Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Comedy cancel-culture has Pal second guessing

Comedy cancel-culture has Pal second guessing

A LEADING Indian comedian has criticised the country’s alleged “censorship of comedy” ahead of the launch of his Amazon Prime show.

Anuvab Pal, 45, has become popular in the UK since his first performance in this country five years ago.


His most recent show, Empire, which debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2018, is set to launch on Amazon Prime in May (6) as part of their Soho Theatre Live series. The show sees him talk about the British Empire and its impact on India in the modern day.

In an interview with Eastern Eye, Pal said, “I don’t think you can take potshots against leaders in India currently, I mean, I wouldn’t risk it”.

Indian comedians have been attacked or arrested in previous months.

Munawar Faruqui was held in prison for more than a month after being accused of insulting Hindu gods and goddesses, and last November cancelled three shows in Mumbai after a right-wing group threatened to set the venue ablaze.

Another comedian, Vir Das, was forced to defend himself against online accusations of “insulting the country” after he performed a “two Indias” monologue in Washington in November 2021.

Pal told Eastern Eye, “It’s always worrying when India becomes efficient at coming down on comedians or any kind of dissent”.

However, he said he is not a fan of simply using comedic political rants purely because he has an opinion.

“It’s funnier if you can base it on some fact you know, so both sides of the political spectrum can look and say ‘ok, this is ridiculous.’”

Pal said he’s careful about approaching the topics of religion and new cultures.

“I’m always wary of going into a new culture and just trashing that culture for no reason and with no knowledge. I feel like I don’t have a right to do that as a comedian,” he said.

Instead, Pal said comedians learn about a culture before making jokes about it.

The main theme of his new show is the British Empire, something which has become an increasingly controversial topic in recent years. For comedians, using divisive topics as material can put them at risk of being “cancelled”, but Pal argued an element of common sense is needed.

“As long as you’ve picked the angle you think in your conscience is sensible, then I don’t think you can be cancelled”, he said. He argued that comedians who want to be offensive for the sake of it have “a different goal” to most of the profession, who search for a topic’s funniest angle.

Pal also suggested comedians try to avoid getting cancelled by ensuring their comments have strong logic.

“As you can’t be dismissed in one sentence, then your argument has validity,” he said.

LEAD Anuvab Pal 1 CREDIT Karla Gowlet AnuvabPal495V1

Since the pandemic, many turned to comedy as an escape from dark times. This surprised Pal as he admitted that doing stand-up comedy on online platforms initially felt like a waste of time. However, once he started getting feedback from virtual audiences, he saw comedy’s value in tough times.

“People would send messages, saying, ‘we were going through a really rough time and the comedy really helped us,’” he said.

As audiences attended live comedy gigs post Covid, one of the biggest changes he saw was people’s desire for company.

“People just wanted to be with others and laugh,” he said. Pal believes while online comedy performances helped many, stand-up comedy needed to be back on stage.

“It has to feel like you’re in the Roman circus,” he said.

This year marks 14 years since he got his big break in stand-up comedy after walking into The Comedy Store Mumbai as a scriptwriter.

Pal recalled he was sent there to write an article on the newly-opened venue and reflect on whether British comedy could succeed in India.

Once there, Pal was asked by the owner if he’d do five minutes of stand-up as they didn’t have enough Indian comedians to fill the line-up.

“I just thought it’d be a laugh and I did it and that’s how it started. I thought it’ll just be three minutes and I’ll forget about it,” he said. However, his set went down so well, his career took off and the rest is history.

Pal is keen to encourage aspiring comedians.

“There’s a lot of humour in our culture; we don’t often look at it,” he said. Pal argued the Indian focus on making money and therefore “succeeding”, meant that humorous aspects of life are missed, such as the competitiveness of extravagant Indian weddings.

Recent successes of comedians from India and abroad, such as Pal, Das and Russell Peters (see interview on page 23) have shown Indian comedy is in demand.

