Quick five: Tune in to laughter

Suraj Venjaramoodu in 'Comedy Super Nite'

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uraj Venjaramoodu and laughter are never too far away. His latest avatar is as host of the one-hour comedy ‘Comedy Super Nite’ on the newly launched Flowers channel, which blends aspects of a talk show with mimicry and theatrics. Along with a team of ace comedians and Aswathy, a co-anchor, he hosts the programme that have them sharing space with leading lights of Mollywood such as Dileep, Lal Jose, Nivin Pauly and so on. Suraj, who reached tinsel town via television, talks about the programme and why he enjoys being part of such shows.

Produced by Anoop John, the show reworks the current format of comedies by involving the guests who take part in each episode. Currently shooting in Palakkad for Jamuna Pyari , starring Kunchacko Boban, the actor says he will also be shooting in Kochi for ‘Comedy Super Nite’. Excerpts from an interview:

What was it about the show that made you agree to be a part of it?

Humour. Moreover, I have never forgotten how I reached cinema. I have always enjoyed being involved in programmes that raise a laugh. It is a stress buster for all.

There is a misconception that if busy stars appear on television, their market as a film star might go down….

That’s not true. Many of our leading stars, including those from other regional industries and Bollywood, have worked on the small screen and it has not dented their popularity as actors or stars. It all depends on the kind of show one is working in. I enjoy the opportunities I get to indulge in some comedy and have fun.

What is ‘Comedy Super Nite’ about?

Anoop has a team of creative people who decide the theme of each episode and we plan a skit around it. There are writers who work on our lines. The guest(s) become a part of the skit and that is when the fun starts. For instance, when Tini Tom and Aju Varghese came as guests, we put up a skit on politicians, since both have essayed politicians in films. It does not have a rigid format and that is the charm of the programme.

The plus points of such a show

It is aired on prime time, which is usually kept aside for soaps and tearjerkers. We provide laughs. That itself should be a reason for its popularity. Moreover, we come up with fresh perspectives on subjects like traffic, music, politics,… The topic might be serious but we garnish it with plenty of humour. I have been told that it will be stopped after 100 episodes. As any comedian will tell you, raising a laugh is not easy but when comedy is stretched too much, it falls flat. One should know when to stop.

Where does cinema come in?

Cinema is my first priority but that does not mean I have stopped doing stage programmes and television shows. I have learnt to juggle the two and plan to continue doing that as long as I can. I can never be idle. So, when I am not shooting for movies, I arrange my schedule to fit in programmes of all kinds. These interactions are also a way to gather fodder to enrich my comic acts. When a fellow actor comes up with a good line, for instance, I store it to be used on another occasion.

(‘ Comedy Super Nite’ is aired on Flowers, Monday to Thursday, at 9.30 p.m.)