Ashwyn Singh has carved out a bold space in the stand-up world, fearlessly tackling topics like immigration, religion, and social hypocrisy with razor-sharp humour and biting honesty. Splitting his time between Toronto and Delhi, Singh blends cultural insight with global perspective, delivering punchlines that challenge audiences as much as they entertain. A former immigrant turned comic provocateur, Singh has earned viral acclaim for his incisive sets in cities like Bengaluru and Vancouver.
How would you describe your comedy style?
Sharp, witty, irreverent… Disrespectful
Who are some of your influences?
The list starts with heroes and slowly becomes mentors or friends. George Carlin, Patrice O’Neal, Doug Stanhope, Dave Chappelle, Kanan Gill, Azeem Banatwalla, Vir Das, Zakir Khan, Taylor Tomlinson, Michelle Wolf, Daniel Fernandes, Gianmarco Soresi, David Nihill, Sammy Obeid
Who was your favourite comedian growing up?
Carlin. Always.
Who is your favourite comedian now?
Depends on the day, but probably still Carlin.
What is your pre-show ritual?
I make the pre-show announcement 7 minutes before the show and ask the audience to make some noise. Then I go turn on the cameras, make sure the sound recording is on, and wait for the madness to begin.
What is your favourite place you have performed? Why?
The best show is always the one you just did. But from last year, Bangalore and Vancouver. There was some magic in the air at that Bengaluru show. Every bit I’ve posted from that set has gone viral; it’s insane that we could bottle a special night up and release it to the public, and the reception has been positive.
What is your favourite bit you have written and why were you proud of it?
My favourite bits are the ones that force the audience to acknowledge a truth that they’re not receptive to. So from the first hour, the bit about immigration and racism, from the upcoming one, the bit about religion and freedom, and from the one I’m writing the jokes about allyship in feminism.
What is your favourite medium for listening or finding new comics/comedians?
Seeing them live, where comedy actually happens. Everything else is smoke and mirrors. When someone is on stage, that is a true testament to how good they are at standup, not to say that social media isn’t an indicator, it’s just not the full truth.
Tell us a joke about your city.
Both Delhi and Toronto are my cities, and I will not slander them (in print). However, here is a joke about Bangalore. Bangalore has a population as large as most of Canada combined, which is why Canada’s country-wide issues and Bangalore’s city-wide issues. For example, in Canada, people say, “oh these immigrants, they don’t speak the language.”
This is only funny if you live in Bangalore. Also, it’s actually Bengalur,u but a force of habit.
Do you have anything to promote right now?
Will be doing a special show for my 30th Birthday at The Winter Garden Theatre on May 2nd.
Where can we follow you?
PAY IT FORWARD: Who is another local comic/comedian we should know about?
Do NOT sleep on Jwalit Bharwani and Faris Hytiaa.
