Comedy topics have always been important in everyone’s life. To address that requirement, Indian cinema has made films with that theme. The top Indian comedians come in a variety of styles. Some prominent Indian comedians make jokes about their families, while others make people laugh by making light of global politics. Some funny Indian comedians have become some of the world’s most popular and famous performers.
1. Hasan Minhaj
| Hasan Minhaj | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hasan Minhaj |
| Native Name | حسن منہاج |
| Date of Birth | September 23, 1985 |
| Place of Birth | Davis, California, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Indian-American |
| Occupation | Comedian, Writer, Producer, Political Commentator, Actor, TV Host |
| Medium | Stand-up, Television, Film |
| Education | University of California, Davis (BA) |
| Notable Works | Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj, Homecoming King |
| Awards | Peabody Awards (2), Webby Awards (2) |
| Influential List | Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World (2019) |
| Spouse | Beena Patel |
| Children | 2 |
| Languages | English, Hindustani |
| Political Views | Liberal |
| Religion | Islam |
| Sports Affiliation | Sacramento Kings fan |
Hasan Minhaj was born in Davis, California, on September 23, 1985. Minhaj belongs to a Muslim family, originally from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh, India. Minhaj is also a regular face on the sitcom State of Georgia. In such a short time, this young comedian has been able to make waves with his sense of humor and great attitude. Hasan has also landed several guest roles on shows like Arrested Development and Getting Started.
2. Russell Peters
| Russell Peters | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Russell Dominic Peters |
| Date of Birth | September 29, 1970 |
| Place of Birth | Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, actor, producer |
| Education | Chinguacousy Secondary School |
| Years Active | 1989-present |
| Genres | Insult comedy, heritage comedy, black comedy, observational comedy, satire |
| Subject(s) | Racism, race relations, stereotypes, India, multiculturalism, Asian culture |
| Spouse | Ali Peters (m. 2022) |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Gemini Award, Peabody Award, International Emmy Award |
| Notable Achievements | First comedian to have a Netflix stand-up special, Forbes’ highest-paid comedian (2013) |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California |
Russell Peters is a very successful comedian and actor who uses his minority status to allow him to poke fun at different races. He published his autobiography, Call Me Russell, in 2010.
3. Kal Penn
| Kal Penn | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kal Penn |
| Born | April 23, 1977 (age 46) |
| Birthplace | Montclair, New Jersey, U.S. |
| Education | University of California, Los Angeles (BA) |
| Occupations | Actor, author, former White House staff member |
| Known For | Lawrence Kutner in House, Seth Wright in Designated Survivor |
| Notable Films | Harold & Kumar film series, The Namesake |
| Notable TV Series | House, Designated Survivor, How I Met Your Mother |
| Political Affiliation | Democratic |
| Partner(s) | Josh Marlar (2010–present, engaged) |
| White House Role | Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement |
| Hosted | Superhuman (game show) |
| Hosted Talk Show | Kal Penn Approves This Message (political talk miniseries) |
| Lecturer | Visiting lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania |
| Graduate Studies | Pursued a graduate certificate in international security |
| Charity | Donated $25,000 cash prize from “MasterChef Celebrity Showdown” |
| Social Activism | Advocated for Barack Obama’s presidential campaign |
Kal Penn plays Kumar Patel in Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle and its 2008 and 2011 sequels. He also appeared at Dr. Lawrence Kutner’s residence. During Obama’s presidency, he worked as an Associate Director in the White House Office of Public Engagement.
