MEET SHREYA & SACHIN

THE WORLD’S OUR STAGE AND WE IMPROV AS WE GO

Shreya and Sachin Parashar is a Toronto-based South Asian duo blending clown, improv and classical dance into bold, body-driven performances.

Name: Sachin Sharma. My uncle gave me this name. He was a fan of Sachin Dev Burman – the famous Bollywood music director. With my South Asian origin and a name like that, one might assume that I am under pressure of being musically skilled, but I broke that promise a long time ago. When I was five years old, another Sachin (Tendulkar, the God of cricket) made his debut and opened up new possibilities for someone with that name. Alas! I was no good at cricket either.

Currently: As a duo Two2Mango with Shreya Parashar, I am touring with Colonial Circus. We were at Newfoundland Labrador SketchFest in May, Montreal Fringe in June, and will be at Edmonton International Fringe in August and our Showcase in September in our home town Toronto at Aki Studio. Parallelly, we are developing two new shows, Hansal & Geetal and Holika. I am also focusing on building Hin-prov and preparing a sketch show. I very frequently improvise with my team Duck Confetti.

Favourite colour: I like blue. This might be because it was the colour of ink in pens I first used. Also, my school uniform was blue. Also the Indian cricket team had blue!

Favourite outfit/designer: I am not into fashion. I don’t know any designers other than Sabyasachi, Anita Dongre and some others. I think knowing who you are wearing is a very posh thing. I grew up in a middle-class Indian household where we thought of clothes as a basic necessity. So, I like to wear whatever is simple to carry and maintain.

Favourite Bollywood star: I used to like Akshay Kumar at one point, and then there was a Govinda phase. I was awestruck by Hritik Roshan when he was launched. These days I am a fan of Vijay Varma. I guess I like physical acting a lot.

Favourite Hollywood star: Jim Carrey.

Favourite movie: Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron. The movie feels like as if it was made by chance. Almost like a long form improv scene.

Favourite singers: I love these voices because they are unique – Mohit Chauhan, Vishal and Rekha Bharadwaj, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Javed Bashir, Noorani Sisters and Fareed Ayaz and Abu Mohammad.

Favourite song: I really love most songs composed by AR Rahman. My favourites are Phir se ud chala and Kun faya kun. I also like songs by Vishal Bharadwaj. O sathi re, Naina thag lenge, Jhelum are great songs.

Favourite TV show: I haven’t had a TV since the year 2001. But before that I used to regularly watch Sorry Meri Lorry. It was a sketch show by Indian comedians.

Favourite ice cream flavour: I like all ice creams. Wait, except the one that I have in my fridge right now – I regret buying Lemon Sorbet. 

Favourite cuisine: I love North Indian food.

Favourite restaurants: There are so many. Pancham Puriwala, Madras Café, Soam, Prakash and Guru Krupa in Mumbai; Aman Chicken in Ludhiana; Minerva Tiffins, Pho Metro and Flaming Noodles in Toronto.

Favourite sport: I really like the gift of colonization to India – cricket.

Favourite sportsperson: Rahul Dravid. The guy knows how to stay calm when the world around you is on fire.

Favourite book/author: My favourite book right now is Maus by Art Spiegelman. I also like Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut

Favourite activity: I like to travel to a new country, to the corners of the world, and watch the telly in the hotel room, pretending that someone has suggested that I stay underground for the rest of my visit.

I hang out: I usually don’t go to parties but mostly hang out with my comedy friends. I love the comedy community in Toronto – clowns, improvisers, sketch folks.

I’m freaked out by: Ghosts. I’d like to believe there is someone who wants to spook me and keep me on my toes specially when walking through the woods of Scarborough.

I need: I need to touch my toes without bending my knees. No, seriously, as a physical comedian, I need more flexibility and need to stay healthy and fit.

I want to be: Active and working in comedy and drama. I am loving the space that I am in. I want to create more writing and visual projects.

My role models: I like Jim Carey for how he plays his body like an instrument. I really like Sigur Ros, the band. I was there at their concert in Ireland with some friends. I like how they did not use any pretext to their performance. No “Hello Dublin!” BS. They don’t talk to the audience, they just play music and mesmerise them. I would like to create magic like that – no context, just pure transcendental art.

Tips to save the planet: I think we have already done irreparable damage to this planet. I believe, we should stop pretending to be the one who can save the earth. Let’s go back! Retreat! Whatever that might mean. Stop meddling with the processes of nature. We have done bad things. Agriculture was a major stab!

