2405:204:1306:9A07:F0CE:5F65:3F4D:11E1 at 07:21, 22 June 2021

2021-06-22T07:21:33Z

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{{short description|Indian-South African stand up comedian}}
{{Infobox comedian
| name = Kaneez Surka
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =Portrait of Kaneez taken on her 39th birthday
| caption =Kaneez in 2020
| pseudonym =
| birth_name = Kaneez Surka
|
| native_name_lang =
| birth_date = 28 October 1969
| birth_place = [[Mthatha]], [[South Africa]]
| medium = [[English language|English]]
| citizenship = [[South African]]
| education =
| alma_mater = [[Rhodes University]]
| active = 2006 – present
| employer = [[Amazon Prime]]<br/>[[TLC (India)]]
| genre = [[Improvisational comedy]]
| subject
|

| parents =
| relatives =
| notable_work = [[The Week That Wasn't]]<br>The General Fun Game Show<br>[[All India Bakchod]]<br>[[Comicstaan]]
| memorials =
| signature =
| website = {{url|www.youtube.com/channel/UC6a7TnbzoeggcDscJBrR0kw}}
| footnotes =
| module =
}}

'''Kaneez Surka''' is an [[Indian people|Indian]]-[[South African people|South African]] [[Improvisational theatre|improv]] artist, actor, comedian and a [[YouTuber]] who works mainly in India. She started her career with the show ''[[The Week That Wasn't]]''.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/people-find-it-easily-digestible-when-guys-are-a-little-crude-comedian-kaneez-surka/story-BwrFZth9a6Dsc8RwXwRilK.html|title=People find it easily digestible when guys are a little crude: Comedian Kaneez Surka|date=2016-12-15|work=Hindustan Times|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/kaneez-surka-aib-amazon-prime-video-5172736/|title=Kaneez Surka on stand-up, multiculturalism and political humour|date=2018-05-13|work=The Indian Express|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/kaneez-surka-im-scared-to-do-stand-up-comedy/19633162|title=Kaneez Surka: I m scared to do stand-up comedy|date=2018-07-24|work=mid-day|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://t2online.com/lifestyle/from-metoo-to-bolly-humour-kaneez-surka-really-random-rapid-fire/cid/18784|title=From #MeToo to Bolly humour: Kaneez Surka takes our really random rapid fire|website=t2online.com|language=en|access-date=2018-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/watch-mallika-dua-kaneez-surka-reprise-roles-in-aibs-if-apps-were-people-2-4124807.html|title=Watch: Mallika Dua, Kaneez Surka reprise roles in AIB's If Apps Were People 2- Entertainment News, Firstpost|work=Firstpost|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en-US}}</ref> She has performed on various stand up platforms.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/comedienne-kaneez-surka-hosts-three-popular-guests-in-her-game-show/19446155|title=Comedienne Kaneez Surka hosts Sapan Verma, Sahil Shah and RJ Malishka in her game show|date=2018-05-22|work=mid-day|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}}</ref> She was a judge on both seasons of the [[Amazon Prime Video]] stand-up comedy reality show [[Comicstaan (TV series)|Comicstaan]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://businessofcinema.com/bollywood_news/comicstaans-latest-episode-focuses-on-kaneez-surkas-improv-round/424196|title=Comicstaan's Latest Episode Focuses On Kaneez Surka's Improv Round!|date=2018-07-24|work=Businessofcinema.com|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.glamsham.com/en/comicstaans-latest-episode-focuses-on-kaneez-surkas-improve-round|title=Comicstaan's latest episode focuses on Kaneez Surka's improve round!|website=Glamsham|access-date=2018-08-15}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.thequint.com/entertainment/hot-on-web/amazon-prime-video-comicstaan-review-the-future-is-pretty-funny|title='Comicstaan' Review: The Future Looks Pretty Funny|work=The Quint|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}}</ref> She also hosts an online comedy game show, ''The General Fun Game Show'' on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/youtube-series-comedians-books-reading-the-botcast-books-on-toast/18071158|title=Comedians talk about books they read in new YouTube series|date=2017-03-14|work=mid-day|access-date=2018-08-15|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/things-to-do/things-to-do-in-mumbai-today/articleshow/65409027.cms|title=Things to do in Mumbai today|work=Mumbai Mirror|access-date=2018-08-15}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Kaneez Surka was born and raised in the [[Mthatha]], [[South Africa]]. She studied in [[Diocesan School for Girls, Grahamstown|DSG]], Graham School and attended [[Rhodes University]], where she obtained a Bachelor of Arts in law and psychology.<ref name="Kale 2018">{{Cite web|url=http://astray.in/interviews/kaneez-surka|title=Kaneez Surka|last=Kale|first=Arun|date=26 August 2014|website=Astray|access-date= 12 November 2018}}</ref>

==Career==
Surka was part of the Mumbai improv scene since 2009.<ref name="Kale 2018" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.ndtv.com/video/comedy/the-rising-stars-of-comedy/laughter-therapy-with-the-rising-stars-of-comedy-367904|title=Laughter Therapy With The Rising Stars of Comedy|date=May 18, 2015|website=NDTV}}</ref> Her initial work in Mumbai was with Divya Palat's Imps troupe.<ref name="Kale 2018" /> Surka was co-director of a Mumbai-based story-telling club "Tall Tales"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mid-day.com/articles/tell-stories-at-tall-tales-mumbais-newest-storytelling-club/214135|title=Tell stories at Tall Tales, Mumbai's newest storytelling club|last=Gianani|first=Kareena|date=May 19, 2013|website=Mid Day}}</ref> in 2013.

