Singaporean stand-up comic Deepak Chandran finds success on Netflix
SINGAPORE – Deepak Chandran never dreamed he would become a stand-up comedian, let alone have his comedy show Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny streamed on Netflix Singapore.
The 65-minute stand-up show, released on April 18, earned the 10th spot on Netflix's Top 10 Shows In Singapore list a week after its premiere .
Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny was recorded from the 40-year-old comedian's sell-out show at KC Arts Centre in River Valley on June 28 and 29, 2024 . The show celebrated everyday life in Singapore, from the quirks of taxi uncles to the pride Singaporeans take in Changi Airport, offering a heartfelt and humorous take on local culture.
'I feel very grateful to have my show picked up by Netflix,' Chandran tells The Straits Times. 'How many people will have the opportunity I had?'
He is the second Singaporean comedian with a show on Netflix. Home-grown comedian Fakkah Fuzz, whose real name is Muhammad Fadzri Abdul Rashid, had his stand-up comedy special Almost Banned listed on Netflix in 2018.
Fuzz's second comedy special, Too Real, was released on the streaming platform in 2023.
Getting Technically Funny on Netflix was a shot in the dark. A producer acquaintance helped pitch Chandran's show to Netflix Singapore. 'I was surprised they picked it up immediately,' he says.
He credits his growing presence on social media, which helped create awareness of his comedy. Chandran regularly posts clips of his comedy routines for his more than 300,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram combined.
He will be taking the stage at Drama Centre Theatre on June 26 with Time Traveller. The 75-minute show will feature him sharing his experiences of living and travelling in different countries.
From lonely guy to funnyman
For India-born Chandran, who has always been the 'tech guy', becoming a stand-up comic was never part of his career plan.
Armed with a master's in computer science from India's Sikkim Manipal University, he worked as a software consultant, and travelled for work to countries such as Sweden, Australia and Germany.
He arrived in Singapore in 2013 to work as a consultant at an American technology company. Being new to the country , he initially spent his days at a Starbucks cafe in Clarke Quay, watching movies and feeling directionless.
'I used to sit there watching movies on my phone. I was lonely, and I didn't know what to do with life,' he says.
During that period, he discovered comedy clubs, such as The Lemon Stand Comedy Club, East Coast Comedy and Comedy Masala, initially attending as a spectator.
Loneliness drove him to reach for the microphone, but his first attempts at comedy in 2016 were brutal. 'I did one open-mic session at Talk Cock Comedy at Blujaz . I failed horribly at it. I went home and cried,' he admits. None of his jokes landed and the audience was unresponsive.
He gradually found his comedic voice a year later at an open-mic session at Comedy Masala, when he finally received genuine laughter. He thought: 'This is not too bad.'
Being a stand-up comedian is hard work and one needs a lot of perseverance to come up with new jokes, he says, adding that he could not have done it without the support of his Singaporean wife of eight years. They have no children.
'Imagine sacrificing every Friday and Saturday all these years,' says Chandran. He has been a regular headliner since 2022 at The Lemon Stand in Queen Street, the largest full-time comedy club in Asia. He performs twice a week each month.
He says his 35-year-old wife, who is in financial compliance, is shy and does not like being in the spotlight, and attends his shows discreetly. But she is a sounding board for his routines and offers feedback.
Good, clean fun
'I used to do political jokes, but I quickly realised it's not my style,' he says, adding that racial jokes and swearing are off-limits for him. Technically Funny received a PG13 rating on Netflix.
Chandran, who became a Singapore citizen in 2022, describes his comedy style as good, clean fun with self-deprecating, relatable jokes that draw from his middle-class everyday experiences like work, relationships, travel and personal observations.
He cites American comedians Louis C.K., Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld as inspirations, adding that Seinfeld's philosophy of being 'funny without having to say anything' influences his comedic approach.
Over the years, the techie by day and comic by night has headlined at several comedy clubs in Asia, such as the TakeOut Comedy Club in Hong Kong. He was also a runner-up at the Bangkok Comedy Festival and a finalist at the Hong Kong Comedy Competition, both in 2017.
He does not get paid at open-mic sessions at comedy clubs, calling them 'testing grounds for jokes'. Money from comedy comes from sales of ticketed shows such as Some Technical Jokes at The Projector in 2023, or when he is invited to perform at overseas comedy festivals.
Making his mark in the comedy world has not been easy. Creating a good joke is a trial-and-error process, and not every idea becomes a successful comedy bit. It can take about six months to develop a good five -minute set, and developing a 30-minute headline set is equivalent to 'climbing Mount Everest'.
'Making people laugh is so difficult,' says Chandran, adding that comedy is a brutal industry.
Having his show on Netflix was great validation. His next goal is a solo show at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2026.
He says: 'I'm very happy and grateful to be where I am now. You can't get to this place without having gone through many mistakes and troubles.'
Book It/Deepak Chandran: Time Traveller
Where: Drama Centre Theatre, 03-01 National Library, 100 Victoria Street
When: June 26, 8pm
Admission: $50
Info: str.sg/boQa
Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny is showing on Netflix.
Joanne Soh is a lifestyle correspondent at The Straits Times, with a special interest in entertainment and pop culture.
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