Celeb Pawrents: Married comedians Rishi Budhrani, Sharul Channa say their dog sees things they can't

Straits Times

08-06-2025

Home-grown comedians and married couple Rishi Budhrani and Sharul Channa with their three-year-old female Singapore Special named Lakshmi. PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHARUL CHANNA
SINGAPORE – Seeing Lakshmi, her three-year-old female Singapore Special, staring at a spot at home freaks Sharul Channa out.
When such incidents happen, the home-grown comedienne will pray and tell herself that a god is visiting them and thank the 'invisible entity' for its presence.
'Maybe Lakshmi spotted an insect or she has an epiphany and gets these random ideas in the middle of the night,' says her husband, comedian Rishi Budhrani, laughing.
Channa, 38, and Budhrani, 40, adopted Lakshmi in 2022 when she was a four-month-old puppy from Exclusively Mongrels, a non-profit organisation that focuses on rescuing and rehoming stray dogs.
The couple, who married in 2015, says Lakshmi has a knack for seeing things they cannot. They add that during their walks around their condominium, Lakshmi can always spot a tennis ball from afar.
Sharul Channa and Rishi Budhrani adopted Lakshimi, a black Singapore Special, when she was a four-month-old puppy.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHARUL CHANNA
'She specialises in looking at a bush from far and she'll know there's a tennis ball inside,' says Budhrani.
He adds: 'She will disappear into the bush and, nine out of 10 times, she'll come out with a tennis ball in her mouth. Once or twice, she'll come out with a chicken wing or a half-eaten satay stick that someone threw out from a barbecue.'
Channa and Budhrani are part of a group of local comedians – including Broadway Beng, Fakkah Fuzz, Jacky Ng and Jinx Yeo – who will be performing at the Capitol Theatre for the Happy Ever Laughter Party show, which runs from June 19 to 27.
Organised by Dream Academy, the nine-show comedy event sees the comedians coming together to share and laugh about the recent General Election.
Channa says Lakshmi is the third dog the couple own and one that is 'truly theirs'.
Their first dog was a female chihuahua puppy Budhrani gifted Channa in 2008 when they were dating. Channa was then living with her parents and her mother was against having a dog at home.
Little did they know that within a couple of hours, Channa's mother would become so enamoured with the pup that she renamed her from Vasanthi to Meethi and dressed her in a little pink singlet.
'She said that if the dog has to live in my house, this is what she's going to wear and this is going to be her name,' says Channa. So, Meethi became her mother's fur kid.
Local comedienne Sharul Channa and Lakshmi, a Singapore Special she shares with husband Rishi Budhrani.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHARUL CHANNA
When Channa moved to live with her in-laws after getting married , Meethi stayed with her mum.
As Channa missed Meethi a lot, the couple decided to get another dog. In 2017, a male maltipoo named Bubble became a member of the family.
History repeated itself and Budhrani's parents fell in love with Bubble and the puppy quickly 'became the priority in the family', says the comedian, who recently hosted ST's student news quiz and competition series What's The News?.
When the couple moved to their own apartment in 2019, Bubble shuttled between both homes until Channa decided it was time to get another dog, one that would be solely theirs.
'Rishi and I then were more informed about adopting dogs over buying pedigree ones, so I told him if we ever come across a black, female dog, we will have to adopt it,' says Channa, who had learnt that female, black dogs are usually the last of a litter to be adopted.
They chanced upon an Exclusively Mongrels adoption drive in 2022 and, there, they met Lakshmi who, along with its siblings, was found abandoned near a factory.
Channa, who has been a stand-up comic for over 14 years, admits that naming their fur kid after the Hindu goddess of wealth and fortune raised some eyebrows, but she believes the rescue dog will bring luck and prosperity to their lives.
Comedian Rishi Budhrani and Lakshmi, a Singapore Special he shares with wife Sharul Channa.
PHOTO: COURTESY OF SHARUL CHANNA
Integrating Lakshmi into the family was initially challenging due to behavioural issues, as the mutt would chew on their walls, wires and belongings such as Airpods, and had a fear of loud sounds.
'Lakshmi gets scared and will hide when it rains or there is thunder,' says Channa, adding that the dog will nuzzle under her arms whenever there is a thunderstorm.
The couple believe that Lakshmi's behaviour stems from her early experiences of hearing loud factory sounds and losing its mother at a young age.
On Exclusively Mongrels' recommendation, the couple took their fur kid to K9 Kampong, a professional dog trainer centre, to help Lakshmi overcome her trauma.
The low-maintenance dog is very affectionate and enjoys cuddles, massages and chest scratches. It eats home-cooked meals such as boiled chicken, grated carrots and the occasional yogurt.
The couple, who do not have children, add that they receive so much love from Lakshmi.
'Imagine having a child at home who is very cute, cuddles up to you and gets so excited when you come home,' says Channa.
She adds: 'Lakshmi sits behind me every morning when I say my prayers. She senses when someone is upset and helps reduce stress and anxiety. She has given us so much love.'
Book It/Happy Ever Laughter Party
Where: Capitol Theatre, 17 Stamford Road
When: June 19 to 27, 8pm (Mondays to Fridays), 4 and 8pm (Saturdays)
Admission: $55 to $165
Info: str.sg/DVuc
Joanne Soh is a lifestyle correspondent at The Straits Times, with a special interest in entertainment and pop culture.
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