She achieved mainstream popularity on the satirical news show [[The Week That Wasn't]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/others/sunday-read/small-talk-the-improv-lady/articleshow/58556388.cms|title=Small talk: The improv lady|work=Mumbai Mirror|access-date=15 August 2018}}</ref> on [[CNN-News18]] (formerly CNN-IBN). She also worked with Weirdass Comedy, a [[Vir Das]] venture and then began collaborating with<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/life-style/nothing-half-baked-about-it/111262.html|title=Nothing half-baked about it|last=Singh|first=Jasmine|date=Jul 26, 2015|work=The Tribune}}</ref> and making appearances in several [[All India Bakchod]] videos including roles such as Clitika from 'A woman's besties', 'Honest wedding', 'Honest Bars' and the Instagram character from 'If Apps were people'. She was also a judge for shows such as [[Comicstaan]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/entertainment/comicstaan-tanmay-bhat-kanan-gill-kaneez-surka-on-amazons-upcoming-show-and-all-things-comedy-4646661.html|title=Comictaan|work=firstpost|access-date=2018-02-02}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite news|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7336778/|title=Comicstaan|work=IMDB|access-date=2018-08-18}}</ref> and 'Improv All Stars' for [[Amazon Prime]] and [[Queens of Comedy]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://mumbaimirror.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tv/richa-chadha-rohan-joshi-and-kaneez-surka-roped-in-to-judge-queens-of-comedy/articleshow/59673869.cms|title=Queens Of Comedy|work=Mumbai Mirror|access-date=2018-07-20}}</ref> for [[TLC (India)|TLC]]. Surka is part of an improv group called "The Improvisers"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/web-series/kaneez-surka-aib-amazon-prime-video-5172736/|title=Kaneez Surka on stand-up, multiculturalism and political humour|last=Singh|first=Anvita|date=May 13, 2018|website=The Indian Express|access-date=9 September 2018}}</ref> along with [[Abish Mathew]], [[Kanan Gill]], and [[Kenny Sebastian|Kenny Sebastian,]] and has an Improv special titled 'Something From Nothing' on [[Amazon Prime Video]]. She also teaches the art of improv comedy, proving her comedic skills by being a judge in [[Amazon Prime|Amazon Prime's]] stand-up comedy reality show [[Comicstaan]].<ref name="Kale 2018" />

== Filmography ==

=== Web<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm8595003/|title=Kaneez Surka|website=IMDb|access-date=2018-10-17}}</ref> ===
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Platform
!Name
!Notes
|-
|2005
|Film
|[[Dosti: Friends Forever]]
|Debut Film
|-
|2014
|TV Series
|The Living Room
|
|-
|2016
|TV Mini-Series
|How Insensitive! By Kanan Gill
|Plays various side-characters
|-
|2015-2016
|YouTube
|AIB Honest Series
|AIB: Honest Bars & Restaurants Part 1, 2, 3
AIB: Honest Indian Weddings Part 1, 2
|-
|2016
|TV Series
|Better Life Foundation
|Plays Vashma Chandi (1 episode)
|-
|2017
|YouTube Series
|Son of Abish
|Season 3 with [[Swara Bhaskar]] (Episode 7)<ref>{{Citation|last=Abish Mathew|title=Son Of Abish feat. Kaneez Surka & Swara Bhaskar|date=2017-11-24|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quAWroEKQUI|access-date=2018-10-17}}</ref>
|-
| rowspan="2" |2018
| rowspan="2" |[[Amazon Prime]]
|The Improvisers: Something from Nothing
|Herself
|-
|[[Comicstaan]] Season 1
|Herself - Judge
|-
|2019
|[[Amazon Prime]]
|[[Comicstaan]] Season 2
|Herself - Judge
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Surka, Kaneez}}
[[Category:Indian stand-up comedians]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian women comedians]]
[[Category:Indian YouTubers]]
[[Category:South African people of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Rhodes University alumni]]
[[Category:1983 births]]
[[Category:South African comedians]]
[[Category:Women humorists]]

Kaneez Surka - Revision history

2405:204:1306:9A07:F0CE:5F65:3F4D:11E1 at 07:21, 22 June 2021