It’s time to give Suraksha a break

Suraksha Suvarna (left), a staffer at Bandra’s Mokai Cafe, with actor Sanya Malhotra in a grab from an Instagram reel made by the restaurant. Suvarna routinely roasts celebrities who visit the establishment. Pic/Instagram/@mokaiindia

Hi, babes, Rocky Randhawa this side," says customer.

"Rocky, you run a dhaba?" Suraksha asks.

"Rocky... I am a puppy."

"Puppy as in kutta?"

"Puppy - Prosperous Urban Punjabi Youth."

"Am I Seema aunty from the Indian matchmaker? Did I ask for your bio data? Nonsense!"

Yes, that exchange was nonsense. Not funny. Not groundbreaking. Not clutter breaking. Not original. Not funny at all.

It's a recent reel put up by Mokai Café in Bandra, owned by Karreena Bulchandani, which became famous last year thanks to their Instagram series featuring their employees - the most sparkling of them called Suraksha Suvarna. Suvarna delivers funny lines with a dry swag - which was once refreshing, but now a bit grating. The series expanded with famous influencers often appearing as guests at the shop - like Orry - who Suraksha always cuts down to size.

But a year later, it just doesn't have the same punch. And this has nothing to do with Suraksha, who is a bona fide star. But the dialogues at the beginning of this column are a reflection of writing that's now trying hard to be funny. The script isn't cutting-edge any more.

Let's come to the Croffle Guys, who have a series called Kaun Banega Crofflepati, and their other reels try to be self-deprecatory at the assumption that one of the founders is good-looking. After a while, that joke gets old… fast. I find both of their series a bit too slapstick. In the times when nuanced comedy is the hour of the day, I just can't help but ask: Kuch hatke karo?

There are many more cafés that do this - most a pale imitation of the above-mentioned, but it's enough to now cause the clutter, not break it.

The OG of this trend is the Brooklyn Coffee Shop, which is actually not a coffee shop - it was meant to be a sketch. Actor Pooja Tripathi turns every coffee order into social commentary, often satirising capitalism, Gen Z and the performative nature of (almost) everyone on the Internet. As witty, funny, and relevant as it is, it's also becoming stale.

I feel the time for doing the same kind of content, again and again and again, is passé. Now, you need to reinvent yourself every year. Say something new, say it in a different way, and you better make sure the writing, the jokes, and the commentary shine and sparkle. Old wine in a new bottle just doesn't serve the way it used to.

Let's me try and explain it. Can you imagine a Friends Instagram handle, that featured Reels of Joey saying "How you doin'?" every day to a different person? Or imagine a reel with Steve Carell doing his inappropriate sign-off "That's what she said" every day. Kill me now.

Comedy - especially the slapstick, outrageous, and irreverent kind - has to be so edgy that every day, every reel should make you stop in your tracks. Think Hacks (which is the flavour of the season) - every line in that show, especially spoken by Deborah Vance, played impeccably by Jean Smart, is a master class in writing (even when she is being politically incorrect).

The point is this: You did great. The series went viral. Suraksha is a star. The Croffle Guys are so cool. But now, it's time to rethink. It's time to reinvent. It's time to move with the times. Social media is a wheel that keeps on turning, and the only thing that will work is constant transformation. Or else you will just be a Reel someone scrolls past. Maybe it's time to hire a real writer?

See you next time.

Ranting and raving about all that's trending on social media, Aastha Atray Banan is an author, creator, podcaster, and the Editor of your favourite weekend read, Sunday mid-day. She posts at @aasthaatray on Instagram.
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