Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

‘Bad Altitude’ review: Aditi Mittal’s show climbs to great heights with unapologetic humour

Although many of these topics seemed unrelated to her Nepal adventure, the skilful comedian stitched them together into a seamless set.

‘Bad Altitude’ review: Aditi Mittal’s show climbs to great heights with unapologetic humour
Aditi Mittal

INDIA’S first lady of stand-up comedy returned to London’s iconic Soho Theatre with her latest laughter-filled show.

The fearless comic shared her journey to the base camp of Mount Everest, recounting the experience in an entertaining way. From being a reluctant participant to tackling the rollercoaster trek, Mittal mixed in humorous moments from that long walk.


Her story included yaks, sherpas, a rescue helicopter, and snacks, yet she also veered off into diverse topics.

These ranged from Gujaratis and corporate events to sex, gay marriage, height issues, and body shape.

Although many of these topics seemed unrelated to her Nepal adventure, the skilful comedian stitched them together into a seamless set. This clearly delighted a cross-cultural audience. Her relatable observations about various situations only deepened that connection.

Mittal’s deeply expressive delivery brought raw emotion to the situations and characters she encountered. Her trademark razor-sharp observations about the world today added another layer to the performance.

She surprised the audience with unexpected jokes, including a few X-rated ones, which drew roars of laughter. These moments added an element of surprise to her set.

The Himalayan setting also gave the show a unique backdrop. By being absolutely fearless on stage, Mittal shed the constraints that many Indian stand-up comedians might feel bound by. This boldness offered audiences a distinct experience. Her ability to cross cultural barriers was evident, with non-Asian audience members equally enjoying the show.

This relatability could have led to more interaction with the audience, who clearly wanted to befriend Mittal and join her on a trek. However, this minor missed opportunity did not detract from Bad Altitude reaching great heights. It perfectly justified Mittal making a big deal out of not actually scaling Mount Everest.

More For You

'Dear England' brings Gareth Southgate’s story to life on stage

Gwilym Lee (as Gareth Southgate) and members of the ensemble cast in Dear England at the National Theatre

'Dear England' brings Gareth Southgate’s story to life on stage

THERE was an element of art imitating life – or, more accurately, life imitating art – in the affairs of Gareth Southgate last week.

While the actor Gwilym Lee was at the National Theatre playing Gareth Southgate in a revival of James Graham’s play Dear England, the former England football manager was on the BBC delivering the Richard Dimbleby lecture.

Keep ReadingShow less
Tragic losses: Bollywood icons who died young
Sushant Singh Rajput

Tragic losses: Bollywood icons who died young

THE death anniversaries of late stars Meena Kumari (March 31) and Divya Bharti (April 5) fall in the next couple of weeks.

What both leading ladies had in common was that they died young – Meena Kumari in 1972 and Divya Bharti in 1993 – leaving the Hindi cinema industry in deep shock. There have also been other Bollywood stars who unexpectedly died young across the decades.

Keep ReadingShow less
Michael Theo

The Love on the Spectrum star makes his acting debut in BBC One’s new comedy

Getty Images

BBC star Michael Theo opens up about workplace bullying before ‘Austin’ debut

Michael Theo, star of BBC One’s new comedy Austin, has opened up about the difficult experiences he faced before breaking into acting. The Australian actor, who first gained recognition on Love on the Spectrum, described one of his previous jobs as the most stressful period of his life due to relentless bullying.

Theo recalled working at a kitchen manufacturing company, where he spent long hours sanding doors and handling hazardous chemicals. Instead of support from his colleagues, he was met with cruel insults. “I was called names every day. One person even told me I was a waste of oxygen,” he revealed. The experience took a toll on his mental well-being, but he never gave up on his dream.

Keep ReadingShow less
Salman Khan

Salman Khan’s £32,000 Ram Temple edition watch sparks controversy as a Muslim cleric calls it ‘haram and illegal’

Getty Images

Salman Khan slammed by Muslim cleric for wearing £32,000 Ayodhya Ram temple watch, calls it 'haram'

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has found himself at the centre of a religious controversy after wearing a limited edition watch featuring the Ram Janmabhoomi temple design. The accessory, which was noticed during the promotions of his upcoming film Sikandar, has drawn criticism from Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi, president of the All India Muslim Jamaat.

Maulana Razvi has expressed strong disapproval, stating that as a Muslim, Salman Khan should avoid symbols associated with other religions. He referred to the act as “haram” (forbidden) under Islamic law and urged the actor to be mindful of his influence, especially given his large Muslim fan following.

Keep ReadingShow less
Varalaxmi Sarathkumar

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar breaks down on Dance Jodi Dance Reloaded 3 as she reveals being abused by six people as a child

Instagram/Varalaxmi Sarathkumar

Varalaxmi Sarathkumar reveals she was abused by six people as a child

In a deeply emotional moment on the sets of Zee Tamil’s dance reality show Dance Jodi Dance Reloaded 3, actor Varalaxmi Sarathkumar broke down while recounting her traumatic experience of being sexually abused as a child. The revelation came after contestant Kemy shared her own story of surviving harassment by family members. Moved by Kemy’s words, Varalaxmi revealed that she, too, had suffered similar abuse, with five to six people assaulting her when she was young.

The actor, known for her work in Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, and Kannada films, explained that her parents, veteran actor Sarathkumar and Chaya were working at the time, leaving her in the care of others. “Your story is my story,” she told Kemy, hugging her in solidarity. “I don’t have children, but I always tell parents to teach kids about ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch.’ It’s so important.”

Keep ReadingShow less