Indian stand-up comedy: Humour sparking social change

Comedians use laughter to challenge taboos and spotlight hypocrisies

Indian stand-up comedians are transforming the stage into a space for reflection and reform, blending wit with insight to challenge taboos, question hypocrisies, and spark conversations on uncomfortable truths, all while keeping audiences entertained and engaged. This shift marks comedy’s emergence as a potent medium for social awareness in contemporary India.

Indian stand-up comedians are evolving beyond mere entertainment to become powerful social commentators, using humour to crack open difficult conversations on taboos, hypocrisies, and divisive issues without sacrificing laughter. This transition is reshaping Indian comedy into a dynamic platform for social critique, where laughter becomes a tool for reflection and dialogue.

The changing landscape of Indian stand-up comedy

Stand-up comedy in India has witnessed explosive growth. Digital platforms like YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok have democratised access, bringing comedians direct reach to millions. According to data from 2025, India has over 467 million social media users actively engaging with comedy content, which is now a prime channel for cultural influence and marketing. This broad audience base supports comedians who blend relatable everyday humour with sharp societal observations, making comedy more inclusive and relevant.

The Indian comedy scene features stars like Zakir Khan, Anubhav Singh Bassi, Vir Das and newer voices like Shraddha Jain and Aashish Solanki. These comedians not only entertain but embed social commentary in their acts, addressing themes such as gender inequality, caste issues, politics and religious sensitivities with wit and insight.

Humour as a medium for social commentary

Comedy functions as ‘laughtivism’, a form of activism using laughter to challenge dominant narratives and power structures. A notable academic study highlighted how comedians like Kunal Kamra, Varun Grover and others resist the authoritarian and polarising politics of Hindutva via sharp political satire on digital platforms, often circumventing mainstream media censorship.

This comedic resistance opens space for discussions that are often silenced elsewhere, illuminating hypocrisies and systemic injustices. It makes complex and sensitive issues accessible, allowing audiences to question long-held assumptions while still enjoying the performance.

Despite the growing popularity and impact, the evolving role of comedians as social commentators is not without risk. India’s shrinking democratic space and increasing censorship pose threats to free expression. High-profile incidents of venue attacks or filing criminal complaints to harass comedians like Kunal Kamra underline the dangers comedians face when challenging societal norms or political power.

The public’s polarised responses illustrate the difficulty in shifting perspectives in today’s internet era.

“In India, it is very difficult to shift the perspective of people right now. Until and unless they are your cult following, people generally don’t shift their perspective easily. Sometimes people from the same group come and shift the perspective of you. Then they will start thinking, did I think anything wrong till now? Then you will get to know from other party people that no, they were biased towards XYZ people,” Parth Garg, a stand-up comedian based in New Delhi, tells Media India Group.

“If it is a topic about women that she doesn’t like and chooses to make fun of, it creates a big disconnect with the audience, especially when discussed live on stage. And when you bring religion into it, these are sensitive subjects. You can try to shift perspectives, but that takes a lot of groundwork. It is possible that I may have changed someone’s perspective, or maybe not, only that person would know. But collectively, people have changed my perspective many times,” Garg adds.

Comedians also observe that Indian audiences are becoming more cautious about which topics can be freely joked about. The increasing constriction on open discussion has pushed comedians to change their approach, avoiding topics that could trigger legal troubles or outrage.

“Earlier, if we couldn’t talk about one topic out of 10, now we cannot talk about five out of 10. This is how India’s comedy has evolved,” he says.

He also discusses the effect of the internet era on perspective shifts.

“It is very difficult to change someone’s perspective in this internet era. If we realise it ourselves and change it, then it is a different matter. But I can call it ego, or so many emotions are all messed up, which I think, that if there is a debate, then I will not give up, even if I know that the world is round, and I am fighting like crazy to prove that it is flat. Because if there are 10 people there, then I have to protect my image in front of all those 10,” Garg adds.

Still, many younger audiences find stand-up comedy a compelling introduction to social and political issues.

“I think it depends on person to person. Some people like that Kunal Kamra stand-up comedy resulted in the comedy house being crashed and thrashed. So, some people take it too seriously. But honestly, I feel a lot of youngsters can form their opinions based on what the stand-up comedians are saying. Obviously, do your own research, don’t just follow something from a stand-up show. Do your research. But it is definitely a good way of getting people into politics. And I personally believe nothing is just entertainment,” Drumil Modi, an automotive journalist based in Mumbai, tells Media India Group.

“I think I used to be apolitical very strictly but a lot of stand-up comedians like Kunal Kamra, Vir Das, and Tanmay Bhatt started talking about politics. For example, “even a sh*t in front of your house is a political issue”, that is from one of Tanmay Bhatt’s stand-ups. You realise they are talking about what is happening on the border and also about how roads in our cities are broken and dirty. Nationalism doesn’t work only on the border; why cannot I expect better roads in my city? I respect army officers doing their jobs for the country, but I also expect the government to do their jobs, good public transport, better roads, clean cities. This opened my eyes. Paying taxes means I expect basic necessities. So, stand-up comedy solidified my political views and focussed how I see politicians, mostly ill-mannered, corrupt, and not doing their jobs well,” Modi adds.

Stand-up comedians break down societal resistance to difficult conversations by mixing humour with critique.

“Stand-up comedy opened my eyes to realities often glossed over, such as how patriotism should also improve everyday civic amenities. Humour is a great way of conveying or talking about such issues. You laugh and at the same time realise the limitations that the current government has. It definitely sticks to you,” says Garg.

Humour acts as an effective entry point for dialogue on subjects that might otherwise provoke conflict or discomfort. Indian stand-up comedians have matured into vital social commentators who skillfully use humour to challenge taboos, expose hypocrisies, and foster dialogue on divisive issues, all while keeping audiences laughing.