Netizens were in for a nostalgic treat this week as comedian Anuradha (Anu) Menon revived her iconic alter ego Lola Kutty in an Instagram reel. Even Union Minister Smriti Irani could not help but cheer as Menon donned a flamboyant silk saree, decorated with gold jewellery and a garland of jasmine in her hair. She spoke in a thick Malayalam accent to humorously express dismay over the fact that she was not invited (until she was, later) to the Lollapalooza music festival that took place in Mumbai over the weekend.
Although the Lola Kutty persona never "officially" left, Anu Menon had been focusing on different career aspects, which is why she rarely played the character lately. However, the comeback has been welcomed with great excitement as netizens looked back on refreshed memories from the 2000s. Even Smriti Irani reposted Menon's video to her Instagram story with a jovial caption.
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Let's Jog Our Memory: Who Is Lola Kutty/Anu Menon?
Anu Menon grew up in Chennai with parents involved in the advertising industry. She had a keen interest in acting and was associated with the English drama group, The Madras Players, known for producing some of the best performers in India. She studied theatre at the London School of Drama before moving to Mumbai for theatre opportunities.
She acted as a governess in filmmaker-playwright Divya Palat's The Verdict, embracing an animated Malayalam accent. That was when she was spotted by VJ Gaurav Kapur from Channel V, who presented her with the career-changing opportunity to join the network in 2004 as Lola Kutty, a caricatured Keralite woman.
The Lola Kutty character was refreshing, as unlike most other female VJs of the time, she was heavily Indian (although slightly overdone for humour). While most other celebrated VJs were clad in cocktail dresses and silk-pressed hair, Lola Kutty seemed like the 'chechi (Malayalam for sister) next door' with her curly hair and iron-pressed silk sarees. The persona even made cameos in movies such as Quick Gun Murugan (2009) and Happy New Year (2014).
She was described as "the Channel V resident beauty on duty" and the character was adored for a long time until criticism started to flow in. Several Malayalam speakers found it offensive that Lola Kutty exaggerated the accent so much for humour. However, Menon clarified in her interviews that the joke was not on Malayalis, but on the fictional character Lola Kutty alone.
Anu Menon's persona was a great boost for Channel V, as even the Indian diaspora abroad tuned in just for her. Menon has even won several awards for comedy and acting, thanks to this role. Therefore, her revival of the Lola Kutty persona through Instagram reels has been greatly hailed.
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