Don't miss 'The Maa Behen Show' a stand-up comedy performance by Ahmedabad's Mahila Manch

"It is really hard to be a stand-up comedian in Gujarat because you are always competing with food on one hand and a joke on the other. Whereas in Bangalore, people are already high on alcohol and everything is funny anyway," says Shefali Pandey, co-founder of Mahila Manch that is bringing The Ma Behen Show, a stand-up comedy performance, to Bengaluru this weekend. The show explores themes of feminism, gender politics, marital rape and female sexuality.

Preeti Das, a former journalist and co-founder of Mahila Manch says most comedy content is about men bashing women, talking about stereotypical notions of romance, body types and skin colour. Mahila Manch was formed to counter this kind of comedy. It started as a show in the living room of a friend and the audience was from all age groups, from children to grandparents. The show covered topics from pre-marital sex to marital rape. One of the group members recollects how someone in the audience told them, ‘You guys are doing something that the future generations will thank you for.’

What started as a collective for stand-up comedians and performers, Mahila Manch gradually gained popularity for their monthly comedy performance, The Period Show, that covered topics such as LGBTQ issues, rape, identity, female sexuality and body shaming. 

Mahila Manch is keen on creating an alternate voice and aims to become a platform that advoctes change and discusses topics that are considered taboo. 

Mahila Manch performs in Benguluru on May 22 at Lahey Lahey, Kodihalli and Just Blr, Brigade Road