Urooj Ashfaq: Lot of jokes strike me on stage

She's like the girl-next-door in a rom-com — sweet, bubbly, and effortlessly funny. But when she steps on stage, she’s all that and more — witty, sarcastic, and downright brilliant. You guessed it right! It's Urooj Ashfaq, one of India’s best comedians. Attend her show, and you won’t just laugh in the moment — you’ll be chuckling long after it ends. Ahead of her show It’s Funny To Me on March 15 at KLN Prasad Auditorium, Red Hills, the comedian candidly speaks to CE about her journey, why she chose comedy over acting, and more.

Excerpts

Are you looking forward to performing in Hyderabad?

Oh yes, absolutely! I think the audience here is really enthusiastic and this will make the show better.

How has your journey been?

Well, I’ve spent my entire 20s doing comedy. I’m 29 now and as a child I was a real attention-seeker. I would make up funny songs and perform in front of everyone.

But it wasn’t until college that I was introduced to ‘stand-up comedy’. I would go with my friends to Canvas Laugh Club in Lower Parel (Mumbai) and enjoy the shows. I wanted to be funny and perform, so I did consider theatre as well. But I chose comedy because I liked the agency it gave me. Also, acting is the skill of being other people. And while that is great, I could be myself in comedy. And so, I did my first show at Canvas Laugh Club — Atul Khatri sir hosted it — and it was amazing. But I totally bombed my second show and still didn’t stop comedy. I was addicted to the rush comedy gave me.

Some notable points in my career so far include my internship at All India Bakchod (AIB), working on Son of Abish, and writing for the show Better Life Foundation. There are so many more! My parents have always been quite cool about my decision to do comedy, but my dad’s concern was and still is, ‘Is it financially sustainable?’ Apart from that, they are not especially happy about me cursing on stage. (laughs)

Who are your inspirations?

My inspirations in comedy have changed over time; when I just started out, it was James Acaster. But lately, it has been Julia Masli, an Estonian comedian who does something called clowning. Essentially, in clowning, there is a lack of rules. They could be doing anything — playing a caveman, exploring the room, talking to people, doing an entire movie performance without saying a single word, and so on. Julia, for instance, asks her audience for problems and solves them in the most comedic way possible. And the whole time, she’s in character as a witch or someone else!

How was your experience being on Queens of Comedy?

Queens of Comedy was a fabulous platform that encouraged women comics. And it was so much fun! But I remember people telling us, ‘This is cringe, you shouldn’t be doing this…’ But we went ahead and did it. It was a 24/7 riot and we girls were really emotionally supportive of each other.

What makes your comedy so unique?

My style of comedy has a lot of improv; a lot of jokes strike me on stage. But I would say that it boils down to who you are. Your identity, your unique take on things. I’m female, Muslim, and straight — an intersection of all these identities and my lived experiences make for unique comedy. I stay true to what I find funny.

If not a comedian, what would you be?

I studied psychology, so perhaps a therapist. I really enjoy solving emotional problems, thinking about feelings, delving into the complexities of human relationships, and reading about how your childhood affects life.

What are the three qualities that make a good comedian?

Honesty, consistency and taking risks.

How do you unwind after a long day?

By watching fellow comedians — like Tanmay Bhat’s meme reviews and Sumukhi Suresh’s Behti Naak. (laughs) There are so many more, but I want to say that it is so nice to see my friends’ shows.

(Story by Nitika Krishna)