Comedians Rishi Budhrani, Sharul Channa celebrate 10th wedding anniversary with stand-up show
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Home-grown comedians and married couple Sharul Channa (left) and Rishi Budhrani will stage their biggest, and third, joint show in Singapore.
PHOTO: @ZOMGITSASHOK
SINGAPORE –Like with most husbands and wives, Singapore’s comedy power couple Sharul Channa and Rishi Budhrani argue a lot.
But for them, these little spats are welcome as they are a great source of jokes, they say.
Channa, 38, tells The Straits Times in a joint Zoom interview: “Sometimes, when we are arguing, such great gems come out of it that we have to stop and say, ‘Actually, that was damn funny. Can I write it down? Okay?’ That’s how we have spent the last 18 years together.”
To mark the 10th year of their marriage in 2025, the pair will stage The Rishi & Sharul Show 3 at Esplanade Concert Hall on March 21. They dated for eight years before tying the knot.
“We were like, ‘It’s been 10 years, let’s not let our COE expire, let’s renew our COE at the Esplanade,’” says Budhrani, 40, referring to Singapore’s certificate of entitlement for vehicle ownership.
This is their third joint stand-up show in Singapore – having previously performed together at Goodman Arts Centre in 2015 and Capitol Theatre in 2020 – and their biggest so far. The Esplanade Concert Hall, which has a capacity of around 1,600, is larger than the previous venues. About 70 per cent of tickets have been sold.
Compared with their previous shows together, their material has evolved from touching on petty issues in their early dating days to more mature topics like families and careers, says Channa.
The show, restricted to an audience 18 years and above, will be “therapeutic” for couples.
Budhrani adds: “Sometimes, Sharul is on stage saying everything that all the women want to say to their husbands, but cannot, for whatever reason. It’s like a cathartic moment for them. And we understand that, for us, we were just having some fun, we’re being the voice of married couples all over.
“All couples are going to argue, all couples are going to roast each other, all couples are going to have complaints about each other’s life, family and bad habits. And we thought, let’s be one of those couples who do all that but get paid.”
They will also touch on current topics, such as the nation’s SG60 celebrations. For example, the couple, who do not plan on having children, will pick on the goodies given to parents to entice them to have more kids.
Channa says: “I definitely have some jokes about the SG60 Baby Gift and how couples will have nine months left to score that bag.”
Given to babies born in 2025, the package to mark Singapore’s 60th birthday includes items such as a trolley bag, toys and a letter from Prime Minister Lawrence Wong.
Both comedians are also busy with their individual projects.
Channa has been touring India in recent years and has plans to stage more stand-up shows there.
Budhrani is working on an upcoming podcast series that will put a humorous spin on local politics. He will also host What’s The News?, a news quiz and competition organised by ST for students aged 15 and above from local secondary schools, junior colleges, polytechnics and the Institute of Technical Education. Taking place from April to May, it is part of the year-long ST180 series of events to mark the newspaper’s 180th year.
Having done shows together in India, Indonesia and South Africa, they are planning to do more overseas ones in Europe.
And since their local Rishi & Sharul Shows take place once every five years, they are already looking ahead to the fourth edition in 2030 that will mark their 15th year of marriage.
Channa says: “Hopefully, we’ll do another show in a way bigger venue, maybe Singapore Indoor Stadium.”
Book It/The Rishi & Sharul Show 3
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall, 1 Esplanade Drive ticketmaster.sg
When: March 21, 8.30pm
Admission: From $38 to $80 via Ticketmaster (go to
