When we get on a call with Toronto-based standup comic, Sunthar Vykunthanathan, on a sunny morning, we hear him ordering latte at a coffee shop with an accent which is anything but Tamil. But once he breaks into Tamil, one would know why he has chosen to do his shows in Tamil, actually a mix of Tamil and English. The point, however, is that although he could have chosen English as his medium, considering he has grown up in Toronto, he stuck with Tamil. We are not surprised then when he mentions to us, “Tamil Nadu feels like home.” As we get to know him more, we understand that his love for Tamil also stems from the fact that his parents are refugees, originally from Sri Lanka.
At the very outset, we mention about a clip from one of his shows where he says, “In India, you cannot joke about sex, politics, religion, and Vijay,” and Sunthar begins to laugh. “It’s tongue-in-cheek! I’m not looking to put anybody down in any of my comedy; my comedy is always punch up. So, it’s always thinking about how do we look at things in a way where everybody feels like they can get a good laugh out of it.”
Sunthar is the first openly queer Tamil-Canadian standup comedian who is touring globally with his show Avana Nee? After performing in Bengaluru last week to a packed house and a standing ovation that left Sunthar teary-eyed, he is now all set to take the stage in Chennai. So, how does it feel to be touring his debut show? “It feels amazing because the reception is amazing. I think we’re at a point in society where a lot of people are willing to listen; even if their values or views are different, they’re willing to listen and come and have a laugh. And I’m not trying to change anything, I’m not trying to change anybody’s opinion. I’m just saying, ‘Hey, I exist, this is my story, let’s all have a laugh about it’,” Sunthar says, adding, “And maybe you’ll take away something about how challenging my life is, or how challenging it is for queer people. I’m proud of all the things that make who I am. And so I want people to understand the multi-faceted identities I have — as a queer, as a Canadian, as a Hindu. Also, the fact that my comedy is born out of Canada, and London, is kind of unique. All the Indian comics, who do English comedy or Hindi comedy or Tamil comedy, you see them taking their work to the West, right? I’m the first one to go the other way around, in many ways. So, that feels really cool.”
He further shares, “I grew up consuming Indian artworks and Indian cinema. And I always felt a disconnection in the west with my non-Tamilian friends who may not be consuming the same media and content. So, to share my story and how it is and find that it relates on a global scale in Europe, and in the US and Canada and now here in India, feels just amazing!”
Avana Nee? is a comic line by popular film comedian Vadivelu that makes fun of queer people. Sunthar explains why he chose this as the title for his show. “We need to change how queer people are portrayed in Tamil cinema and in Indian cinema in general, and have those voices be heard from the people (queer community) themselves and make sure that they are profiting from their own voices as well! I feel so excited to go to all these places, and talk about my story; and being in India is epic for me, because there are lots of countries where my shows would come across very controversial, but I feel safe here.”
To be speaking from a very personal space can be tricky because you never know if and when the jokes will land with the audience. “Jokes land differently in different geographies. So, I get a sense of each audience and then adapt to those audiences. And this is what I hate about online comedy as well, because if I put out a reel, some people in Canada might think it’s hilarious while some people in India may find the same joke offensive. So, the geopolitical context of each joke is quite different. I think the greatness of a comedian comes out of reading your audience and reading the room and speaking to them on their level, and telling your stories to them, bringing them into your world in a way that is empathetic,” he says.
Before we wind up the conversation, we ask Sunthar if he has found love yet, “I haven’t. It’s difficult because I am out and I’m very out (as a queer)! And so what that means is, even for queer people, it’s a bit difficult I think; I too find it difficult to date sometimes because I’m so out and I talk about all these personal things on stage that even people who are out might shy away from dating me. They must be thinking, ‘I can take a doctor home or an engineer home. But bring a comedian home who is queer?’” Sunthar says laughing, and adds, “Hopefully, one day somebody will come along.”
Tickets start at Rs 469.
March 8, 6.30 pm & March 9, 9.30 pm
At Medai - The Stage, Alwarpet.
Email: rupam@newindianexpress.com
X: @rupsjain