4. Aziz Ansari
| Aziz Ansari | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Aziz Ansari |
| Birth Name | Aziz Ismail Ansari |
| Born | February 23, 1983 |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, film, books |
| Alma Mater | New York University (BBA) |
| Years Active | 2004–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, blue comedy, sketch comedy, surreal humor, satire |
| Subject(s) | Indian culture, everyday life, current events, popular culture, human interaction, human sexuality, racism, self-deprecation |
| Spouse | Serena Skov Campbell |
| Notable Roles | Tom Haverford in Parks and Recreation |
| Awards | 2 Emmys, a Golden Globe |
| Stand-up Specials | Intimate Moments for a Sensual Evening (2010) |
| Books | Modern Romance: An Investigation (2015) |
| Feature Films | Get Him to the Greek, I Love You, Man, 30 Minutes or Less, This Is the End, Observe and Report |
Aziz Ansari is an Indian-American comedian and stand-up comedian best known for playing Tom Haverford on the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. He’s also been in movies like 30 Minutes or Less, Ice Age: Continental Drift, and Funny People. He began acting in the Netflix series Master No. 1 in 2015.
5. Mindy Kaling
| Mindy Kaling | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Mindy Kaling |
| Date of Birth | June 24, 1979 |
| Birthplace | Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Actress, comedian, screenwriter, producer |
| Education | Dartmouth College (Bachelor’s degree in playwriting) |
| Awards | Two Screen Actors Guild Awards, Tony Award, nominations for six Primetime Emmy Awards |
| Notable Achievements | Recognized as one of Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in 2013, received the Producers Guild of America’s Norman Lear Achievement in Television Award, and the National Medal of the Arts from President Joe Biden |
| TV Series | Notable roles in “The Office” (2005–2013) and “The Mindy Project” (2012–2017) |
| Film Career | Appeared in films like “No Strings Attached” (2011), “The Five-Year Engagement” (2012), “Late Night” (2019) |
| Books | Author of “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” (2011), “Why Not Me?” (2015), and “Nothing Like I Imagined (Except For Sometimes)” (2020) |
| Influence | Named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine |
Mindy Kaling, born Vera Mindy Chokalingam, is an American actress, writer, and producer. She is known for appearing on the hit sitcom The Office and starring in her television show The Mindy Project. The Emmy-nominated actress has also starred in several films, the popular ones being the 40-year-old Virgin, ‘License for Wed’, The Five-Year Engagement, and ‘No String Attachment’. She has also co-written the famous play ‘Matt & Ben Show.
6. Kanan Gill
| Kanan Gill | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kanan Gill |
| Date of Birth | 24 December 1989 (age 33) |
| Place of Birth | Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, India |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, Actor, YouTuber |
| Education | B.E. in Computer Science |
| Alma Mater | M S Ramaiah Institute of Technology |
| Notable Works | Hosted the YouTube series “Pretentious Movie Reviews” with Biswa Kalyan Rath. |
| Stand-up Specials | “Keep It Real” (2017), “Yours Sincerely” (2020) |
| Awards | Winner of Punch Line Bangalore Competition. |
| Previous Occupation | Software Engineer at Exeter Group Inc. |
| Notable Collaborations | Acted in the Bollywood film “Noor” alongside Sonakshi Sinha. |
| Other Projects | Judged on Comicstaan, a comedic reality TV show. Featured on Better Life Foundation web series. |
Best known for his “Pride Movies” YouTube series, which includes popular videos like “Here’s What We Do 4 Friendship” and “Mostly Bollywood Ever,” this Indian internet comedian has over 380,000 subscribers and more than thirty million views. Kanan Gill was already touring when Netflix showed interest and they decided to put together an hour for the special titled, Yours Sincerely, Kanan Gill
7. Kenny Sebastian
| Kenny Sebastian | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kenny Sebastian |
| Born | 31 December 1990 |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupations | Stand-up comedian, Musician, Filmmaker |
| Known for | Stand-up comedy |
| Spouse | Tracy Alison Viegas (m. 2022) |
| YouTube Channel | Stand-up shows, devotional song covers, original skits (152 million views since 2008) |
| International Tours | United States, Singapore, UAE, Australia |
| Comedy Special | Hour-long special on Amazon Prime (2017), Netflix special “The Most Interesting Person In The Room” (2020) |
| Multilingual | Fluent in English, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam |
| Education | Degree in Visual Arts from Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath, studied at Kendriya Vidyalaya N.A.L. |
| Web Series | “Star Boyz,” cameo appearances in “Humorously Yours,” “Better Life Foundation,” and “Pushpavalli” |
| Original Series | “Die Trying,” “The Improvisers: Something From Nothing,” “Sketchy Behaviour” |
| Podcast | “Simple Ken” featuring various guests, gaining popularity on audio streaming services and YouTube |
| Production House | SuperHuman Studioz |
| Editing Experience | Edited Bollywood film “Station” at the age of 21 |
| Additional Work | Songs from tweets with #KennySing4Me, improvised sketch show “The Living Room,” judging Comicstaan comedy reality show on Amazon Prime |
Kenny Sebastian is an Indian comedian, filmmaker, actor, musician, and podcaster. Moreover, he was also a popular YouTube personality through his self-titled YouTube channel on June 14, 2007. As of 2021, his channel has attracted 2.08 million subscribers and more than 228 million views.
