20 Best Upcoming Indian Stand Up Comedians
20 Best Upcoming Indian Stand Up Comedians: With the rising popularity of stand up comedy in India, fueled in no means a small measure by the Prime and Hotstar, almost everyone has had a taste of a few stand ups.
A few days ago, I also tried my hand at comedy.
Did you hear about the frog who gave up? Yeah, I heard he’s ‘hop’less! XD
After hearing my terrible attempt at humor, you’re probably face palming. Well, no worries, maybe I can’t make you laugh but these people mentioned below can definitely tickle your funny bone!
Hand-picked freshly from the ever increasing pool of people trying their hand at stand up comedy, these are no doubt the best of the best. I’ve arranged the list of 20 Best Upcoming Indian Stand up Comedians alphabetically so please don’t kill me if your favorite isn’t on top.
Enjoy laughing hard!
20 Best Upcoming Indian Stand Up Comedians
#1. Aakash Gupta
Aakash Gupta’s comedy talks about everything and nothing from his Nani Maa’s taunts to his dad ki Maruti and from Stupid Indian Advertisements to Train Journeys. Particularly famous at the comedy shows in Delhi and Gurgaon.
A hilarious man with a hilarious height who, at age 22, is still stopped at bars and places where he is supposed to perform. Don’t worry, Aakash, all short people understand your pain.
#2. Abhishek Upmanyu
Abhishek Upmanyu first started performing in 2013 and now he has his own show, Thoda Saaf Bol. He has surely grown a lot from his superb comedic lines to his outstanding haikus and his ‘say-it-like-it-is’ attitude.
With his amazing observational skills and sharp wit, he is sure to go even further from making you roll on the floor laughing to hurting your stomach from laughing too much!
#3. Abish Mathew
One of the most recognized faces of Indian comedy, Abish Mathew was one of the first Indian Youtube stars, who has over 94 million views on his channel. A comedic legend, if I may.
His show, Son of Abish, is widely popular, ranging from jokes about washrooms to pronunciation. A wide variety indeed.
#4. Aditi Mittal
One of the first women to do stand-up comedy in India, Mittal has been rated amongst India’s top 10 stand-up comedians by The Times of India. She is an absolute queen with a sharp and witty sense of comedy.
Politically aware, her Youtube series, Bad Girls, featured women activists and jokes at the expense of Indian patriarchy. Truly worth watching.
#5. Anubhav Singh Bassi
Bassi is a lawyer-turned-UPSC aspirant-turned-entrepreneur-turned-comic who has an interestingly natural way of storytelling with punch lines are delivered right on time.
He makes fun of himself and all of his life’s failures which he considers his achievements. A diamond in the rough.
#6. Atul Khatri
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LllNSnDtvQc
Atul Khatri is truly a stereotype breaker. Growing up in a family of businessmen, I never thought one could have a sense of humor. Atul Khatri proved me wrong.
Bringing his 50+-year-old perspective with every show, he performs regularly at comedy clubs and does private shows in India and abroad.
#7. Biswa Kalyan Rath
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-jNvgYoI1k
Biswa Kalyan Rath came into prominence through a YouTube comedy series, Pretentious Movie Reviews with fellow comedian Kanan Gill. Since then, he went onto YouTube and now has his own show, Biswa Must Admi.
A hilarious man who never fails to make people laugh, his solo videos are just as hilarious as his time on Pretentious Movie Reviews. Although for the time being Pretentious Movie Reviews are on hold, both Biswa and Kanan have promised YouTube viewers that they might be back with one quite soon.
#8. Jeevishu Ahulwalia
https://youtu.be/WoHOxqzrOaA
Jeeveshu is highly witty and has spontaneous one-liners & quirky jokes popping out of nowhere in the middle of a normal conversation. His peculiar style of comedy is most inspired by everyday observations.
His TV Debut was with Zee TV in the comedy show “Gangs of Haseepur” and ever since then, he has never stopped making people laugh. He talk about his weight and his experience trying to please his over optimistic mother who just wants to get him married. I’m sure all unmarried Indian men understand his plight.
#9. Kanan Gill
https://youtu.be/XJCrR9HcH9Y
Yes, this is the same Kanan Gill who is known for the YouTube series Pretentious Movie Reviews where he reviews flawed yesteryear Bollywood films along with fellow stand-up comedian, Biswa Kalyan Rath.
