Kumar may be Singapore’s top comedian, unfiltered and ready to comment about everything Singaporean with his observational humour, where in the spirit of equality, everyone is equally susceptible to a joke or two. But this November, Kumar will be taking his comedy in a more focused direction, as he performs a brand new show for Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay’s Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts.

Slated to bring his signature uproarious, no holds barred style, The Great Indian Mix sees Kumar taking centrestage and bringing audiences on a comedic journey about the people, traditions, idiosyncrasies and nuances of what it means to be Indian, as he spills the tea, talking about all the quirks and complexities of Bollywood or masalas, family dynamics, wedding extravaganzas.

“Performing as part of Kalaa Utsavam is an honour, because it’s a chance for me to really focus on Indian culture and representation,” says Kumar. “It’s going to be fun, with an opening that has a song and dance number, before we go in to talk about culture, fashion, food and beliefs, and it’s so prominently Indian. For the show itself, it needs to be relatable, and it has to be real. More than that, I’ve never been in a space where I have 1,500 Indians in the audience, side by side laughing and enjoying this colourful performance. It feels like we’ve come a long way, and it feels like we’re less of a minority than before.”

Indeed, despite being a racial minority, Kumar has somehow penetrated the divide over the years to become an icon of Singapore, where audience members of all races and backgrounds flock to him to hear what he has to say. “We Indians have a lot of issues which we don’t talk about, so a more accessible way of talking about it would be through humour,” he says. “The show will mostly be about being Indian in Singapore, but everyone is up to be made fun of. It’s important to understand our own issues and problems first, and it’s very relatable.”

For Kumar, the most important aspect of comedy is the connectivity, where his humour and jokes must land in a relatable way to make an impact. “You can’t make up stories or the audience will not believe you and won’t connect,” he says. “My audience group is really quite big, and I’m happy to see even Gen Z audience members coming in regularly for my gigs. Comedy has evolved, and there are so many different types available now, where people watch what they want to watch. But I’m still sticking to my observational comedy, especially when it comes to current affairs and politics, which I can do because I’ve been doing it for so long and no longer afraid to speak freely.”

Assisting Kumar on this show is close friend and fellow comedian Sharul Channa, who has previously worked together on shows, and has performed at Kalaa Utsavam in both 2017 and 2018. “Sharul and I are good friends, almost like sisters, where she understands my tone and style of comedy,” says Kumar. “Sharul and I met many years back when she asked if she could open for me, and we’ve formed a close bond since then. We aren’t competing with each other, since our work is so different, and I’m glad we’re getting the chance to grow closer again with this show, and I’ve really missed hanging out with her.”

Kumar hopes that despite his show being about Indians and Indian culture, it still manages to strike a chord even with non-Indians and will be considered a Singaporean comedy show, rather than an Indian one. “Even though the Indian community comprises other ethnic groups like Punjabi and Sri Lankan and Bangladeshi, there’s no need to really segregate yourself because we go through similar experiences by virtue of being Indian,” he says. “It’s important to represent and celebrate Indian culture onstage, because sometimes you see people hating their own race, or racism extending into violence and abuse. But at the end of the day, we’re all Singaporeans first, and even for non-Indians watching, it’s a show that will helps them understand Indian culture more.”

Considering how the show takes place just after Deepavali, Kumar thinks back to his own forms of celebration and why it’s important to him. “I remember my birthday this year, I threw this huge party where we’d decorate the house, invite my whole family, set up a buffet spread and have plenty of drinks, everyone dressed up,” he recalls. “And the reason I keep doing that is because before my father passed on, he told me to keep the family together, which I’ve been doing ever since. And in the same way, I hope that this show brings people together and help them understand that we are not that different.”

“I encourage Indians to come, Malays to come, Chinese and others to come, and to bring their friends with them too, and hope that people leave feeling good about being Indian and also educating them where we realise how rich our culture is, and why we have certain beliefs, and just get to know what it means to be Indian,” he concludes.

Whether you’re Indian, whether you’re a diehard fan or never been to a Kumar show, The Great Indian Mix promises a night of laughs and lessons, where you’ll perhaps find new perspective of Indians and their diverse and vibrant culture, as Kumar spills all the tea.

The Great Indian Mix – Kumar Spills The Tea plays at the Esplanade Theatre for one night only on 24th November 2023. Tickets available here

Kalaa Utsavam – Indian Festival of Arts 2023 runs from 17th to 26th November 2023. Full programme and lineup available here

Production Credits:

Creative Director Kumar Producer Manju Balakrishnan Written by Sharul Channa Contributors Vadi PVSS and Jaya Rathakrishnan