Event Information

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 and create a unique live comedy experience for the South Asian diaspora.

We're honored to present Desi Comedy Fest at Studio Theatre, one of Washington, D.C.'s leading cultural institutions and a national beacon for bold, thoughtful performance. With a reputation for championing daring work that resonates emotionally and intellectually, Studio Theatre has earned acclaim for showcasing stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of modern life.

Bringing Desi Comedy Fest to this esteemed stage is a meaningful collaboration - uniting a festival renowned for elevating South Asian comedic voices with a venue celebrated for artistic excellence and compelling storytelling. In a space where every performance is crafted with intention and every voice is heard with clarity, audiences will experience comedy that's both deeply personal and universally insightful.

The evening's lineup includes...

- SAMSON KOLETKAR: 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.

- ABHAY NADKARNI: 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.​​

- ARKO MAZUMDER: Arko Mazumder is a DC based Gen-Z comedian. His comedy tackles the ups and downs of anxiety and self-improvement. He's not lost, he's in the process. Arko has hosted for Jason Cheny, Dauood Naimyar, and other comics seen on Comedy Central and Don't Tell Comedy. In addition to featuring at renowned clubs such as Punch Line Philly, he co-produces Chamber of Comedy, a monthly showcase at The DC Arts Center.

- BADAR TAREEN: Badar Tareen is a civil rights attorney by day and an award-winning stand-up comedian and filmmaker by night. Known for his sharp, energetic, and analytical comedy, Badar captivates audiences with his wit and engaging presence, drawing rich material from his day job, family, and background as a Pakistani Muslim who grew up in small town North Dakota. He runs the show, BrownTown, at the DC Improv, and has been featured at over a dozen comedy festivals, performing at clubs across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In 2024, he was selected to headline his own show at the DC Capital Fringe Festival, which received the "Best of the Fest" designation and was featured in The Washington Post. This year, Forbes named Badar as one of the 12 Rising AAPI Stand-Up Comedians To Watch.

- DILAN HETTIARACHCHI: Dilan Hettiarachchi is a Sri Lankan comedian (if you couldn't tell by his surname) based in DC who treats every trip like a comedy tour even if it wasn't booked that way. He jokes about culture, dating, and growing up between worlds, usually by roasting himself first. He's performed in countries from Switzerland to Spain to Sri Lanka. We guarantee he'll make your aunty laugh.

- KASHA PATEL: Kasha Patel was named one of the "Best Undiscovered Comedians" in the U.S. by Thrillist magazine because of her unique voice that couples life as an Indian-American and her love for science. She produces science-themed comedy shows through her company DC Science Comedy. She gave a TEDx talk called "Sneaking Science into Stand-Up," where she shares a series of surprising revelations pulled from her analysis of more than 500 of her stand-up jokes. She has been featured on NPR, BBC World, Travel Channel, The Science Channel, The Weather Channel, and hosted a miniseries on NASA TV.

Prices:
General Admission: USD 35.00,
VIP Front: USD 45.00

Artists: Samson Koletkar, Abhay Nadkarni, Arko Mazumder, Badar Tareen, Dilan Hettiarachchi, Kasha Patel

Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM