Sharul Channa, Singapore-based stand-up comedian, returns to India with her tour “Saree, These Are Just Jokes!” in March. In a male-dominated industry, she’s says she has used humour to challenge stereotypes while staying fiercely committed to her craft. “The journey has been long and yet so rewarding. There weren’t enough roles for women, for brown women in Singapore,” she says, adding how a three-minute open mic set at a comedy club changed things. “The first time people laughed, it felt like validation. But the next time I went on stage, I completely bombed.”
With over a decade in her career, Sharul has learnt in many ways, but she’s also clear-eyed about the gender imbalance within the comedy circuit. “If you see the ratio of men to women in the stand-up scene and the number of women who become as big as the men, the gap is still huge,” she says, adding that women often have to fight harder for the same space. Stepping into rooms dominated by male performers requires confidence and persistence. “You have to be fearless and push yourself into circles where you might not always feel welcomed. Sometimes there’s locker-room talk, sometimes there are pride issues, but you have to keep showing up.”
Channa says the most important shift for women in comedy comes from focusing on their craft rather than seeking validation from peers. “Your aim is not to be accepted into someone’s gang. Your aim is to go on stage and make people laugh. The moment you do that, the room starts respecting you,” she explains, noting that humour often becomes the strongest equaliser. She adds, “Comedians like Zakir Khan, Amit Tandon, and many other male performers are great on stage, but then you see how female comedians like Sumukhi Suresh, Neeti Palta, and Gurleen Pannu have made a place for themselves in their own way.”
The deeper challenge lies in stereotypes attached to women performers. “There’s still so much emphasis on how a woman looks, her size, her age, her appearance, before people even listen to what she’s saying,” she says. “I wish audiences would just listen to the performer instead of reducing her to those things.” She asserts that these perceptions can be particularly difficult for younger female comics. “You develop a thick skin over time, but that comes after a lot of failures, a lot of falling down and getting back up again,” she says.
Channa emphasises that women must resist pressure to compete with each other for limited opportunities. “There is this idea that there is space for only one woman in the room. That’s not true. There can be many voices, many styles, many perspectives. Women need to support each other and push forward together.” For Channa, comedy offers a platform to speak about issues that matter while challenging structures that silence women. “Stand-up allows me to use my voice for things that are close to my heart. If I can make people laugh while making them think about gender roles or stereotypes, then that’s a win.”
As she performs and expands her presence, Channa hopes the industry becomes more inclusive for women. “Every time a woman steps on stage and tells her story, she’s already breaking a stereotype. And the more we do that, the more the narrative will change.” She notes that India is more open now, with men attending her shows and reacting to topics women comedians traditionally avoid. “Sometimes I do sex jokes in India as well. The women laugh really loudly, but the men get a little uncomfortable, like, ‘Oh my God, she’s talking about this,’” she says, noting the reaction reflects gender conditioning.
“It has all changed and is much better now,” she adds. “Earlier it was mostly women coming out to watch my shows, but now I see more men in the audience as well. India is very open now; live audiences are often more willing to listen. With a few more pushes, women are set to break many more gender stereotypes.”