He also has his own show, Keep It Real, which show off his outstanding delivery of lines and the real reason he is so popular despite doing stand ups on the strangest of topics. XD
#10. Kaneez Surka
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IRvGbH-yw8&feature=youtu.be
Kaneez Surka is a little bit different from the rest of the people on the list. She is an improv comedian.
She started her career with the show, The Week That Wasn’t. She has performed on various stand up platforms and was even a judge for the Amazon Prime stand-up comedy reality show, Comicstaan. Hilarious, quick-witted, her improv comedy strives to be even better each time she performs.
#11. Karunesh Talwar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3mmk3ty5q5Q&feature=youtu.be
Comedian after dark, part-time day dreamer and full-time rebel Karunesh Talwar is best known for his unusual jokes that are so out there and true that you can’t help but appreciate this kind of frank honesty delivered with steaming puns.
He once mentioned, “…My belief is that I want to get laughs on the basis of the written word. When I am on stage, I like to stand at one place and talk. The idea is to make it look less like a performance, if possible. The audience should feel the host is talking to them.”
With such an amazing host, how can one not enjoy his shows?
#12. Kenny Sebastian
https://youtu.be/Cdsnc70Un14
Kenny Sebastian has quickly rose to prominence in recent years after his improv sketch show at the age of 21 and his one hour special and an original series on Amazon Prime, Die Trying.
With such amazing achievements at such a young age, there’s no doubt he’s one of the leading comedians in India. Fresh humor tinged with satire, he is truly worth watching out for!
#13. Kunal Kamra
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Su_ydENa2w&feature=youtu.be
Kunal Kamra is for those of you who enjoy extremely edgy humor. Maybe that’s why he resonates so much with our millennial generation. XD
He holds YouTube podcasts known as, Shut Up Ya Kunal. With such a hilarious name for his shows, how could be any less funny?
#14. Manik Mahna
https://youtu.be/w3_MBpBB89Q
Manik is an up and coming artist from Delhi who’s sense of humor can be summed up in three words “dry, almost offensive, hilarious.” Wait, that’s four…
His witty sense of style and his ‘devil-may-care’ attitude had led to him being a huge sensation.
#15. Neeti Palta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_o_GAZMnmuM&feature=youtu.be
Neeti talks about Indian idiosyncrasies, to daily irritants, current affairs, etc, while indulging in a spot of poking fun at men. She is hilarious in her own way and brings to the comedic scene something it sorely needs — a female perspective.
She is known as ‘that cheeky girl’ for a reason after all! XD
#16. Nishant Tanwar
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EBe-tf8P58k&feature=youtu.be
Nishant Tanwar began performing in Gurgaon in 2009. He started off his career working at NDTV, when he found his passion in stand up comedy at an open mic event.
An upcoming hilarious man who knows exactly when to pop one-lines and spontaneously poke fun at society, you should definitely not miss his shows!
#17. Rahul Subramanian
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PVrtI6YOe6Y&t=8s
Rahul is best known for making fun of himself. He is witty, understands that middle class comical journey to the rat race and often uses it to show the funny side of our life.
His style of delivery is also unexpected making him very popular. His one of the top guns in today’s comedic scene and I highly anticipate how far he’ll go.
#18. Sumukhi
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHOVIyffPlw&feature=youtu.be
Sumukhi Suresh is popular for writing and acting in comedy sketches, creating viral videos on YouTube, starring in a movie and creating a web series for Amazon Prime India.
Multitasking while being simultaneously hilarious is Sumukhi’s golden finger which she uses to her best advantage! Hilarious and on par with the rest of the comedic geniuses of India, she is one comic that I can guarantee will make you cry from laughter!
#19. Urooj Ashfaq
https://youtu.be/MKyquCqc4R4
Urooj Ashfaq, winner of FemaPalooza, has created quite a niche for herself in the comedy circle.
She is hilarious and honest, twisting jokes and one-liners as easily as she twists words. Her entry video for Queens of Comedy was somehow more hilarious than her other works and she is somehow even more hilarious as she moves further up. Can’t wait to see what this woman has in store for us.
#20. Zakir Khan
https://youtu.be/Ehgj5ZPCS04
And last but not the least, Zakir Khan, is one of the leading stars of India’s new generation of stand-up comedians and YouTubers. He first stole the limelight when he won Comedy Central’s contest of ‘India’s Best Stand-Up Comedian.’
Can you believe this comedic genius was once asked to get off stage in 90 seconds or else? Now people beg him to get on stage. Widely known and widely hilarious, Zakir Khan is a comic that cannot be dismissed as easily anymore.
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