By Karen Littleton
Like so many BCMS physician-members, Sudha Kumar, MD was not content just to practice medicine. She needed a creative outlet, and in 2001 she started offering her services as an on-air psychiatrist to local media outlets.
In her radio debut, she co-hosted a call-in show with noted local radio personality Ron Aaron, where she served as San Antonio’s real-life version of psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane.
Perhaps it was her warm, authoritative and friendly voice, or maybe it was her sound psychiatric advice, or even her photogenic good looks, but for whatever reason, Dr. Kumar soon became a regular guest on WOAI TV’s “The Living Show.”
“As their resident shrink, I had the opportunity to talk about topics involving mental illness, mental health and wellness,” Dr. Kumar said. “The response was good and I was enjoying the work, so I did what comes next—I hired an agent.”
Her Houston-based agent immediately saw Dr. Kumar’s potential as a voice talent, and moved her avocation toward commercials and other media applications.
Her agent had made a great decision. Almost immediately, Dr. Kumar’s versatile voice talent became sought after by national companies like Taco Bell, Ball Park Franks, KFC, Six Flags and Bustfree- a national strapless bra ad campaign. She even did voiceover for an ad launch of hip-hop singer Ashanti’s latest CD.
In addition to television and radio commercial voiceovers, Dr. Kumar is in demand as a corporate voice talent. She has done work for Dell computers, an educational software company and more.
“As my opportunities increased, I realized that acting lessons would help me emote, so I signed up with acting coach Marco Perella from Austin,” she said.
Perella has worked with Sandra Bullock and other Hollywood luminaries.
“Acting classes have helped me get into character for voices I’m doing. People don’t realize it, but to portray a happy voice one has to over-emote to sound right. I have learned to really exaggerate the highs and lows,” Dr. Kumar said.
Many American consumers have complained about call centers such as those used by Dell or Bank of America that employ outsourced technical support and other telephone agents from India.
Dr. Kumar to the rescue.
As part of her vocal talent, Madras*-born Kumar adapts an Indian accent in order to teach Indian call center employees how not to speak with an Indian accent when they service American customers.
“First they have to hear things the way they would say them before they can learn how to say them differently,” Dr. Kumar said.
Whatever the vocal assignment, Dr. Kumar is ready for the challenge. Though psychiatry is her first love, her avocation/hobby has made her a lot of new friends and a nice chunk of change in the process.
To discover more about Dr. Kumar’s voice talent, please check out her site at sudhakumar.voice123.com.
*Now called Chennai
back to top
