Daughter of iconic actor and comedian Johnny Lever, Jamie Janumal is just as gifted as her father, if not more. Yet to enter mainstream cinema, the 29-year old is already a well-known name in stage comedy and features on TV show 'Comedy Dangal'. Blessed with comedy genes, performing on stage comes to Jamie with ease, and visible confidence.
In talks with Asian Voice, Jamie dwells into her career, her father, and her connection with the UK. She does not consider herself a “female” comedian, she says. Just a comedian. Not one to dig into genders and its differences, she believes it is sheer talent and hard work that brings a person to the forefront. When asked about her acceptability in the industry considering her father's repute, Jamie says there is pressure and “really really high expectations. Because of his (Johnny) fan-base, people were really excited to see me, excited to see what I will be doing. But at the same time, there is a lot of pressure as their expectation is really, really high. So, I have been working very hard and people seem to like me. I am known for what I do, and not the fact that I am Johnny Lever's daughter. I am creating my own identity and my own face in the industry.”
Jamie is set to tour the UK, with shows in Leicester and London, where she will share the stage with Shyam Pathak, Dilip Joshi, and uncle Jimmy Moses. She credits Moses for teaching her everything. “Everything I know and I do is all because of my uncle Jimmy Moses. He has taught me a lot. He is my teacher. I am very happy that both, my uncle and I will be coming to London and Leicester with our shows together. We are also doing 'Comedy Dangal' together, taking our family name in comedy further ahead.”
She also mentioned her upcoming shows, calling her bond with London and the UK “special”. “I lived there for three years. I studied there and even began my first job in marketing. It was during the job that I realised I don't want to do this, I want to do comedy. It was an important time in my life. I took up comedy on the side and did a few dramas, performed on stage. I used to do theatre shows. I began writing comedy- which was when I realised I have something in me. I like to perform. I felt I like to hold a mike, I like to get on stage. My first live show was in London.”