8. Kunal Nayyar
| Kunal Nayyar | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kunal Nayyar |
| Born | 30 April 1981 (age 42), Hammersmith, London, England |
| Nationality | British |
| Alma Mater | University of Portland (BBA), Temple University (MFA) |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years Active | 2004–present |
| Spouse | Neha Kapur (married in 2011) |
| Notable Roles | Raj Koothrappali on “The Big Bang Theory” |
| Notable Films | Ice Age: Continental Drift (2012) |
| Notable Achievements | Listed as the world’s third-highest-paid television actor by Forbes in 2015 and 2018 |
| Book | “Yes, My Accent is Real: and Some Other Things I Haven’t Told You” (published in September 2015) |
Kunal Nayyar is an Indian-British actor who plays Rajesh Koothrappali on the blockbuster CBS show The Big Bang Theory. On Sanjay and Craig, he also plays Vijay. In the animated feature Ice Age, he had his first voice-acting job. Drift on the Continent (2012)
9. Danny Pudi
| Danny Pudi | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Danny Pudi |
| Born | March 10, 1979 |
| Birthplace | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Education | Marquette University |
| Occupations | Comedian, actor |
| Known For | Abed Nadir on the NBC sitcom Community (2009–2015) |
| Awards and Nominations | – Three nominations for Critics’ Choice Television Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series. – One nomination for the TCA Award for Individual Achievement in Comedy. |
| Current TV Series | Mythic Quest: Raven’s Banquet (since 2020) |
| Voice Work | Voiced Huey Duck in the DuckTales reboot (2017) |
| Other Notable Roles | – Brad Bakshi in the Apple TV+ comedy series Mythic Quest (since 2020). – Teddy on the NBC sitcom Powerless (2017). |
| Family | Married to Bridget Showalter. – Twins: a son and a daughter born in January 2012. |
Danny Pudi is a comedian and actor best known for playing the Abed pop culture-obsessed community on NBC. He appeared in television commercials for Verizon, Mcdonald’s, and Snickers.
10. Aasif Mandvi
| Aasif Mandvi | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Aasif Hakim Mandviwala |
| Date of Birth | March 5, 1966 |
| Age | 57 |
| Place of Birth | Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra, India |
| Nationality | British American |
| Education | University of South Florida (Theatre Degree) |
| Occupations | Actor, Comedian, Author |
| Years Active | 1988–present |
| Spouse | Shaifali Puri (married in 2017) |
| Children | 1 |
| Notable Works | “The Daily Show,” “The Brink,” “Evil,” “A Series of Unfortunate Events,” “Spider-Man 2,” “The Last Airbender” |
| Awards | Obie Award for “Sakina’s Restaurant,” Honorary Doctorate from Macaulay Honors College |
| Notable Book | “No Land’s Man” |
| Humanitarian Efforts | Relief 4 Pakistan, Endometriosis Foundation of America |
| Personal Fact | Diagnosed with chronic tinnitus |
Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, better known by his stage name Aasif Mandvi, is an English-American actor, comedian, and author. He was a reporter on The Daily Show from 2006 to 2017. Mandvi’s other television credits include The Brink’s HBO comedy series and the CBS/Paramount psychological drama Evil.
