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Desi Comedy Fest opens in Bay Area on Jan. 28
The South Asian comedy festival opens on Jan. 28 at the Punch Line Comedy Club and will continue till Jan. 30 at the Sunnyvale Theater.
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Anushka Pathak - Sat, 24, Jan 2026
- 14:54 EST
- 28
Event poster / Courtesy: Desi Comedy Fest
Desi Comedy Fest, described by organizers as the largest South Asian comedy festival in the United States, will begin a new series of live performances in the Bay Area.
The shows are scheduled to take place in San Francisco and Sunnyvale beginning Jan. 28.
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Organizers said the lineup brings together comedians offering perspectives on culture, family, identity, technology, and everyday life, with material rooted in South Asian experiences while aimed at a broad audience.
Performers include Desi Comedy Fest co-founders Abhay Nadkarni and Samson Koletkar, along with Dhaya Lakshminarayanan and Priya Puram for the Jan. 28 show. The Jan. 30 shows will feature Hunaid Shakoor, JT Singh, Karthik Raj, and Renuka Kulkarni at the 7 PM show and Priya Shekar at the 9:15 PM performance.
Addressing the focus of the festival and its emphasis on shared storytelling, Nadkarni said,
“Comedy connects us—not just with laughs, but with shared experience. These shows are about bringing our stories to life and making everyone feel at home.”
Indian-origin Jewish comedian Koletkar said, “This year’s shows are about celebrating our stories with heart and humor—and giving folks three unforgettable nights of comedy they won’t stop talking about.”
New York–based comic Raj said, “Comedy is all about connection, and this festival brings together voices you won’t hear anywhere else—it’s a joy to share this stage.” Kulkarni said, “Comedy is magic—and I’m ready to cast some laughs into the audience. This lineup is pure joy.” Shekar added, “Whether I’m talking tech life or awkward moments, I’m just here to make you laugh—and these shows are THE place for that.”
The festival opens Jan. 28, at 7:30 PM at the Punch Line Comedy Club in San Francisco, in partnership with SF SketchFest. It will continue till Jan. 30, with two shows at the Sunnyvale Theater in Sunnyvale. Tickets are available through the festival’s website, with organizers indicating that shows are expected to sell out.
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