“Happiness was an illusion before comedy happened to me.

I’m Sravanthi, born and raised in Hyderabad. Honestly, I can’t imagine growing up anywhere else. Even after living in the US and travelling, nothing compares to the feeling of home this city gives. It’s here that I understood freedom, where I saw equality, and where my parents raised me and my sister with the same love and encouragement to explore the arts. We were raised like middle-class princesses and treated like celebrities even before I ever held the mic—that’s just how my parents brought us up.

I wasn’t always someone who could get on stage and make a room full of strangers laugh. I was a textbook introvert. I topped in school but barely spoke. No one could get a word out of me—not teachers, not even family. I carried a lot of anger back then—towards situations, and the world. Comedy changed that.

My journey began with Engineering, then an MBA, and eventually a Master’s in IT from the US. Like many of us, I stumbled onto stand-up through Netflix and thought, “If they can do it, maybe I can too.” I later realised it’s a craft, and everyone’s figuring it out in their own way. But that first spark pointed me in the right direction.

My shows—Strictly 18+ Kids Only, A Certificate, and Man’s Woman—aren’t just stand-up sets. They’re slices of life. I talk about things people often avoid: domestic violence, death, cheating, mental health, queer identities. Not to shock or offend, but to find humour in discomfort. Life’s already serious enough; I’m just trying to make it a little easier to face.

I perform in a mix of Telugu and English—just the way we speak at home. The audience gets it, because they get me. After some shows, people have said, “I’ve never felt more alive,” or “You said things I’ve never been able to say out loud.” That kind of connection keeps me going.

My parents? They think they’re the real comedians in the house. According to them, my jokes aren’t dark enough!

Right now, I’m performing in Hyderabad with A Certificate and Man’s Woman. There’s a new show in the works—about love, heartbreak, and everything in between. Not titled yet, but safe to say it’ll be A-rated!

Comedy gave me a voice when I had none. It turned my anger into something that brings people together, makes them think, and most importantly—makes them laugh. And for me, that’s where true happiness begins.”

• Sravanthi Basa