Meet the ultimate and the latest laughter therapist- Ssumier Pasricha, a TV actor you might remember from ‘Sasural Simar Ka’. But it is not Simar’s adventurous ‘Sasural’ that won him fame and a huge fan following. Instead, it is Pammy Aunty- the quintessential gossip queen and an everyday Punjabi-Aunty-next-door that has made him a household name. A purple towel wrapped on his head, some rollers stuck onto it, neem pack applied on face, tacky pink goggles on and Ssumeir is transformed into the Pammy Aunty ready to take her Youtube and Instagram followers rolling on the floor with her tremendous comic skills.
How did the idea strike you? To get into this kind of comedy on social media platforms?
Frankly, it was completely an unplanned thing. One fine day, my nephew asked me to join Snapchat. It was then that I started writing few lines and began to get an enthusiastic response from the people. Then I began posting my videos on Instagram and Youtube and by the 16th video, Pammi Aunty had gone viral whether it was Canada, Australia or Manhattan. I was getting hits from all around the world and eventually by the 29th video, where I was talking about the Euro cup, Rishi Kapoor tweeted about me and it was then I caught the eye of media and my channel got coverage. I did not expect the character of Pammi aunty to gain so much fame and popularity in such a short span of time.
What is your vision behind creating the character of Pammi Aunty? Who is she based upon?
Pammi Aunty is basically the amalgamation of the Chachis, Nanis, Mamis; all the ladies I have come across in my life, specially the Punjabi ladies who love to create chaos out of nothing. Pammi Aunty is upfront and she thinks that she knows everything when she really does not. This is what makes her all the more fun and hilarious.
You are such a tremendously hilarious actor. What kind of motivation do you get for your work from your audience?
Apart from all the appreciation for my work, many people are now doing Pammi Aunty themed parties around the world. I get messages from Chicago, Thailand, Sydney where people dress up like Pammi Aunty and throw theme parties named after her. It is an overwhelming response that I am getting from people globally and I feel so happy and fortunate to get such appreciation and love.
You have also used your character to spread some wonderful causes, say for instance, to de-stigmatize homosexuality in India. Tell us more about it.
It gives me immense pleasure that people have begun to regard Pammi Aunty as a kind of icon as well as a medium for voicing various social issues. She has talked about Cancer, AIDS, Homosexuality, voting and other important issues. I am happy that she has in a way become capable of delivering some wonderful messages to the youth and nation on a whole. There are various organizations that want me to put forth their causes through the character of Pammi Aunty. Further, I am planning to discuss cruelty towards animals.
Any TV shows in pipeline?
Right now I am working in Comedy Nights Bachao on Colours.
What is your take on social media platforms coming up as a medium for displaying one’s creativity and talent?
Social Media has become a brilliant platform to showcase anyone who got some talent. If you have talent and content, you can simply go there and woo the crowd with your creativity. You do not need anyone’s validation for that anymore. That way, this has created a revolution in the realm of entertainment. You just need to believe in yourself, have patience and use these platforms in a productive, creative and constructive manner.