WHEN the infamous Karou Charou first staged his comedy show, Kama Sutra, a few years back, many assumed it would not go down well with what was perceived as a largely conservative audience.
Those naysayers were forced to eat their words. After a sold-out run, and two more shows, Don’t Dalla Wid Da Masala and Beauty and the Charou, Karou Charou returns with Kama Sutra 2: Come Again.
The show tackles many aspects of sex and sexuality, with the intent being “to build healthier sexual relationships between couples”, and, as such, he takes on the role of a “sex coach”.
He said he will encourage “talk”, advising couples to “ask and thou shall receive”; plans to introduces the “art” of role play and will expound on the pros and cons of internet porn.
So, we had to ask ...
For the uninitiated, what is a Karou Charou? ‘Karou’ is a word from the Indian Tamil language which literally means “very hot”. And ‘charou’, of course, is a slang word for an Indian person.
So Karou Charou equals hot Indian, which is what I am!
What happens if you “dalla with da masala”? You get your head chopped off, bro! Charous get justice. Otherwise we rub chilli powder in your eyes. “Don’t dalla” translates to “don’t mess with.”
You faced resistance from what you called “the mother grundies” for your first show. Are they still giving you lip, or are you winning them over? Mother grundies have been silenced by the thousands of “conservative Indians” who have flocked through the theatre doors, ensuring sold-out successes across the country.
Karou’s brand has grown to such an extent that he has a following of people who know what to expect from him, so there are no more “surprises” and “shocks.”
What kind of feedback are you getting from your audiences? Very positive comments. They love my style, my material and my energy.
Your first show was funny, and educational. Did you intend for it to turn out that way? Not really . When I was scripting the show, I was just playing around with material. My first objective was that it must be funny. But as it turned out, there was a lot of stuff that was indeed educational.
The best compliment I got was when an educator commented that bar the F-bombs, the show would be great for school sex education.
What is Kama Sutra 2: Come Again about? After the success of Kama Sutra, Karou became some sort of a sex guru. He was not afraid to discuss matters openly and people opened up to him.
So for KS2 , Karou takes on the role of a sex coach , in an effort to improve the sex lives of his fans.
Is there a spicy take on Fifty Shades of Grey? Karou does make reference to this phenomenon and the effect it has had on the lives of people, especially the women.
How far do you push the envelope? In my adult shows , I have no boundaries. People see Karou as a stage character. With the fancy dress, sunglasses and bling, people see him as not “real”, and hence are more open and accepting of what he says and does.
Does Karou Charou get a lot of female attention? Oh, yes. One of the best parts of my job. Sadly though, when the costume is off, nobody is interested. lol
How would you describe your brand of comedy? Comedy critics have said I am not a real stand-up comedian. And I tend to agree with them. I don’t waltz onto stage , with my jeans and T-shirt, and speak in a monotone for 10 or 20 minutes.
I see myself as an entertainer. From the time I walk on stage it’s a show. Most of my shows are no less than 90 minutes. Me alone, on stage for 90 minutes. Yes, I am not a “real stand-up comedian”.
• You can catch Kama Sutra 2: Come Again this Saturday at The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef Casino at 5pm and 8pm. Entrance for the 5pm show costs R120, while the 8pm show costs R160. You can also see Kama Sutra 2: Come Again at the Theatre of Marcellus at Emperors Palace on April 24 at 8pm. Tickets are available for R160. Special dinner and show packages are available from R340 per person, and R1 370 if accommodation is included.
For bookings, contact the Emperors Palace box office at 011 928 1297/13. No under 18s are allowed.
WIN! WIN! WIN!
Tonight is offering five lucky readers the chance to win two tickets to Kama Sutra 2 at The Theatre of Marcellus at Emperors Palace on April 24. To stand a chance of winning, all you have to do is answer this very simple question: What does Karou Charou mean?
E-mail your answer, as well as your name and contact details, to [email protected]. Please put “Karou competition” in the subject field. The competition closes tomorrow at noon. Only the winners will be contacted.