‘Mittal’urgings of wit

Aditi Mittal one of India’s first female comedians talks about life, jokes, TV auditions and how funny she can be

Aditi Mittal was always the class clown. Having studied in a girls’ school, somebody “had to take up the role” and so she did. Today, a few years after that, Aditi is one of the most popular comedians around and she’s slowly changing the way people look at female comedians.

Currently when she’s not working on her book, she’s busy making people laugh. “You know, since I would always be the one cracking jokes, I would sometimes get punished. But I never minded... because when they made me stand outside class, I would always be the first one to run to the canteen to buy the samosas before the crowd got there,” she says
And for someone who was punished for most of her jokes, Aditi finally has the last laugh, well at least the crowd does and she’s more than okay with that.

“I started with stand-up comedy at the end of 2010. It was an open mic event and a total of two of my jokes got laughs,” says the girl who’s family is from Jalandhar. Over the years, more open shows, gigs a youtube channel and TV auditions was what would keep her busy. “I’ve always wanted to be part of the small screen and so I would give auditions for almost every TV show and ad. I even auditioned for the Indian version of Twilight (Pyaar Ki Yeh Ek Kahaani), for the lead role of Pia. I thought that it would be the turning point in my life... can you actually believe it? I would have been in that show?” she says. “I was even part of a CID episode, I played a villain,” she laughs.

But she hasn’t stopped trying, “I still go for auditions,” she says, suddenly serious. “Auditioning is not an easy job. But I realised that it makes one tougher. After I went for so many auditions, I started getting less attached to the idea of success... and that’s a good thing,” she says. Today, however, after people know her much better, she does get offers. “I guess, because people know me better they now approach me with comedy roles and there are some hilarious writers there that I would like to work with,” she says.

Despite how things are now, there was a time when Aditi would spend her day auditioning for at least four roles. But the turning point in her career was in 2011 and then 2013. “The first show was the one that took place in 2011 for the first lady of the Indian national Army, Mrs Bubble Singh who invited me for an event where all the army wives were there. The other was in 2013, it was the ‘Cream of South Asian Comedy’ by BBC. One day, I got an email from BBC and they asked me if I would like to be a part of their show, and I obviously said yes!” she says.

For long, stand-up comedy was considered as something that men did and then Aditi broke into the scene changing perceptions. “There wasn’t a woman’s perspective in comedy. We have always been a subject of jokes. Sadly, many people also consider female comedians as bitchy and hysterical. I’m here to do my bit and not to please anyone. I get to speak about things that matter most to me and that’s all that is there to it,” she says.

Aditi whose Youtube channel is quite popular is also going on tour with her solo show Things they wouldn’t let me say. And yes, people will get to see the very famous characters that she created for her Youtube Channel — the sex therapist, Dr Mrs Lutchuke and Dolly Khurana, the Bollywood starlet who also does movie reviews. And now, following the path of many female comedians across the world, Aditi will soon be writing a book. “I’m just working on my first draft. I can’t talk much about the book, but hopefully I can get it out by next year,” she says.

Having done many shows till date, the girl from Mumbai has grown quite used to the mean comments and the positive feedback. “One of the most annoying things is when men think that they can flirt by saying mean things about me. I guess people find it difficult to take women who are funny seriously... and I don’t blame them for that. I’m so tired because of all this demure behaviour that women have to put up with... that now my neck is beginning to hurt.”

And despite having heard many mean things said to her she says, “The one comment that will absolutely kill me, will be ‘You’re not funny.’