11. Vikram Singh Chauhan
| Vikram Singh Chauhan | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vikram Singh Chauhan |
| Born | Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India |
| Occupation | Actor |
| Years active | 2013–present |
| Known for | Jaana Na Dil Se Door, Ek Deewaana Tha, Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka! |
| Spouse | Sneha Shukla (m. 2021) |
| Children | 1 |
| Acting Debut | Qubool Hai as Imran Qureshi (2013) |
| Notable TV Shows | Jaana Na Dil Se Door, Ek Deewaana Tha, Yehh Jadu Hai Jinn Ka! |
| Film Debut | The Perfect Girl (2015) |
| Notable Films | Mardaani 2 |
| Web Series Debut | Baarish (2019) |
| Latest Web Series | Chattis aur Maina |
Vikram Singh Chauhan is a model and actor from India. He is best known to audiences for his performance as Atharva in “Jaana Na Dil Se Door.”
He made his acting debut in Qubool Hai. Following Qubool Hai, he appeared in Ek Hasina Thi and Million Dollar Girl. In the popular Star Plus drama Jaana Na Dil Se Door, he portrayed the lead role of Atharva. Vikram Singh Chauhan also appeared as Vyoom / Akash, the main antagonist in Sony TV’s “Ek Deewana Tha,” broadcast on Filmazia in Pakistan.
12. Hari Kondabolu
| Hari Kondabolu | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Hari Kondabolu |
| Birth Name | Hari Karthikeya Kondabolu |
| Birth Date | October 21, 1982 |
| Age | 40 |
| Birthplace | New York City, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, writer |
| Medium | Stand-up, film, podcasts |
| Education | Bowdoin College (BA), London School of Economics (MS) |
| Years Active | 2006–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, political satire |
| Subjects | Race, inequity, Indian stereotypes |
| Notable Works | “Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell”, “The Problem with Apu” |
| Children | 1 |
| Relative(s) | Ashok Kondabolu (brother) |
Hari Karthikeya Kondabolu is an American podcast host, actor, filmmaker, and comic book host. His comedy covers race, inequality, and prejudice among Indians. He is a writer for W. Kamau Bell and the author of the 2017 documentary The Problem with Apu.
13. Aditi Mittal
| Aditi Mittal | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Aditi Mittal |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Occupation | Stand-up Comedian, Actress, Writer |
| Years Active | 2009 – Present |
| Recognition | Rated among India’s top 10 stand-up comedians by The Times of India |
Aditi Mittal is a comedian, actress, and writer from India. Mittal, one of India’s first female stand-up comedians, was selected as one of the 10,000 finest comedians by The Times of India. CNNIBN.com named her one of 30 Indian women to follow on Twitter who are “witty, knowledgeable, and incredibly fun.” Mittal has published editorials and pieces for Grazia Men, DNA, Firstpost.com, and the Financial Times, among other publications.
14. Paul Varghese
| Paul Varghese | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Paul Varghese |
| Date of Birth | January 4, 1977 (age 46) |
| Place of Birth | Dallas, Texas, USA |
| Nationality | Indian American |
| Medium | Stand-up, television, radio |
| Education | Bachelor’s degree in radio, television, and film from the University of North Texas |
| Notable Shows | Last Comic Standing 2, Comedy Central’s Live at Gotham |
| Radio Show | Regular on Pugs and Kelly radio show (Live 105.3/Free FM) in Dallas |
| Stand-up Tours | Gurus of Comedy tour, Opened for comedian Russell Peters |
| Awards | “Best Stand-Up Comic in Dallas” (2007), “Funniest Comic in Texas” (2009) |
| TV Appearances | Showtime’s “Russell Peter’s Presents”, Telemundo 2’s “Loco Comedy Jam”, Comedy Central’s “Live at Gotham”, “Gabriel Iglesias Presents Stand-Up Revolution” |
| Notable Openings | Dave Chappelle, Joan Rivers |
| Additional Facts | – American comedian and actor of Indian descent. |
Paul Varghese is a comedian – semi-finalist in the television competition Last Comic Standing 2. He is not known as a regular on all Pugs and Kelly on the 105.3 / free FM out Dallas webcam radio show.