History, in particular the ties between Britain and India, is a favourite topic for Pal. He also enjoys comparing the Indian diaspora and those living on the subcontinent. “I like talking about how it’s different for south Asians living in Britain, versus Indians in India,” he said.

Audiences at his shows can expect a discussion of society, politics and literature through a comedic lens.

Emphasising the links between India and the UK, Pal said his comedy inspiration is Eddie Izzard. “She just makes you know, politics and history so accessibley,” he said.

Following the success of his BBC Radio Four show Empire-ical Evidence in 2018, Pal hopes his new Amazon Prime show “starts a conversation about empire”, he said.

More For You

Nepal’s new leader pledges to act on Gen Z calls to end corruption

Officials greet newly-elected Prime Minister of Nepal's interim government Sushila Karki (R) as she arrives at the prime minister's office in Kathmandu on September 14, 2025. (Photo by PRABIN RANABHAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Nepal’s new leader pledges to act on Gen Z calls to end corruption

NEPAL’s new interim prime minister Sushila Karki on Sunday (14) pledged to act on protesters’ calls to end corruption and restore trust in government, as the country struggles with the aftermath of its worst political unrest in decades.

“We have to work according to the thinking of the Gen Z generation,” Karki said in her first address to the nation since taking office on Friday (12). “What this group is demanding is the end of corruption, good governance and economic equality. We will not stay here more than six months in any situation. We will complete our responsibilities and hand over to the next parliament and ministers.”

Keep ReadingShow less
UK secures £1.25bn US investment ahead of Trump’s visit

US president Donald Trump and UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer arrive at Trump International Golf Links on July 28, 2025 in Balmedie, Scotland. (Photo by Jane Barlow-WPA Pool/Getty Images)

UK secures £1.25bn US investment ahead of Trump’s visit

THE British government has announced over £1.25 billion ($1.69bn) in fresh investment from major US financial firms, including PayPal, Bank of America, Citigroup and S&P Global, ahead of a state visit by president Donald Trump.

The investment is expected to create 1,800 jobs across London, Edinburgh, Belfast and Manchester, and deepen transatlantic financial ties, the Department for Business and Trade said.

Keep ReadingShow less
Nearly 150,000 join anti-migrant protest in London as clashes erupt

Protesters wave Union Jack and St George's England flags during the "Unite The Kingdom" rally on Westminster Bridge by the Houses of Parliament on September 13, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Christopher Furlong/Getty Images)

Nearly 150,000 join anti-migrant protest in London as clashes erupt

MORE THAN 100,000 protesters marched through central London on Saturday (13), carrying flags of England and Britain and scuffling with police in one of the UK's biggest right-wing demonstrations of modern times.

London's Metropolitan Police said the "Unite the Kingdom" march, organised by anti-immigrant activist Tommy Robinson, was attended by nearly 150,000 people, who were kept apart from a "Stand Up to Racism" counter-protest attended by around 5,000.

Keep ReadingShow less
Piyush Goyal

Piyush Goyal recalled that in February, Narendra Modi and Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Trade talks with US moving forward positively, says Indian minister Goyal

INDIA’s commerce and industry minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday said that negotiations on the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States, which began in March, are progressing in a positive atmosphere and both sides are satisfied with the discussions.

He recalled that in February, Indian prime minister Narendra Modi and US president Donald Trump had instructed their trade ministers to conclude the first phase of the bilateral trade agreement (BTA) by November 2025.

Keep ReadingShow less
West Midlands Police

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. (Representational image: iStock)

Woman raped in racially aggravated attack in Oldbury

A WOMAN in her 20s was raped in Oldbury in what police are treating as a racially aggravated attack.

West Midlands Police said they were called just before 08:30 BST on Tuesday, September 9, after the woman reported being attacked by two men near Tame Road. Officers said the men made a racist remark during the incident.

Keep ReadingShow less