Stand-up comedian Sravanthi Basa is not your symbolic “mom”. She is that kind of comic, greets you with a smile and makes you think or back off. Her humor arrived without warning signs and would not buffer the blow. She is not filtered, keen, and runs in a mother and ruthless place. With Mother’s Day special, Sravanthi reflects on comedy, parenting, viral pressure, and the art of not giving anyone a fool of it.
Have you ever made your material down or tailored because of how female comedians think?
Since the beginning, I have advised me to avoid dark or “forbidden” themes – as if my gender is accompanied by content restrictions. But I was not told not to say anything. If I start to get into the water for the comfort of others, I lose respect for my voice. I’ve been sticking with my material – whether it makes me viral or not – because it’s the most honest thing I can offer.
What was your pre-show ceremony like? Any quirks?
Oh, absolutely. I religiously checked my zippers – this is the first thing. Then I retouched my lipstick. I nodded as I walked onto the stage, like I was saying a little prayer. At that moment, I always thought, wow, you guys showed up for me. My parents never loved me that much.
Do you still want to scare or inspire your pain with comedy and maternity?
I fell in love with the chaos of it all. Comedy makes me speak from this very strange, layered space that I am both tired and alive. I would never upload it to YouTube – not because I was scared, but because I didn’t want my son to watch it and decide to be a stand-up comedian. That’s misleading – I ended up saying, “I don’t need this kind of competition.” That’s how I like to play maternity: pick up the emotions and spin it inside.
What’s the most unexpected reaction to your joke?
Sometimes people go out. very good. I realized that some people need a little homework before taking my show. If you walk on clean or universal jokes, you’ll be confused – maybe a little angry. But if you get me, you get me.