15. Lilly Singh
| Lilly Singh | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Lilly Saini Singh |
| Born | September 26, 1988 (age 34) |
| Nationality | Indian-Canadian |
| Occupation | YouTuber, Television Host, Comedian, Writer, Actress |
| YouTube Career | Started making YouTube videos in 2010 as “Superwoman” |
| Television Career | Hosted the NBC late-night talk show “A Little Late with Lilly Singh” from 2019 to 2021 |
| Comedic Achievements | Ranked third on Forbes’ list of highest-paid YouTubers in 2016, earning $7.5 million |
| Writing Career | Released a documentary film titled “A Trip to Unicorn Island” in 2016 |
| Acting Career | Acted in the HBO film adaptation of “Fahrenheit 451” |
| Philanthropy | Actively involved in various initiatives and charitable causes |
Lilly Singh, alias Superwoman, is undoubtedly one of the most talented YouTube stars, rappers, actors, and comedians; she is the first South Asian comedian on YouTube and one of the fastest-growing celebrities. Best video-sharing site. Her YouTube channel ‘IISuperwomanII,’ which she created in October 2010, gradually grew in popularity, attracting more than 1.4 billion views and a staggering number of almost 10 million subscribers.
16. Kapil Sharma
| Kapil Sharma | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Kapil Sharma |
| Born | 2 April 1981 |
| Birthplace | Amritsar, Punjab, India |
| Education | Shri Ram Ashram Senior Secondary School, Amritsar; Hindu College, Amritsar; Apeejay College of Fine Arts, Jalandhar |
| Occupations | Stand-up comedian, television host, actor, dubbing artist, producer, singer |
| Years Active | 2006–present |
| Spouse | Ginni Chatrath (married in 2018) |
| Children | 2 |
| Comedy Career | Winner of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge season 3 (2007); Hosted and produced Comedy Nights with Kapil and The Kapil Sharma Show |
| Notable Works and Roles | The Great Indian Laughter Challenge (season 3), Comedy Circus, Comedy Nights with Kapil, The Kapil Sharma Show |
| Films | Bhavnao Ko Samjho (2010), Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon (2015), Firangi, ABCD 2 (cameo), The Angry Birds Movie 2 (Hindi dubbing) |
| Genres | Insult comedy, Heritage comedy, Character comedy |
| Subjects | Punjab, Indian women, Bollywood, Fellow performers |
Kapil Sharma is an Indian comedian and actor who won the stand-up reality television series The Great Challenge Laughter of India in its third season. He was awarded the CNN-IBN India of the Year in 2013.
17. Dan Nainan
| Dan Nainan | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Dan Nainan |
| Occupation | Stand-up Comedian |
| Nationality | American |
| TEDx Speaker | Yes |
| Multilingual | Yes |
| Tech Background | Former Intel Engineer |
| Corporate Performer | Performs for Fortune 500 companies |
| Humanitarian Efforts | Active participant in charity organizations |
Dan Nainan is a talented comedian who focuses on clean comedy and releases the book How to Become a Full-Time Standup Comedian in 2012. He played the role of a Fire Nation warrior. in the movie M. Night Shyamalan The Last Airbender. He opened the Bethesda Comedy Club in Washington, DC, in 2007. He is an Apple commercial and speaks at TED India.
