Sumukhi Suresh

Sumukhi Suresh was raised in Nagpur, although her mother is from Tamil Nadu. She completed her schooling from The Chanda Devi Saraf School, Nagpur and her graduation from M.O.P Vaishnav College for Women, Chennai. Suresh moved to Bengaluru in 2009 and started working at Hippocampus, a Children's Library. She then went on to work as a chef and was also employed at a food laboratory for a brief period of time.{{Cite web|url=https://humoursapiens.com/know-your-comic-sumukhi-suresh/|title=Know Your Comic: Sumukhi Suresh|date=2020-02-17|website=Humour Sapiens|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-04}}

In 2013, Sumukhi joined The Improv,{{cite news |title=Giggle with these gals |url= https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/meet-the-rising-stars-of-the-indian-comedy-scene/articleshow/59933369.cms|newspaper= The Economic Times|date=6 August 2017|last1= Sachitanand|first1= Rahul}}

which was an improvisational comedy show in Bengaluru, while working at the laboratory. Along with the rest of the Improv team, Sumukhi performed in 100 shows in Bengaluru, Dubai, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Sweden.{{Cite news|url=http://www.thehindu.com/features/metroplus/bengaluru-improv-in-sweden/article8360791.ece|title=Bengaluru improv in Sweden|date=2016-03-16|newspaper=The Hindu|language=en-IN|issn=0971-751X|access-date=2016-05-19}} In 2015, she quit her full-time job to start a career in comedy.{{cite news|url=https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/panache/meet-the-rising-stars-of-the-indian-comedy-scene/articleshow/59933369.cms|title=Meet the rising stars of the Indian comedy scene|date=6 August 2017|newspaper=The Economic Times|last1=Sachitanand|first1=Rahul}}{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/humble-politician-nograj-will-make-you-think-whether-you-have-voted-the-right-people-into-power/articleshow/60007389.cms|title=Humble Politician Nograj will make you think whether you have voted the right people into power|date=11 August 2017|work=The Times of India}}

Sumukhi's first video was Anu Aunty- Engineering Anthem with Varun Agrawal. She then did the Maid Sketch with Sanjay Manaktala as the boisterous Parvati Bai. Sumukhi rose to fame after portraying the character of 'Sumukhi Chawla', an NGO employee, in India's first mockumentary-style YouTube series—Better Life Foundation.{{cite web |title=Sumukhi Suresh on her web series Pushpavalli, and playing characters that are flawed yet real |url=http://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/sumukhi-suresh-on-her-web-series-pushpavalli-and-playing-characters-that-are-flawed-yet-real-4260487.html|publisher=Firstpost |date=16 December 2017}}{{cite web |title= 6 female comedy stars you need to know, by Sumukhi Suresh|url= http://elle.in/culture/sumukhi-suresh-female-comic-heroes/|publisher= Elle |date=31 March 2017}} Sumukhi has performed comedy shows with Naveen Richard, the writer of the show Better Life Foundation.{{cite web|title= LOL with the sketch duo|url= http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/oct/03/lol-with-the-sketch-duo-1524740--1.html|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20171228000513/http://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/chennai/2016/oct/03/lol-with-the-sketch-duo-1524740--1.html|url-status= dead|archive-date= 28 December 2017|publisher= New Indian Express |date=3 October 2016}} She also gained popularity for her property "Disgust Me" a by invite, women-only stand-up comedy show.{{cite web |title=Queens of Comedy review: TLC's new show is a milestone in comedy of, by and for women |url= http://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/queens-of-comedy-review-tlcs-new-show-is-a-milestone-in-comedy-of-by-and-for-women-4097041.html|publisher=Scroll.in |date=30 September 2017}}

While talking about improvisation skills in content creation, she said, "While acting comes to me in an easy manner, stand-up takes a lot more effort. I started my career with Improv and even now I carry improvisational skills into everything I do. As a matter of fact, when I work with Richard, we don’t write the dialogue first, rather we improv first."{{Cite web |title=Real life isn't black or white, says comedian Sumukhi Suresh |url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/cities/bengaluru/2019/dec/23/real-life-isnt-black-or-white-says-comedian-sumukhi-suresh-2079695.html |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=The New Indian Express}}

After getting much appreciation for her role in Better Life Foundation, Sumukhi launched a video series called Behti Naak on her own YouTube channel. In the video series, she plays Behti Naak, a 10-year-old girl with a deadpan style of humour. The videos became viral.{{cite web |title= This Comedian's Sketch of an Average 10-Year-Old Indian Is Hilarious And Hard Hitting|url=http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2016/09/16/this-two-minute-sketch-of-comedian-sumukhi-playing-behti-naak_a_21473251/|publisher= Huffington Post|date=16 September 2016}}

