Most stand-up comedians have their own YouTube channels and use social media to reach wider audiences. But, Deepika Mhatre, went from cleaning houses to performing at comedy clubs, delivering commentaries on discrimination that domestic workers face.
She has taken the responsibility of making people smile and stay happy.
She uses satire on class inequalities and talks about “madams” who haggle for a few rupees but buy expensive items from the malls without any question. She orates on how maids are special. “They have a separate lift, plates and glasses in each home they work at. The employers don’t mind eating the rotis I make though,” Mhatre says.
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Her comedy was discovered at a talent show organised in a housing society where she worked as a cook. She has also featured in comedian, actress and writer Aditi Mittal’s “Bad Girls” series that gives a platform to female comics who are doing unconventional work in an unconventional way.
One of those pure wins of TALENT over nepotism, money, connections. Makes me feel hopeful!
— Aditi (hot takes 4 koolkidz) (@awryaditi) August 1, 2018
Very well behaved bad girls. Thank you @fayedsouza for having us on Roadblock this afternoon. @Deepikamhatre25 @saysnidhigoyal, Sangeetaji, Aishwarya pic.twitter.com/gtdcE0OWrk
— Aditi (hot takes 4 koolkidz) (@awryaditi) August 11, 2018
Mhatre lives with her three daughters in Mumbai. She no longer works as a domestic help, a job she has had for most of her adult life. But she continues to sell imitation jewellery in local trains to support her family as she is the only breadwinner in her house.