kasturia/
http://edtimes.in/2016/03/lakshmi-narayan-tripathi/
http://edtimes.in/2015/12/friendly-fridays-film-critic-anupama-chopra/
