Sumukhi Suresh seems to have run down a series of reactions to his comedy, and each reaction adds a layer to his understanding of the reach of humor. Once, in Bengaluru, an elderly man filed a police complaint against him, calling his comedy “obscene” and a “public nuisance”. Equally memorable was a demonstration in Chennai, where a 70-year-old woman wore her wedding sari on the anniversary of her husband’s death. Instead of mourning, she told Sumukhi that she wanted to laugh and be happy, as her husband would have liked. It was a moment that deeply affected Sumukhi, and reaffirmed her belief in the power of her storytelling.

Sumukhi’s latest stand-up show, Haemonalis a humorous self-portrait shaped by personal revelation. Through satirical, intimate humor, she recounts her thirties’ experiences with loneliness, body image, and a strange mixture of fear and defiance. The show, like her other works, is her attempt to “speak without filters”, offering to her audience the parts of herself that many people, especially women, prefer to hide. She approaches these topics with refreshing irreverence, poking fun at the expectations placed on herself and women, creating a blend of candor and laughter that her audience finds both funny and reprehensible.

“There is a common element in all my work: honesty. I tell my stories with honesty and sensitivity. I embarrass myself and make stories personal. I don’t ask the audience to relate; I just share my experiences,” she says, “and honesty is important in stand-up comedy. The more honest I am, the greater the chances of making the audience laugh. If I’m dishonest, the audience will notice.

Tamil on the Fringe

Making its debut at the prestigious Edinburgh Fringe Festival HaemonalSumukhi experienced firsthand the push and pull of performing on an international stage. She admits that she had to work to bring out her unique cultural and comedic sensibilities. But rather than cater to unfamiliar sensibilities, she stuck to her roots, referencing Indian-specific situations and even weaving Tamil phrases into her content.

“I considered adopting the show [for the Fringe audience] But decided against it. Look, I’ve spent years perfecting my acting, and I believe it has universal appeal. The story I tell is more important than the references I use. If you understand my story and message, it’s a win. Evaluating me based only on references means you’re not paying attention. I come from a land rich in cultural references. Therefore, I continued to speak Tamil language often. So, they were like, ‘Wait. Now what is this?’ But the Tamil people present in the crowd were really happy. They were like, ‘Thank you so much for the representation.’,” she laughs.

Seeing diverse crowds – Japanese, Dutch and American – react to his material gave him a new perspective (he even made them do the hook step to ‘Kajra Re’), gaining a global perspective about the power and limitations of humor.

Sumukhi Suresh Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

breaking taboos

Sumukhi’s comedy is particularly noteworthy as it foregrounds women’s health and societal attitudes towards it. Suffering from PCOS and prediabetes, she openly addresses the frustrations of managing chronic conditions in a world that often turns a blind eye to the realities of women’s health. In HaemonalShe narrates her regular visits to her gynecologist with such vividness that the audience feels as if they are in the exam room with her. Her perspective on medical visits highlights how society places motherhood as a central expectation in women’s health, while ignoring other important issues. She deals with this discomfort with humor that reflects deeply, finding strength in vulnerability.

Contents of Haemonal Extremely personal, sometimes raw and definitely fearless. Sumukhi jokes about mortality and her own timeline for life, laughing as she talks about her “plan” to die by age 65, partly due to family history but extended There is also a conscious choice to live free from worries. “I want people to have positive conversations about death instead of focusing on sadness. I don’t want people to feel sorry for me when I die,” she says. This perspective also helped her deal with body image issues.

She says much of her resilience comes not from her career, but from her childhood experiences, which she calls “fat-girl bullying”, which taught her to deflect, dodge, and ultimately ignore. However, she admits that the digital space demands a thick skin. “I am 36 years old. But it seems as if I have been harassed for 37 years. I was not seen as a person, just as a target. But I have learned from this experience. “Even though I haven’t fully recovered, I know this feeling will go away,” she says.

But what attracts audiences to Sumukhi is its blend of humor and introspection. His approach to storytelling invites the audience not only to laugh but also to explore their own perspectives. Her candor about a modern woman’s struggles – health, aging, loneliness and everything in between – is what makes her content hit so close to home for so many people.

Haemonal The performances will be held at Good Shepherd Auditorium in Bengaluru on 17 November and at Bal Gandharva Rang Mandir in Mumbai on 6 December.