On Tuesday night, Toronto was excitedly buzzing at a Comedy Bar on 945 Bloor St. West as four hilarious and talented comedians took the stage. Vishal Ramesh, Xulf Ali, Sunny Deewana, and Azfar Ali, known as the comic brothers, brought their show Immigrants with Attitude to life. But this wasn’t your typical immigrant-focused comedy show. These comedians wanted to share their experiences as immigrants and bring their unique flair and humor to the stage.
“New immigrants are generally low on confidence as they are trying to get used to a new country, they are careful of what they say and how they come across,” says Ramesh.
Comedy clubs and open mic nights are spaces where immigrants can feel included and valued despite their challenges.
“It was a great fit for the show because we are trying to showcase relatable immigrant stories and make immigrants feel more confident to navigate the new country, doing that with an attitude is the way to do it,” Ramesh added.
According to Deewana, immigrants often face significant obstacles due to language barriers. Navigating daily life without a firm grasp of the language can be difficult since communication is crucial. To highlight this, Deewana used his comedy to illustrate how slang can often be misunderstood by newcomers. For instance, he joked that while the term ‘gold digger’ usually refers to a greedy person, a newcomer unfamiliar with the phrase might interpret it literally as someone digging for gold or working hard.
Deewana and Ramesh, two of the four comic brothers who are also aspiring producers, had been contemplating co-producing comedy shows in downtown Toronto with a focus on immigrant themes. Deewana had previously produced ‘Desi’ themed shows in Brampton but they were keen on exploring an even bigger and new avenue.
Their first show took place in Brampton with a lineup of comedians styled to resemble hip-hop gangsters. Inspired by the movie Straight Outta Compton, the duo named the show Straight Outta Brampton, which was a resounding success.
However, when they set their sights on the Comedy Bar, they realized that the word ‘Brampton’ would not suffice for the show name. As a result, Deewana, X.Ali, Ali, and Ramesh created a WhatsApp group to brainstorm potential names. They knew they wanted to incorporate keywords such as ‘culture’, and ‘immigration’, and wanted this to be the main highlight of their show. This is how Ali came up with the name Immigrants with Attitude.
This name perfectly captured the spirit of the show, and the group decided to go ahead with it. The show turned out to be a massive success, thanks to its unique, relatable theme, and witty humor. Laughter is an emotion that can help create a sense of community and can help people understand other’s experiences. Comedy is one way that can help immigrants find their voice, empower them to speak out against discrimination and help break down cultural barriers.
Prof. Usha George, Director at Toronto Metropolitan University for Immigration and Settlement says “No one can identify the root cause of racism. Basically, it comes from prejudice caused by the fear of the unknown or fear of the other.”
However, despite all these challenges, Ali shared how he witnessed racism first hand when he moved here. The group recognized the lack of South Asian representation in the comedy industry and decided to bring their unique experiences and styles to the Canadian comedy scene.
Being an immigrant can be challenging, but comedy can help alleviate some of the pain and difficulties that come with the experience.
“Doing comedy was never about the money it was just very therapeutic for me,” says X.Ali
