Channa, on the other hand, wrote and performed Pottymouth, her debut solo stand-up comedy show, in Singapore in 2017. Her unfiltered performance and relatability on stage scored her rave reviews, and eventually saw the signature show tour 11 cities in India in 2019. In a male-dominated industry, she remains the first full-time female comedian in Singapore. Using her shows as a vehicle, she sheds light on neglected social issues in the city state. Topics such as the construct of marriage and misogyny are but some of the things covered in her shows. 

While they may both be comics, Budhrani and Channa’s creative processes differ like most artists. Budhrani admits. “I am a process-driven creative. My rehearsals and writing need to start six months before the scheduled show, whereas I’m constantly in awe of how Sharul takes a more organic and spontaneous approach to comedy.” The comedian sees himself as a writer-performer, whereas performing comes naturally to Channa. She explains: “Only half of my shows are scripted, the other half is spontaneous.” Budhrani quips, “There is definitely an obvious difference in the amount of effort needed to get a certain quality!” 

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A conversation with them both will leave you in stitches. During our interview, the couple talked about past mishaps involving their pets and Budhrani’s unfortunate incident at the beach where he accidentally bared it all. But despite their playful chemistry and light-hearted nature of their work, the comedic duo isn’t afraid to get real about the reality of their tightly interwoven work-life relationship. “We make each other laugh, for sure,” says Budhrani. “But it’s definitely not a typical relationship,” Channa adds. She likens it to the conservative nature of Singapore: “There are so many boxes to tick [in order to fit into the expectations of marriage] but nothing is normal about our relationship. To begin with, we don’t have typical nine-to-five jobs so there are loads of sacrifices to make because we don’t see each other all the time.” 

I am a process-driven creative. My rehearsals and writing need to start six months before the show, whereas I’m in awe of how Sharul takes a more organic and spontaneous approach to comedy — Rishi Budhrani

When it comes to setting boundaries about what they share on stage, both of them prefer to give each other free reign. Budhrani adds: “She will never tell me not to do anything, and likewise for me.” 

With the pandemic halting many live performances, the duo has pivoted their shows online through Zoom. Last May, Channa partnered gender equality advocacy group Aware to stage a special, virtual edition of Am I Old?—a comedic monologue that traces the life of Savitri, a 68-year-old retired school teacher. Budhrani has also been hosting commercial events virtually and producing his online comedy series, The Rishi Report.

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With the challenges of an unprecedented year, success has taken on a different definition for the couple. “I took a long time to realise that success to me is being able to say no to the work that I don’t wish to do,” says Budhrani. “And I’d rather put my energy into something I feel for.” 

“If there’s one thing that 2020 has taught us, it’s that mental health is so important,” says Channa. “So if I can do a show, come home, have my favourite meal and be able to fall asleep being peaceful at heart knowing I didn’t hurt anybody that day, that’s success to me. Being around people you love is a bonus too.” 

Check out Sharul's upcoming shows in March here