Que Suraj Suraj at Rhino Room Review
By James Murphy
Tucked away in Rhino Room’s poky back room, Indian-Australian comedian Suraj Kohlakar displayed
his growth since finishing runner-up in Queensland’s RAW Comedy Final in 2019; his barber shaved
and styled hair is now a mop, his freshly shaved face is now a bushy beard, and his three or so
minutes of material has expanded into a full-length show, Que Suraj Suraj.
Suraj, a former engineer who, in addition to his budding comedy career also acts (most recently in
Paramount’s Shantaram), was last in Adelaide for OzAsia’s Comedy Gala, where he stole the show.
Que Suraj Suraj is proof that Suraj can sustain the mirth for the full 60 minutes, as he aims his sharp
observational wit at Australian and Indian culture, and at himself.
Suraj moved to Australia when he was 11, and in so doing, went from being a privileged member of
the Brahmin in the Hindu caste system to existing as a racial minority in Queensland. His outsider
perspective is simultaneously educational and entertaining, as he traverses themes such as racism,
religion and relationships.
While Suraj’s childhood upheaval was fertile ground for comedic insight, it also left a mark. Que
Suraj Suraj is also an exploration of living in the shadow of the expectations of a successful father, of
battles with depression and anxiety, and of body image struggles and late night Maccas runs.
Some of Suraj’s material is still gleaned from his RAW Comedy run, which, as an early career
comedian, is to be expected, and the show is a stitching together of gags rather than the unifying
narrative that later career comedians often produce; the gags are all gold, though, and the rest will
come with time.
Four stars
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