18. Aparna Nancherla
| Aparna Nancherla | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Aparna Nancherla |
| Birth Date | August 22, 1982 |
| Age | 40 |
| Birth Place | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | Indian Telugu Hindu |
| Medium | Stand-up, television |
| Education | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Amherst College |
| Occupation | Stand-up comedian, actress, writer |
| Years Active | 2006–present |
| Genres | Observational comedy, deadpan |
| Notable Works | Inside Amy Schumer, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Master of None, Crashing, Corporate |
| Debut Album | Just Putting It Out There (2016) |
| Family | Parents immigrated from Hyderabad, India; has an older sibling |
| Stand-up Career | Started in Washington, D.C., and later moved to Los Angeles and New York City |
| Writing Career | Writer for Late Night with Seth Meyers and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell |
| Web Series | Co-created and starred in Womanhood; appeared in Your Main Thing with John Early |
| Mental Health Advocacy | Featured in the YouTube documentary Laughing Matters |
| Recognition | Named one of Variety’s “Top 10 Comics to Watch for 2016”; praised by The New York Times |
| Podcast | Co-host of the podcast Blue Woman Group |
| Acting Career | TV shows: Master of None, Crashing, Corporate, The Standups; Film: A Simple Favor |
| Voice Acting | Animated series: BoJack Horseman, Steven Universe, Ginger Snaps, Fancy Nancy, Mira, Royal Detective |
| Recent Projects | The Great North, The Ghost and Molly McGee, Fairview, Central Park, Summer Camp Island, Kiff |
Aparna Nancherla is a comedian and actress from the United States. She is a well-known indie performer. She has appeared as a stand-up comedian in many shows, including Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell. She became very popular after appearing in Super The Super Serious Show as a stand-up comedian in 2013. She is one of the new generations of stand-up comedians who have made their name through various shows – digital communication platforms.
19. Abish Mathew
| Abish Mathew | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Abish Mathew |
| Occupation | Stand-up Comedian, YouTuber |
| Known for | All India Bakchod, Son of Abish, Comicstaan |
| YouTube Channels | Son Of Abish, Journey of a Joke |
| Engagement | Engaged to Archana Kavi (2015) |
| Marriage Date | 23 January 2016 |
| Marriage Venue | Vallarpadam Church, Kerala |
| Notable Guests | Rima Kallingal, Aashiq Abu, Kenny Sebastian, Kaneez Surka, Rohan Joshi, Kanan Gill |
| Divorce | Filed for divorce in 2021 |
| Career Start | Radio Jockey at Red FM, Delhi |
| Amazon PrimeVideo | Whoop (2018) |
| Controversy | Apology for resurfaced tweet on Mayawati |
Comedian is known for his work with All India Bakchod and for being the star of Con Abish, his YouTube comedy channel with over 90,000 subscribers. He has worked with several popular Indian comedy companies, including East India Comedy and The Papa CJ Comedy Company. He is the host of Abish & amp. Friends Hit Time Big for three years and has done his story internationally from New York to the Netherlands.
20. Azeem Banatwalla
| Azeem Banatwalla | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Azeem Banatwalla |
| Profession | Stand-up Comedian |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Date of Birth | [Date of Birth] |
| Place of Birth | [Place of Birth] |
| Education | [Education Details] |
| Notable Works | [Notable Works] |
| Awards | [Awards Received] |
| Comedy Style | Observational |
| Genre | Comedy, Satire |
| Language | English |
| Years Active | [Years Active] |
| Touring Experience | [Touring Experience] |
| Specials Released | [Number of Specials Released] |
| Podcast | [Podcast Name] |
| Popular Characters | [Popular Characters Portrayed] |
Azeem Banatwalla is a master pun and an excellent comedian, and he is famous throughout India for his observant and intelligent English. Since beginning his comedy career, he has scored two special awards, Out of My System and Cometh the Hour.