The advent of social media and online pop culture has brought about a radical change in the Indian comedy circles as well. The past decade saw the rise of stand up comedians from India with several comedy laugh clubs opening across the country and stand up acts going viral on social media. From YouTube trends to twitter, Indian stand up comedians have been dominating the online conversations, pop culture and content for quite some time now.
Also show: 30 Stand Up Comedy Meme Templates Which Will Make You Go ROFL
We bring you a list of the most prominent and popular stand up comedians from India you can follow on YouTube and social media for a hearty dose of laughter
A qualified lawyer, Anubhav Singh Bassi was once a UPSC aspirant and also tried his luck in the food business before ending up as a stand-up comedian. His acts ‘Hostel‘, ‘Waxing‘ and ‘Cheating‘ have become a sensation on YouTube with Millions of views.
A chemical engineer by qualification, Abhishek Upmanyu worked as a research analyst before joining ‘On Air with AIB’ as a writer and then went on make waves with his hilarious stand-up acts like Friends, Crime, & The Cosmos, Delhi, Mumbai & Rich People and Breakup, Respecting Elders, & Discrimination.
3. Abish Mathew
Abish Mathew started his career as an RJ in Red FM, Delhi before switching to stand-up comedy. His show Son Of Abish is quite popular on YouTube where he has hosted a number of guests including several YouTube stars and Bollywood stars.
4. Aditi Mittal
One of the foremost female stand-up comedians in India, Aditi Mittal has appeared in several comedy shows across the globe. She was invited by BBC to the prestigious 100 Women Conference in London in 2013. She also appeared in the American documentary Stand-Up Planet. Her jokes vary from various cultural issues and women problems in India. Some of her most popular acts online are The Story of Madhumakkhi and Bra Shopping
5. Appurv Gupta
An engineer by qualification, Appurv Gupta has been a regular performer in several college fests and corporate events. His comedy is a humorous take on a middle-class Indian family and culture where he appears as Gupta Ji. Some of his best acts include GuptaJi Ki Aeroplane Wali Journey and Apple, Micromax & Patli Pin wala charger.
6. Atul Khatri
An engineer and MBA by qualification, Atul Khatri worked as a CEO in his family-run computer business before taking up stand-up comedy as an alternative career option. He has performed in several comedy clubs and was also a part of the comedy group East India Company. He also appeared on several OTT shows and a number of TV commercials for popular brands, Some of his most popular stand-up comedy acts include Atul Khatri on the Justin Bieber Concert and When your child turns 18
Hailing from the Eastern state of Odisha, Biswa Kalyan Rath is one of the most popular stand-up comedians in India. He caught everyone’s eye with his Pretentious Movie Reviews with fellow comedian Kanan Gill. He soon became a popular face in Indian stand-up comedy circles with appearances in comedy clubs across the country and several OTT shares. Some of his must-watch acts include Biswa Kalyan Rath – Extroverts and Chaos and Uber and Me.
8. Kanan Gill
Kanan Gill came into prominence with Pretentious Movie Reviews where he appeared with Biswa Kalyan Rath. He has since then appeared in the top comedy clubs of the country and OTT platforms like Amazon Video and Netflix. His must-watch acts include Prem Aggan Review and Siblings
Kenny Sebastian has appeared in several international shows as well as on several OTT platforms including Amazon Prime Video and Netflix. His stand-up acts you should watch are Middle class restaurant problems & Indian Parents, OCD and Electricity at Home
10. Kunal Kamra
A man who is always in the news and controversies these days, Kunal Kamra worked as a production assistant in an ad agency for several years before starting his gig as a comedian. He has since then appeared in several ad films and OTT shows. His comedy often targets politicians and government with some of his famous acts being Patriotism & the Government and Revisiting Demonetisation.
His show Shut Up Ya Kunal! is also quite popular on YouTube where he has invited a number of eminent guests including Arvind Kejriwal, Javed Akhtar, Ravish Kumar, and Asaduddin Owaisi.
11. Radhika Vaz
One of the earliest female stand-up comedians in India, Radhika Vaz is often noted for her bold, unapologetic, and often controversial acts. She has an unusual take on society’s perceptions of women with humor. is often noted for her bold, unapologetic, and often controversial acts. She has an unusual take on society’s perceptions of women with humor. One of her acts that caught the people’s eye was What the F**k should I wear? where she performed stark naked to break stereotypes in a brand collaboration with the brand FabAlley. Another act of hers you should definitely watch is Why men and women have separate toilets?
Rahul Subramanian managed e-commerce, corporate branding, and digital marketing at Mahindra Rise for quite some time before switching to stand-up comedy. He has recently become popular for his hilarious acts which the urban Indian middle class can relate to. Some of his acts you should definitely watch are Break Up and MBA and India and Pakistan
13. Sorabh Pant
Sorabh Pant was one of the earliest entrants in the Indian comedy circles where he started his career working with Vir Das. He founded the comedy group East India Comedy in 2012 where he tagged along with other comedians and performed at comedy clubs across the countries and internationally. Some of his interesting facts include Engineering Colleges : Stupid Rules and Uncles on WhatsApp?
14. Vir Das
One of the earliest stand-up comedians of India, Vir Das has appeared in several Bollywood movies, Television shows and has participated in prominent comedy festivals across the globe. He has also written comedy columns for several publications that include Femina, Maxim, and Tehelka. Some of his most popular acts online include Indians are Racist-ish and Indians are Homophobic
15. Zakir Khan
The Sakht Launda on Indian Comedy, Zakir Khan has been one of the favorites of online audiences for his relatable and humorous acts which are absolutely adorable. He became popular when he won Comedy Central’s India’s Best Stand-Up Comedian competition in 2012. He has also been a part of several shows on Indian OTT platforms. Some of his best acts include When I met a Delhi Girl, What happens when you fail in an exam! and Life Mein Chahiye Izzat.
Also read: 20 Beautiful Zakir Khan Shayaris & Poems On Love, Life, Success & More
16. Samay Raina
Fondly referred to as the “Supreme leader” by his fans, Samay Raina was the runner-up at Comicstaan Season 2. Since his stint at the popular Prime original, Raina has made quite a name for himself with his live-streamed chess matches. He also appeared in Comedy Premier League, a Netflix original, which his team won.
17. Vipul Goyal
Often regarded as one of the best stand-up comedians in India, Vipul Goyal has managed to stand out amongst a bevy o similar-sounding comedians with his great observational sets. He is also the only stand-up comedian to have a dedicated show – Humorously Yours – a semi-autobiographical show produced by TVF.
18. Rahul Dua
After Rahul Dua emerged as the winner of the first season of Comicstaan, his fans have only grown in number. He has gone on to do several stand-up shows (with a Europe tour in the pipeline), and has also appeared on Comedy Premier League.
19. Gaurav Kapoor
Gaurav Kapoor is an emerging stand-up comedian who has gained popularity over the last couple of months. Other than his stand-up comedy, Gaurav is also especially popular on Instagram, and has found thousands of followers, thanks to his super funny reels!
20. Akash Gupta
The winner of the second season of Comicstaan, Akash Gupta is widely considered to be one of the most talented comedians working in the industry today. With his acts in Comicstaan as well as the Netflix original Comedy Premier League, Gupta showcased a range wider than most other comedians.
Did we miss any of your favorite stand-up comedians from India? Do let us know who makes you laugh out the loudest and we will include them in the list.