Sumukhi was approached by Amazon Prime, India to make a web series. Pushpavalli, a semi-autobiagraphical series created by Sumukhi Suresh, was released on 15 December on Amazon Prime Video in India and received positive reviews.{{cite news |title=Sumukhi Suresh's Pushpavalli is an admirable attempt at inverting a tired tale |url= http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/sumukhi-sureshs-pushpavalli-is-an-admirable-attempt-at-inverting-a-tired-tale/article22234291.ece |newspaper=The Hindu |date=23 December 2017|last1= Sood |first1= Akhil }} The show is directed by Debbie Rao and stars Naveen Richard, Manish Anand, Preetika Chawla and Shraddha. She said, " I'm glad Amazon did not impose on me that the show had to be in Hindi. Even if the streaming services have subtitles, a Hindi show does immensely well. But I didn't want that. I wanted an accurate representation of Bengaluru, where everyone knows at least three languages. I'm glad I could present South Indian people with all their quirks and ticks. I was also accused of representing every member of the community as flawed. But my defence was, 'Look at Nikhil [the man Pushpavalli falls in love with and moves city for]!' He's a Kannadiga, and he looks like a bloody flower."{{Cite web |date=2020-02-11 |title=Why Sumukhi Suresh can't help but leave a bit (or a lot) of herself in her fiction show and stand-up special |url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/why-sumukhi-suresh-cant-help-but-leave-a-bit-of-herself-in-her-fiction-show-and-stand-up-special-7929821.html |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=Firstpost |language=en}} Naveen Richard pointed to 'Firstpost' that he connected with Sumukhi the most because of their 'South Indian backgrounds'.

Sumukhi performed her first stand up special "Don't Tell Amma" for Amazon Prime Video India which since its release has received positive reviews. This show was recorded in Bangalore. The show wittily describes the relationship between millennials and their Indian Mothers. Though the title says Don't tell Amma (Mother), interestingly enough, many people watched the show with their mothers.

Sumukhi, along with fellow comedian and absurdist Naveen Richard, co-created the Prime Video show Go Straight Take Left. The show is a compilation of six sketches.{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/naveen-richard-and-sumukhi-suresh-on-go-straight-take-left-their-new-amazon-prime-video-special-5237751.html|title=Naveen Richard and Sumukhi Suresh on Go Straight, Take Left — their new Amazon Prime Video special|date=2018-09-22|website=Firstpost|language=en|access-date=2020-03-04}}

In 2018, Sumukhi Suresh hosted the first season of Prime Video's web series Comicstaan alongside comedian Abish Mathew.{{Cite web|url=https://eventseeker.com/artist/89073-sumukhi-suresh|title=Sumukhi Suresh - Artist Profile|last=|first=|date=|website=eventseeker.com|access-date=2020-03-04}}{{Cite web|url=https://scroll.in/reel/928568/comicstaan-2-trailer-out-amazons-stand-up-comedy-talent-hunt-to-be-released-on-july-12|title='Comicstaan 2' trailer out, Amazon's stand-up comedy talent hunt to be released on July 12|author=Scroll Staff|website=Scroll.in|language=en-US|access-date=2020-03-04}} She was a part of the judges' panel for the second season of the same show with Urooj Ashfaq replacing her as host.{{Cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/comicstaan-season-2-trailer-abish-mathew-urooj-ashfaq-host-upcoming-instalment-of-stand-up-comedy-contest-series-6885891.html|title=Comicstaan season 2 trailer: Abish Mathew, Urooj Ashfaq host upcoming instalment of stand-up comedy contest series|date=2019-06-26|website=Firstpost|language=en|access-date=2020-03-04}}

Sumukhi has acted in Humble Politician Nograj, a 2018 Kannada film. She plays the role of Lavanya, wife of Nograj (Danish Sait).{{cite web|url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/kannada/movies/news/how-a-prank-landed-sumukhi-suresh-a-role-in-humble-politician-nograj/articleshow/62053054.cms|title=How a prank landed Sumukhi Suresh a role in Humble Politician Nograj|date=14 December 2017|work=The Times of India}} This film is a political satire.

In a conversation with newsX she said that comedy industry is still peaking and hence it is still a community rather than an industry. She also feels that for comedy, social media and live shows are equally important and cannot replace each other.{{Cite web |last=Correspondent |first=Our |date=2022-02-13 |title=Comedy is still a community rather than an industry: Sumukhi Suresh |url=https://thedailyguardian.com/comedy-is-still-a-community-rather-than-an-industry-sumukhi-suresh/ |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=The Daily Guardian |language=en-US}}

Sumukhi Suresh launched her company Motormouth Writers Pvt Ltd in 2022. She wants to write and create shows and movies centered on female characters. The aim is for Motormouth to go from being a writing studio to producing shows and movies.

While talking about her vision for 'Motormouth' she says, "If we wish to change the narrative then we need to be in positions of power. I want to change culture by creating more female protagonists. I want to tell stories with real, flawed characters who are not just hot and sexy, sati Savitri, vamp, or any one of these things. Real women, and people in general are a hundred things at the same time at any given point and I want our content to reflect that."

Filmfare winner Sumukhi Suresh said,"I want the people who see me, especially the girls, to think, ‘I need to have confidence like her’, because I wanted to see someone like that when I was young."{{Cite web |date=2021-09-14 |title=Sumukhi Suresh isn't waiting for anyone to hand her a golden opportunity |url=https://tweakindia.com/culture/discover/sumukhi-suresh-isnt-waiting-for-anyone-to-hand-her-a-golden-opportunity/ |access-date=2022-03-26 |website=Tweak India |language=en-US}}

{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Suresh, Sumukhi}}

Category:1987 births

Category:Indian stand-up comedians

Category:Living people

Category:People from Nagpur