It's so easy to offend people today, says Anuradha Menon

She was a rage as Lola Kutty, and is now active as a stand-up comedian and theatre artiste. Anuradha Menon, whose brand of humour is more about poking jokes at her own personal life, says in present times, it is very easy to offend people as many just look for ways to attack the other.

Menon says social media is a toxic platform and she is quite happy not being active on it.

"We live in a time where it is so easy to offend people and you can't take a breath without offending people. It has become like one of our national festivals like Christmas, Eid and Diwali... Right up there," Menon told IANS on the phone.

"It is almost like people are looking to catch you out on something online, pull you down or insult you. Social media is a toxic place. I am not really hugely active on it so I think I enjoy it that way," added Menon, who is coming back to television after a gap of six years with "Queens VS Kings", a comedy based on a battle of sexes.

During her comedy acts, does she have to mince her words at times?

"Sometimes what happens is, there are certain topics that I would like to talk about but at the end of the day, sometimes in any joke situation, you have to have a good beginning, middle and end.

"So, if I cannot somehow work enough jokes into it or work a good end into it. I feel that then it just does not work. Sometimes it happens that you might have an interesting thought, but you cannot execute it and because of that you let it go," she added.

Can stand-up comedy be called a platform which helps raise awareness, but with a twist?

"For sure, the comedic voice in terms of a more liberal approach has somehow fallen on stand-up comedians without them even knowing. Obviously they say it in the way they say it, people listen to them, their voices are heard and agree or disagree accordingly," said Menon.

She says one of the reasons it has become such a platform could be that the person speaking is someone young or has a "more reachable voice".

"It is just like abroad. Everyone has different kind of comedy. But for sure it is on the rise. To be able to say things... and obviously... but cloak it cleverly with your words," said Menon.

Even many years since quitting her Channel V act as Lola Kutty, Menon continues to be known by that avatar.

Asked if the tag bothers her as she has ditched the gajra, oily hair and sari look, she replied: "No, it doesn't."

"Firstly, you cannot resent something that you created. I have had the best time doing Lola. I still do it once a while for corporate gigs. Yeah, it will come in the way of me getting an item number because I played Lola," she quipped.

"The first thought will not be that let's get the girl who played Lola, who will come out of the water in a bikini. That is not the image Lola has right. So, I think even with the stand-up that I do, a lot of people come, half are very happy but half are disappointed that I am nothing like Lola," said Menon.

Nonetheless, she says she understands the viewpoint of her audience as "when you have grown up watching it and I suddenly break the illusion with my dress, short hair... because in your head the image is so fixed".

"From an audience's point of view, it is their bridge to cross."

"Queens VS Kings" will be aired on TLC channel from April 23.

(Kishori Sud can be contacted at kishori.s@ians.in)

--IANS

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