In a perfect world: I wake up with a landline phone’s ring in 1998, and realize that I was in a matrix all along, and I am NOT the one.

 LET’S FACE IT, WE ALL NEED MORE LAUGHS AND LESS MUSCLE STRAIN

Shreya and Sachin Parashar currently touring with Colonial Circus, “history, clown-style”.

Name: Shreya Parashar. The root of the name is shrey which means worthy or deserving of honour. Pretty loaded, eh!

Currently: As Hinprov troupe, a South Asian improv ensemble, we are also soon going to Ottawa Improv Festival and working on an exciting project.

Favourite colour: Wow, it’s been a while I thought about it. Burgundy/wine – it’s the perfect shade for when you don’t want to drink, but still want to look like you’re ready for a good time!

Favourite outfit/designer: I go by comfort first, so if ‘lazy attire’ had a designer, it’d definitely be my go-to! Who needs fancy when you’ve got cozy?

Favourite Bollywood star: When it comes to Bollywood stars, my heart leans more indie than mainstream. I love Radhika Apte, her work is quirky, unapologetic, and totally one-of-a-kind!

Favourite Hollywood stars: Melissa McCarthy and Aubrey Plaza. Melissa’s timing and wit make even the most outrageous moments hilarious, and Aubrey Plaza kills me with her dry, deadpan deliveries, so offbeat, effortlessly funny.

Favourite movie: There are so many to pick from! Honestly, any Ghibli film. My Neighbor Totoro is the ultimate feel-good magic. The Color of Paradise, The White Balloon (Iranian movies have my heart), What’s Eating Gilbert Grape...

Favourite singers: Radiohead as a band, it’s both hauntingly beautiful and thought-provoking, perfect for when you want to get lost. Special mention: Sigur Rós.

Favourite song: Street Spirit (fade out) by Radiohead, Mad about you by Hooverphonic.

Favourite TV show: Hmm, I grew up in a boarding school (no TV) and I still don’t have one. So, I try to catch as much as I can when I can. Fleabag yes, but also Bob’s Burgers. Geeeene!!

Favourite ice cream flavour: A mix of citrus zing and berries – sweet, tangy, and just the right kick. I don’t have a sweet tooth, but my wisdom tooth screams for ice cream.

Favourite cuisine: Ramen – magic in a bowl, and there’s always some left to take home for round two!

Favourite restaurant: I never stick to just one. I’m all about trying new spots. Cafés over restaurants any day.

Favourite sport: Tennis. I’m still learning, well, watching mostly. But hey, to have a favourite, you don’t need to know how to play, right?

Favourite sportsperson: Like all time? Roger Federer. GOAT!

Favourite book/author: Honestly, anything by Alison Bechdel is so sharp, layered and honest. Funhome: A Family Tragicomic, Are You My Mother. The Encyclopedia of Early Earth by Isabel Greenberg – mythical, whimsical, and quietly profound, like a bedtime story for grown-up dreamers.

Favourite activity: A mix of biking, humming and walking, and watching clouds – daydreaming simple things that make me feel light and happy.

I hang out: I also love biking with friends, but I’m just as content in the quiet company of books. Ok I admit, I am a closeted hermit with occasional social bursts.

I’m freaked out by: Crowds and socializing among strangers; small talk is my personal horror movie.

I need: Good music, coffee, and a conversation that quickly spirals into jokes, banter, and wild new show ideas. My brain is basically a hamster on a wheel – never stopping!

I want to be: Able to cartwheel and do a headstand, preferably without tearing any muscles... or my pants. Oh, and I also want to create more comedy shows that bring me joy and give the audience a good laugh because, let’s face it, we all need more laughs and less muscle strain.

My role models: Wheewww, it shifts a lot, but right now, it’s Phoebe Waller-Bridge. Her writing and performance in Fleabag are next level, her dry humor is absolutely my kind of vibe. I just lap it up!

Tips to save the planet: Well, I literally do this, everything can be repurposed. Cut down on those garbage bin days. We don’t need all the stuff we think we do... unless it’s socks. Everyone needs more socks.

In a perfect world: Humans wouldn’t sit on top of the animal kingdom like we’re the CEO of Earth. We’d just get off our high horse, be decent, and treat other creatures with respect. It should be the bare minimum, not something we hand out medals for!

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