Singaporean stand-up comic Deepak Chandran finds success on Netflix
SINGAPORE – Deepak Chandran never dreamed he would become a stand-up comedian, let alone have his comedy show Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny streamed on Netflix Singapore.
The 65-minute stand-up show, released on April 18, earned the 10th spot on Netflix's Top 10 Shows In Singapore list a week after its premiere .
Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny was recorded from the 40-year-old comedian's sell-out show at KC Arts Centre in River Valley on June 28 and 29, 2024 . The show celebrated everyday life in Singapore, from the quirks of taxi uncles to the pride Singaporeans take in Changi Airport, offering a heartfelt and humorous take on local culture.
'I feel very grateful to have my show picked up by Netflix,' Chandran tells The Straits Times. 'How many people will have the opportunity I had?'
He is the second Singaporean comedian with a show on Netflix. Home-grown comedian Fakkah Fuzz, whose real name is Muhammad Fadzri Abdul Rashid, had his stand-up comedy special Almost Banned listed on Netflix in 2018.
Fuzz's second comedy special, Too Real, was released on the streaming platform in 2023.
Getting Technically Funny on Netflix was a shot in the dark. A producer acquaintance helped pitch Chandran's show to Netflix Singapore. 'I was surprised they picked it up immediately,' he says.
He credits his growing presence on social media, which helped create awareness of his comedy. Chandran regularly posts clips of his comedy routines for his more than 300,000 followers on TikTok and Instagram combined.
He will be taking the stage at Drama Centre Theatre on June 26 with Time Traveller. The 75-minute show will feature him sharing his experiences of living and travelling in different countries.
From lonely guy to funnyman
For India-born Chandran, who has always been the 'tech guy', becoming a stand-up comic was never part of his career plan.
Armed with a master's in computer science from India's Sikkim Manipal University, he worked as a software consultant, and travelled for work to countries such as Sweden, Australia and Germany.
He arrived in Singapore in 2013 to work as a consultant at an American technology company. Being new to the country , he initially spent his days at a Starbucks cafe in Clarke Quay, watching movies and feeling directionless.
'I used to sit there watching movies on my phone. I was lonely, and I didn't know what to do with life,' he says.
During that period, he discovered comedy clubs, such as The Lemon Stand Comedy Club, East Coast Comedy and Comedy Masala, initially attending as a spectator.
Loneliness drove him to reach for the microphone, but his first attempts at comedy in 2016 were brutal. 'I did one open-mic session at Talk Cock Comedy at Blujaz . I failed horribly at it. I went home and cried,' he admits. None of his jokes landed and the audience was unresponsive.
He gradually found his comedic voice a year later at an open-mic session at Comedy Masala, when he finally received genuine laughter. He thought: 'This is not too bad.'
Being a stand-up comedian is hard work and one needs a lot of perseverance to come up with new jokes, he says, adding that he could not have done it without the support of his Singaporean wife of eight years. They have no children.
'Imagine sacrificing every Friday and Saturday all these years,' says Chandran. He has been a regular headliner since 2022 at The Lemon Stand in Queen Street, the largest full-time comedy club in Asia. He performs twice a week each month.
He says his 35-year-old wife, who is in financial compliance, is shy and does not like being in the spotlight, and attends his shows discreetly. But she is a sounding board for his routines and offers feedback.
Good, clean fun
'I used to do political jokes, but I quickly realised it's not my style,' he says, adding that racial jokes and swearing are off-limits for him. Technically Funny received a PG13 rating on Netflix.
Chandran, who became a Singapore citizen in 2022, describes his comedy style as good, clean fun with self-deprecating, relatable jokes that draw from his middle-class everyday experiences like work, relationships, travel and personal observations.
He cites American comedians Louis C.K., Chris Rock and Jerry Seinfeld as inspirations, adding that Seinfeld's philosophy of being 'funny without having to say anything' influences his comedic approach.
Over the years, the techie by day and comic by night has headlined at several comedy clubs in Asia, such as the TakeOut Comedy Club in Hong Kong. He was also a runner-up at the Bangkok Comedy Festival and a finalist at the Hong Kong Comedy Competition, both in 2017.
He does not get paid at open-mic sessions at comedy clubs, calling them 'testing grounds for jokes'. Money from comedy comes from sales of ticketed shows such as Some Technical Jokes at The Projector in 2023, or when he is invited to perform at overseas comedy festivals.
Making his mark in the comedy world has not been easy. Creating a good joke is a trial-and-error process, and not every idea becomes a successful comedy bit. It can take about six months to develop a good five -minute set, and developing a 30-minute headline set is equivalent to 'climbing Mount Everest'.
'Making people laugh is so difficult,' says Chandran, adding that comedy is a brutal industry.
Having his show on Netflix was great validation. His next goal is a solo show at the Esplanade Concert Hall in 2026.
