Johnny Lever’s daughter Jamie says she hasn’t been treated less for taking up comedy

Actor-comedienne Jamie Lever, who left the audience in splits with her act in the 2015 film Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon says that she was always sure that her true calling was being on the stage and doing what she loves the most—comedy.

“Initially, my parents didn’t encourage me to take up comedy. They would always tell me,‘Yeh sab toh chalta rahega’ and I should complete my studies. But when I joined a marketing job in London, I felt out of place, and realised that it’s only when I have a mike in my hand that I feel really happy with my life,” says Jamie.

On the recent accusations directed towards the stand-up comedy space of not being much receiving towards female comedians, Jamie says, “I haven’t been treated any less for being a comedienne. Maybe, it’s because of my father [Johnny Lever]. But a lot of women out there, who are good at this [stand-up comedy], don’t come up to pursue this, and I don’t know why. Personally, I have never felt ki support nahi mila. Also, it’s about time that people start considering stand-up acts as a full-time job.”

Currently hosting the popular talent show Sabse Bada Kalakaar with actor Jay Bhanushali, the 29-year old feels that getting into TV and films wasn’t difficult for her and she happily credits her father for that. “When I entered the industry, I didn’t have to struggle. People were like ‘Yeh Johnny Lever ki beti hai, matlab hamari bhi beti hai’. They look up to my dad as their father figure,” adds Jamie.