Her unique voice as a stand-up comic has been the bedrock of Sumukhi Suresh's career in the movies, where she hopes to work with filmmakers Karan Johar and Vikramaditya Motwane one day.
Already popular for playing characters like Behti Naak and Pushpavalli, Suresh is also a writer, a mentor for aspiring comedians, and a producer.
"I would love to be Andrew Flintoff, that is the all-rounder," the comic said in reference to the former England cricketer.
"A lot of doors open up for me because I am a stand-up comedian. It is the biggest advantage. As people know you and that your voice is unique, they hear you," she told PTI in an interview.
Going forward, she wants to work with filmmakers Karan Johar and Vikramaditya Motwane.
"It is my dream to work with Karan Johar and I will make it happen. I am not even manifesting it. I know I am going to do it. Another director is Vikramaditya Motwane because he is God," the Nagpur-born comic said.
She already has it all planned, but nothing sinister like her title character as the mild mannered, scheming stalker in the acclaimed Prime Video series "Pushpavalli".
Suresh said she is setting her acting comeback with an action-comedy series, on which she also serves as a writer.
She is also attached to write three separate films, all comedies, for Tushar Hiranandani of "Saand Ki Aankh" fame, producer Rhea Kapoor ("Veere Di Wedding") and another with Aarti and Pooja Shetty, who backed the acclaimed "Tere Bin Laden".
"All of it (comedy) is a scam for me to become an actor," she quipped.
Lack of roles and not being regarded as an actor prompted her to start etching characters for herself.
"Writing is a solid skill but the reality is no one wants to cast me. So I am like, until they figure it out, which is going to be a long time, I am going to write things," the writer-actor, who has starred in the 2018 Kannada film "Humble Politician Nograj", added.
She also drew parallels between her avatars as a stand-up comic and an actor.
"When I am on stage, I am most excited, but when I am in front of the camera acting, I am strangely the calmest. I am very surprised how come because everyone knows how excitable and hyper I am. In my head I was not sure and now I can do it. The fact that the confidence is coming in, I am really enjoying it (acting)," she said.
Suresh said she doesn't want to limit herself to one aspect of showbiz. In January, she launched Motormouth, a content company which aims to create more space for female voices in the entertainment industry.
"My thing is that I don’t pick one, I have to pick multiple things. The reason I am appreciated as a writer is because I am a stand-up comedian, an actor, a showrunner."
Besides, she wants to explore other genres as an actor, something Hollywood star Melissa McCarthy did in 2021's "The Starling", a film about a mother dealing with the loss of her child.
"She is a comedic actor, who has done a serious role... As a writer I believe your comedy comes from action. If there is no emotion, you will not laugh. I would love to go beyond comedy. I would love to do drama," she added.
Suresh, an expert in improv comedy and sketches, said she is not trying to make a point through her work as a comic.
"There is a larger point I am trying to inculcate in myself, I am searching for power. If I can have the power to change decisions, to create on my own and not depend on anyone else, I think I would have set an example for myself and my two nieces. Just start it and do it."
She is back for the third season of Prime Video reality comedy series "Comicstaan" as a judge for the second time. In the first season, she served as a co-host.
The mood of the upcoming season was more hopeful as it was shot during the pandemic, added Suresh.
"All of us were shaken but we were all excited for the show. All the contestants have done a fabulous job. We comedians like to be together, we do our different things but we feel great to be back and hang out together, besides 'Comicstaan' is a great property," she said.
Suresh also recounted how things were a bit easier for her as a female comedian, thanks to veterans like Neeti Palta, Aditi Mittal and Anu Menon, when she entered the stand-up comedy scene in 2014.
Through the show, she is hoping to see emerging talent from small towns, especially women.
"More women should be coming from tier two and three cities. Imagine the voices they are going to bring. I am from Nagpur and I have my own identity. Like, there was a wave of small-town boys, I would love for waves to happen for small-town girls," she added.
Palta, Zakir Khan and Kenny Sebastian also serve as the jury on "Comicstaan", which has Rahul Subramanian, Sapan Verma, Rohan Joshi, Prashasti Singh, Kannan Gill, Aadar Malik and Menon as mentors.
Produced by Only Much Louder (OML), the eight-episode comedy talent hunt will be hosted by Abish Mathew and Kusha Kapila. It is set to stream on Prime Video from Friday.
[With Inputs From PTI]
