The stand-up comedy scene in India is still in its evolving phase but one that is progressing positively. At the beginning, the scene was dominated by men, with very little woman.  Among them was Urooj Ashfaq, who slowly built a space for herself with her distinct voice, making acute and humoruous observations about her everyday life. From cracking up Mumbaikars with her hilarious narration of a cab ride from Mumbai to Navi Mumbai and to making international audience crack up with her interesting take on her childhood and therapy sessions. Over the past few years, she has emerged as one of the most compelling voices in Indian stand-up, blending vulnerability with humour that resonates across audiences.

Change in comedy landscap towards women

In a space that has historically been dominated by men, voices like Ashfaq’s represent a shift in the Indian comedy landscape- one where women are claiming the stage with confidence, nuance, and authenticity. However, she does not feel she is the right person to answer the question about audience acceptance of female comedians. Having built an audience for herself with her style of comedy, Urooj feels the audience reacts more to how they place you.