Jewellery, Chopping Board and Mic

A mother of three and the only breadwinner for her family, Deepika Mhatre's day would begin at 4:00 AM - getting ready to board the Mumbai local train to sell imitation jewellery to passengers. After about two hours of doing rounds in trains, she would zip up her big bag of?jewellery and gear up for her next job as a cook for?five families.?

Cooking would keep her busy till evening post which she would head back home to take care of her own household chores. Late at night, she would pack the jewellery to be sold the next day and finally get some rest before the cycle would begin again.

Deepika’s life took a turn when Sangeeta Das, who had employed her as a cook, came up with a unique idea to celebrate Women’s Day. Sangeeta decided to host a talent show for all the maids of her apartment complex. Deepika participated in the talent show and took everyone by surprise with her witty and original jokes about interactions between maids and their employers.

The audience was enthralled with her sense of humour. A Hindustan Times journalist, Rachel Lopez, who was also among the audience, was blown away by Deepika’s talent and decided to connect her with the established stand-up comedian, Aditi Mittal. Aditi, in turn, lost no time in setting up a meeting with Deepika and taking her under her wing.

Deepika had never been on stage before and was unsure about several aspects of finding her way into the world of stand-up comedy. Aditi supported her by taking her to shows where she was performing. Gradually Deepika learnt the nuances of writing scripts, rehearsing, and creating resonance with the audience.?

When Deepika felt ready, she started doing open mic events and got heartwarming responses from the audience. Perhaps we have all come across funny content on the experiences home owners have with their domestic help, but almost always from the employer’s perspective. Deepika’s shows brought in a domestic help’s perspective.?

She captivated audiences with anecdotes and imitations of employers haggling, nudging them to think about the contrasts in their approach to spending. On one hand, she would see her employers spending thousands during their mall visits and yet, bargaining for Rs 5 or 10 when it came to vegetables. Then there were some who would ask their maids to pass the TV remote - because they didn’t want to move an inch from the couch.

She also used her presence on stage to talk about certain topics that bothered her, like being treated like a lesser human by being asked to use a separate lift. Deepika brought awareness to these topics by presenting them with a touch of lighthearted humour.

Taking up stand-up comedy added to her hectic schedule. Now she would do stand-up comedy after working all day and get back home late, and then pack jewellery for the next day. It would be past midnight by the time she would go to bed, yet she would wake up at 4:00 AM and head to work.The grind of working three jobs began to take a toll and Deepika had to let go of her cooking jobs.

She is happy about the way her stand-up career is unfolding. Having experienced poverty, she also talks about her desire to help those struggling due to lack of resources. During the pandemic she ran a campaign called #HelpKiHelpKaro urging people to call their maids back with the right safety measures.

As normalcy began returning post the pandemic, Deepika resumed her in-person stand-up comedy events. She has been invited to perform in various cities in India like Bangalore, Kanpur and Delhi. I hope her hearty laughter and her jokes help her travel far and beyond, spreading smiles across the world.

I was fascinated by Deepika’s story and her ability to switch different roles. I also loved the role that others like Sangeeta, Rachel and Aditi have played in discovering and supporting her. As I read about her and watched her videos, her smile and her ability to see humour in the good and not-so-good experiences of life have inspired me to infuse humour into my approach towards life.

Often times in the struggle to earn a living, many of our true strengths and hidden talents never find expression. Deepika's story shows how with a little encouragement from others ones's own determination and courage, one can take the plunge at any age and turn one's hobby/passion into a potential career. Possibilities exist.

I hope this story inspires you to start your week with a wide smile ??.?

If, like me, you too derive inspiration and learning from real life stories, then do check out my book The Tenth Story. In addition to the inspiring stories, there are reflective questions that can support you through the process of exploring your own story and creating a vision for your story that is yet to unfold.?

Have an awesome week ahead!

References:
1) Thinkrightme.com, TheBetterIndia.com, SheThePeople.TV, YourStory.com