He says: 'I'm very happy and grateful to be where I am now. You can't get to this place without having gone through many mistakes and troubles.'
Book It/Deepak Chandran: Time Traveller
Where: Drama Centre Theatre, 03-01 National Library, 100 Victoria Street
When: June 26, 8pm
Admission: $50
Info: str.sg/boQa
Deepak Chandran: Technically Funny is showing on Netflix.
Joanne Soh is a lifestyle correspondent at The Straits Times, with a special interest in entertainment and pop culture.
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
7 hours ago
- Straits Times
The Straits Times Weekly Bestsellers June 21
Fiction: Singaporean writer Jemimah Wei's debut novel is titled The Original Daughter. PHOTO: WEIDENFELD & NICOLSON 1. (1) The Passengers On The Hankyu Line by Hiro Arikawa; translated by Allison Markin Powell 2. (-) Strange Houses by Uketsu 3. (2) The Original Daughter by Jemimah Wei 4. (-) Strange Pictures by Uketsu 5. (-) The Wizard's Bakery by Gu Byeong-mo ; translated by Jamie Chang 6. (-) Fearless by Lauren Roberts 7. (-) The Vegetarian by Han Kang; translated by Deborah Smith 8. (-) My Friends by Fredrik Backman 9. (5) The Convenience Store By The Sea by Sonoko Machida; translated by Bruno Navasky 10. (-) Lost Souls Meet Under A Full Moon by Mizuki Tsujimura; translated by Yuki Tejima Non-fiction: Elevate Your Assets Elevate Your Wealth by Kelvin Fong. PHOTO: BOOK BAR 1. (1) Elevate Your Assets, Elevate Your Wealth by Kelvin Fong 2. (2) Why Palestine? Reflections From Singapore by Walid Jumblatt Abdullah 3. (-) A Different Kind Of Power by Jacinda Ardern 4. (4) How Countries Go Broke: The Big Cycle by Ray Dalio 5. (-) Empire Of AI by Karen Hao 6. (-) The Psychology Of Money by Morgan Housel 7. (8) The Not To-Do List by Rolf Dobelli 8. (9) The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins 9. (5) Apple In China by Patrick McGee 10. (6) Atomic Habits by James Clear Children's: The Incredible Basket by Quek Hong Shin. PHOTO: EPIGRAM BOOKSHOP 1. (1) National Geographic Kids Almanac 2026 by National Geographic Kids 2. (-) How To Train Your Dragon by Cressida Cowell 3. (3) The World's Worst Superheroes by David Walliams 4. (-) Ten Minutes To Bed: Little Unicorn by Rhiannon Fielding 5. (-) The Incredible Basket by Quek Hong Shin 6. (8) Eye Spy Singapore by Pippa Chorley 7. (-) Bo Bo And Cha Cha's Big Day Out (Book 2) by Jason Erik Lundberg; illustrated by Patrick Yee 8. (-) Every School A Good School by Ng Ziqin 9. (-) Dragons In Chinatown (Chinese New Year In Singapore) by Valerie Pereira; illustrated by Kwee Eng Liau 10. (-) Sly The Fly by R.S. Robbie; illustrated by Debbie Yuen and Jessley Sim This is The Straits Times' compilation of bestseller lists from Kinokuniya, Epigram, Wardah Books, Book Bar, and Afterimage bookstores. Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
New Paper
10 hours ago
- New Paper
Listen, watch, win: So Drama! Entertainment's new Kakee app turns entertainment into prizes
Launched on June 6, Kakee, a rebrand of the CAMOKAKIS app, is So Drama! Entertainment's latest effort to modernise how Singaporeans engage with local media. Its name is a play on "kaki", local slang for close friends, and aims to be your all-in-one rewards and entertainment buddy. What sets Kakee apart is its rewards system. Users earn "Koins" for simply listening, watching or playing on the app. These Koins can be redeemed for prizes, entry into contests, or used to unlock exclusive events. The more time you spend on the app, the more you stand to win. Kakee brings together four features: live music streams, local video content, mobile games and a rewards hub. Radio listeners can now stream 24/7 music from POWER 98 and 88.3JIA, including new curated channels like POWER 98 Y2K and 88.3JIA K-Pop. From nostalgic classics to the latest trending hits, the app offers a genre for everyone. Beyond music, users can explore Kakee Originals - bite-sized, made-in-Singapore videos featuring lifestyle tips, local personalities, mental wellness advice, and candid street interviews. Highlights include The Situation Report, Mindful Minutes, and the SAF-themed Fall In. Casual gamers can look forward to light but challenging mobile games like Melody Match, while "lobangs", local slang for great deals, can be found in the app's rewards section. To promote the launch, So Drama! Entertainment will be hosting a public event at Plaza Singapura from June 26 to 29. Visitors can expect DJ appearances, live performances and a hands-on introduction to the app. A custom-built Kakee Konvoy truck will serve as a mobile stage, bringing live entertainment straight to the crowd. Kakee is available for free download on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. The company has also announced that traditional FM broadcasts of POWER 98 and 88.3JIA will end in October, as it shifts to a fully digital, mobile-first model. So Drama! Entertainment, which also runs the Music & Drama Company and PIONEER magazine, said the app represents a bold step into a new era of digital engagement, one where local content is fun, rewarding, and always within reach.
