ABOUT
Desi Comedy Fest is the Biggest South Asian Comedy Festival in America. Our mission is to showcase the funniest South Asian comedians from around the world & create a unique live comedy experience for the South Asian diaspora.
UPCOMING SHOWS
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January 28 | Wednesday | 7:30pm
Punch Line Comedy Club 444 Battery St, San Francisco CA 94111 Featured Comedians: Abhay Nadkarni, Dhaya Lakshminarayanan, JT Singh, Karthik Raj, Priya Puram, Samson Koletkar |
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January 30 | Friday | 8:00pm
Sunnyvale Theater 555 E Remington Dr, Sunnyvale CA 94087 Featured Comedians: Abhay Nadkarni, Hunaid Shakoor, JT Singh, Karthik Raj, Renuka Kulkarni, Samson Koletkar |
COMEDIANS
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ABHAY NADKARNI
Jan 28 & Jan 30 Abhay Nadkarni is a third culture comic, born in Delhi, raised in Doha and Bangalore, now navigating American absurdity with a global point of view. He was featured as a New Face at Just For Laughs in Montreal, has performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival, and co-founded Desi Comedy Fest and The Setup, a speakeasy style comedy show in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Over 100,000 fans follow him online for silly jokes and sharp takes. His debut comedy special Brown Jesus is now streaming on Amazon Prime. instagram.com/abhayoy |
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DHAYA LAKSHMINARAYANAN
Jan 28 Dhaya Lakshminarayanan is an award-winning stand-up comedian, storyteller, speaker, and writer known for her sharp wit and boundary-pushing humor. A Bay Area favorite, she’s been recognized by KQED, SF Weekly, SFist, and the San Francisco Bay Guardian as one of the region’s top performers. Dhaya has opened for icons like Janeane Garofalo, Marc Maron, and Dick Gregory, performed internationally, and appeared at major festivals including Bridgetown and San Francisco Sketchfest. dhayacomedy.com |
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HUNAID SHAKOOR
Jan 30 Hunaid Shakoor is a Bay Area Native who began his comedic journey while living in Hawaii. Now a staple in the San Francisco comedy scene, known for his sharp writing and relaxed delivery, he has also performed overseas in Rome, Lisbon, and Barcelona. instagram.com/hunaidshakoor |
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JT SINGH
Jan 28 & Jan 30 JT Singh is a New York based comic who performs regularly at comedy clubs around the city. instagram.com/jaijit.singh |
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KARTHIK RAJ
Jan 28 & Jan 30 Karthik Raj is a New York based comic who was recently featured in the 2024 Laughing Skull Comedy Festival in Atlanta and the Plano Comedy Festival in Dallas in which he was selected as Best of the Fest. He has amassed 45K followers on TikTok and over 15K on Instagram. instagram.com/karthikraj_ |
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PRIYA PURAM
Jan 28 Priya Puram is a sharp, high-energy comedian based in San Francisco who left engineering for stand up - a bold move driven by passion (and a desire to make less money). As a first-generation Indian American, she brings biting takes on tech, culture, and identity to the stage, earning laughs at top venues like Cobb’s, The Punchline, Cheaper Than Therapy, Don’t Tell Comedy, and SF Sketchfest. instagram.com/priyaforreal |
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PRIYA SHEKAR
Jan 30 Priya Shekar is a Kiwi comedian in tech. She performs across the Bay Area with witty storytelling and a voice that’s 90% charm, 10% “I need subtitles.” instagram.com/thepriyashekar |
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RENUKA KULKARNI
Jan 30 Renuka is a stand up comic and a part time witch. Her comedy is often described as “If dementors could joke”. She is known for her appearances at work, home and outside the gym. instagram.com/renukacomedy |
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SAMSON KOLETKAR
Jan 28 & Jan 30 Samson’s comedy is a unique fusion of his Indian upbringing, Jewish roots, and American life—delivered with wit, warmth, and quick, engaging humor. Known for his cerebral and refreshing clean style, he’s performed across the U.S., Canada, and India, and has been featured on NPR, NBC, CBS, NDTV, The Times of India, Ha’aretz, and more. He’s the co-creator of Desi Comedy Fest, founder of Comedy Oakland—winner of East Bay Express’s Best Comedy Night (2016–2025), and headliner of the Mahatma Moses Comedy Tour. Statistically improbable, culturally conflicted, and hilariously consistent, Samson brings smart laughs to every stage he hits. mahatma-moses.com |