Ladies’ Men

He,along with fellow comedians Sudesh Lahiri,Krushna,Rajeev Sharma,Sunil Lallan Grover,Swapnil Joshi,VIP,Kasif and Gaurav Gera,are part of a new group of stand-up comedians who have carved a space with their ‘ladies special’ acts. “I wanted to do something new,challenge myself and decided to try a female comedy act to break the monotony,” Joshi says. He was successful,to the extent that once,three guys came up to him and asked for his number. “At other times,we have had lusty male crew chasing us,” Joshi says.

The comedians,says TV producer Manan Modi,take their female persona seriously. “They are very choosy about the make-up,costume,and hair-do. Sometimes,they work for hours perfecting the Rakhi Sawant look,or learning to talk incessantly like a desi broad. Often,they sneak up from behind and tease the crew,” says Modi,laughing.

Waxing,shaving,threading,lipstick,nailpolish…we’re learning all the tricks of the trade,” says Joshi. “Women are definitely a better and superior species,” he says,working hard on his newly-acquired skill of tying a saree.

However,dressing up as a woman is just part of the job. To make their act credible,Joshi and Gera carefully follow the way women move around and the gestures and mannerisms they most commonly employ. “The way they play with their handkerchief,roll their eyes,are alternately demure and talkative—it all adds to the visual appeal of the character,” adds Sunil Lallan Grover.

If you’re convincing enough to pass as a girl,half the battle is won,” says Gera. A lot of credit is owed to high-heeled shoes. “The minute you slip into them,you acquire a seductive gait,” says the actor whose character is called Malti Manohar Mishra. “With the saree,again,one gains a sensuous grace,” he says.

The men try to ensure that their brand of humour does not turn too bawdy. “According to a study,women take longer to understand dirty jokes,whereas guys can joke just about anything. Once you’re dressed as a woman,you can comment on things a girl otherwise won’t feel free to discuss,” says Gera.

“The trend started with men exploring their horizons. But it hit off very well and I too have become a huge fan of such acts,” says actor Archana Puran Singh. “Their anatomy jokes are a riot,” she adds. “It is fun to watch and is a salute to women’s lib.”