Straits Times
a day ago
- Straits Times
Ticket balloting opens for NTUC's NDP celebrations at Marina Bay; nearly 20,000 attendees expected
Ms Natasha Choy (centre, left), co-chairwoman of the NTUC NDP Bay Celebrations organising committee, with rapper Shigga Shay (centre, right) and youth volunteers. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO SINGAPORE – Close to 20,000 people will celebrate Singapore's 60th birthday at The Promontory @ Marina Bay in 2025, an increase from about 15,000 in 2024. This is because the NTUC National Day Parade (NDP) Bay Celebrations will take place on three days – July 26, Aug 2, and Aug 9 – up from two in 2024. The celebrations will take place alongside the NDP preview shows and the actual NDP at the Padang. The bay celebrations are part of an 'expanded canvas' to mark Singapore's 60th year of independence. Ticket balloting for the event – co-organised by the National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) and the National Day Parade executive committee (NDP Exco) – opened at 5pm on June 20 and will close at 5pm on July 4. Singaporeans and Permanent Residents can apply for tickets at Each person can ballot for only two tickets. All attendees will receive an NDP pack. On all three days of celebrations, doors will open at 4pm for attendees, and performances by local artistes like Estelle Fly, Regina Song, Shabir Sulthan and Shazza will begin at 4.15pm. This will be followed by a live broadcast of the NDP preview shows or the actual NDP. During the broadcast, the NTUC symbolic moment will take place, with youth dancers and youth motivators forming a flash mob set with a remix of National Day songs. The night will end with performances by local rapper Shigga Shay and DJ Caden. Ms Natasha Choy, who is the co-chairwoman of the organising committee, said: 'This year, the NTUC NDP Bay celebrations are back, bigger and bolder, as we celebrate Singapore's 60th birthday. 'The theme for our celebrations is 'Majulah SG Youth', and we want to shine the spotlight on ( our young people's) passion and purpose.' In 2025, 24 youth leaders are part of the youth organising committee for the bay celebrations, which will involve more than 1,000 youth volunteers. Shigga, who will headline the show, told the media on June 20 that he will perform a 30-minute set featuring songs that reflect Singapore culture. One of them is his newest track, Peng, which features Singlish lyrics and words used by Singaporeans in their daily lives. 'It's a song that I created for Singapore. It represents everyday sounds and everyday words that we hear, like when you go to a drink stall and order drinks (like) kopi peng and Milo peng,' said the 32-year-old singer, referring to iced coffee and iced Milo. He also performed at the NDP in 2022 and 2023. At the bay, attendees can also enjoy a series of interactive installations created by more than 11,000 participants of NTUC roadshows at 14 institutes of higher learning from April to July. Among the works is Dream Exchange, a phone booth-style installation that plays more than 6,000 greetings recorded by students during the roadshows. Dream Exchange, a phone booth-style installation that plays more than 6,000 greetings recorded by students during the roadshows. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO Another installation is a collage of doodles by students, depicting how they view and relate to Singapore. A third installation, titled The Future We Create, is an AI-powered visual showcase generated from words penned by students on their vision of Singapore's future. There will also be an NTUC booth which provides resources for youth to pursue their aspirations. One of these is a career personality quiz, Rise And Grind, which helps youth explore job options that match their personalities. Mr Timothy Lim Zhi Heng, a third-year student at Singapore Polytechnic, is one of the student volunteers who helped create the personality quiz. Mr Timothy Lim Zhi Heng, one of the student volunteers who helped create the career personality quiz Rise And Grind for an NTUC booth. ST PHOTO: GAVIN FOO The 19-year-old, who is part of the marketing and communications team for the bay celebrations, told The Straits Times that his team helped to proofread the text for the quiz. He also helped to man the Dream Exchange installation at some of the roadshows. 'It was very fulfilling to see our hard work for the past five months come together, seeing the different installations pieced together and being brought to life,' he said. Successful ticket applicants will receive an e-mail from the organisers by July 8. The collection of tickets can be done from July 12 to July 13 and from July 18 to July 20 at the Great World, at the atrium on level one. Those collecting tickets on behalf of successful applicants will need to present the notification e-mail, the applicants' NRIC and their own NRIC. Join ST's WhatsApp Channel and get the latest news and must-reads.
