Here’s is why stand-up comedian Sugandha Mishra is a heady cocktail of melody and laughter

Sugandha Mishra is a powerhouse of talent. Not only does she tickle the funny bones of people with her superb comic timing,  Mishra too charms her audience through her mellifluous voice. Over the years, she has fine-tuned her talent to become a well-rounded entertainer in the television industry and on stage.

Starting her stand-up career with season 4 of ‘The Great Indian Laughter Challenge’, Mishra had tried her luck at the ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Singing Superstar’ a few years back where she was declared the third runner-up. “I had started mimicking at a very early age and used to do mimicry shows in college events. That is when Laughter Challenge happened to me,” she recalls. Today, she is happy juggling stand-up, singing and her TV shows.

As far as films are concerned, Mishra is averse to vulgarity on screen. She featured in last year’s release ‘Heropanti’, which was a launch pad for Jackie Shroff’s son, Tiger, where she played the younger sister of the female protagonist, Kriti Sanon. “Even if I am offered a small role in any film, I would make sure it has no skin show or vulgarity involved,” she says. Although she is reading scripts for two more movies, Mishra says music will always be her priority.

“While comedy comes naturally to me, music will always remain my first choice,” says Mishra, adding that her dream is to set up a music school in Mumbai in the name of her grandfather, Pandit Shankar Lal Mishra, who introduced her to Indore gharana of music. She learnt music from him at the age of four. “Classical music was an integral part of my upbringing. I try my hands at many things but I am the happiest when I sing,” says Mishra, who did her Masters in Music from Guru Nanak Dev University at Punjab. She has also done playback singing for Priyadarshan’s ‘Kamaal Dhamaal Malamaal’.

Earlier this year, she did a gig ‘Desh Ki Didi’ at the Mirchi Music Awards-2015, where she mimicked Lata Mangeshkar and the legendary singer’s take on present day music, was an example. Except for a few in the industry like Alka Yagnik who took offense to Mishra poking fun at Lata Mangeshkar, many of the singers and music directors present at the awards night were entertained by the mimicry including Shaan, who gave a standing ovation to her. “My skit was never intended at making fun of Lataji, instead I attempted at showing the difference between the songs and music that were made during her time and now. For me, mimicry is also an art form,” says Mishra, who ended the skit by saying “ache gaanon ke bhi ache din ayenge”. She also mimicked Ila Arun, Usha Uthup and actress Sonakshi Sinha at the event.

Currently, she is busy doing stand-up both in India and outside besides,TV shows like ‘Hasi Hi Hasi…Mil To Lain’ for SAB TV and cameo roles for ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’ for Colours.

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