For women, by women

Sonali Thakker

One place women comics in India will not have to deal with creepiness," tweeted comedian and writer Radhika Vaz, as she shared a post on the upcoming edition of FemaPalooza. An initiative of Jeeya Sethi's Comedy Ladder, the show features an all-women line-up including Aditi Mittal, Sonali Thakker, Pavitra Shetty, Aishwarya Mohanraj, Niveditha Prakasam and Sethi. It is open to an all-women audience only.

The event comes in the wake of recent allegations of sexual harassment against comedian Utsav Chakraborty, which triggered women from different walks of life to call out men, many of them well-known, for sexual misconduct. A response by women comics to the revelations that has gained immense support within the community is the need to "help make the bullying and sexual harassment of women in comedy economically unviable" by buying a ticket to a show where a woman comedian is performing, as Mittal puts it.

Radhika Vaz

"The problem that women comedians face is the same that actresses face. How many people go to watch a movie with a female character in the lead? We are still not ready to see the world from a woman's perspective. And [within the world of entertainment], comedy is at the bottom of the pyramid," Vaz points out.

"It's sad that we have to have women-only open-mics and shows, but it's also true that you can't expect women to come up [in their career] the same way as men do. The world has been constructed in such a way that it facilitates men to prosper and do well, while women have to constantly put up a fight to be able to do just that. A part of a comedian's job, for instance, is to network with their show's producer. But while men can do that after a show until 4 am, women need to have their guard up in anticipation of anything untoward," she explains. This apart from the fact that male bosses rule the industry, and there is disparity in payment, too.

Pavitra Shetty

Why a women-only audience, though, if the idea is to reach out to more people? Shetty, who recently quit her job in the IT sector to pursue comedy full-time, reasons, "It's a concept that works beautifully. It's just like a girls' night out, but with comedy. These shows are special because we often have to deal with the perception that women are not funny. But here, everyone is already on the same page and all we get is a lot of love and affection from the audience. Besides, it can be a no-holds-barred night when it comes to the content."

Vaz agrees. "They keep saying women are the worst enemies of women. But that's so not the case," she says. Personal experiences, incidents she has found difficult to deal with in the past but can now see through a humorous lens, and being lazy when it comes to fitness are some of the subjects that will feature in Shetty's 10-minute set.

Any takes on the recent revelations? "We are more in a state of shock. I can only be serious about it right now; making a joke on it is not on my mind," Shetty signs off.

ON October 14, 5 pm and 7.30 pm
AT Godrej Dance Theatre, NCPA, Nariman Point. LOG ON TO bookmyshow.com
Entry Rs 708

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