Urooj Ashfaq is quickly becoming one of the most exciting voices in stand-up comedy – not just in India, but on the international stage. After years of building a loyal following with her sharp, playful humour and refreshingly honest storytelling, she made a major mark at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, winning the prestigious Best Newcomer Award. It was a breakthrough moment that catapulted her from popular Indian comic to a global name to watch.
Since then, she’s been touring internationally, selling out shows in India, the UK and beyond, and earning rave reviews for her mix of relatable comedy, bold observations and joyful absurdity. Now, she’s returning to London and Edinburgh with her latest show How To Be A Baddie, previewing at Soho Theatre in July before another much-anticipated run at the Fringe.
Ahead of her 2025 summer UK shows, Urooj shares her Top 10 Comedy Moments – from viral sketches and food deliveries to unexpected dance parties, shoutouts from comedy legends and her hopes for the Fringe this year.
Urooj shares her Top 10 Comedy MomentsInstagram/uroojashfaq
Participating in Queens of Comedy:
It was India’s first all-female comedy competition! We did formats of comedy in every round. It pushed me to create well on a timeline, and it taught me a lot about being on sets and shoots. More importantly, all the girls had a great time just giggling and crying through the whole thing together. It is lovely to have made the friendships I did on the show.
The Ahmedabad audience having a dance party at the end of my show in February 2025:
I was touring with my new show How To Be A Baddie in February, which I am previewing at Soho Theatre in London in July and bringing to the Fringe Festival in August. I was on my period that day and was lying face down in the green room in pain before the show. I have a section in my show where I read One Direction erotica – and a song by One Direction plays at the very end of my show! I think the audience that day was lovely. The show went so well – there was so much joy in the room, the audience had a giant dance party at the end and I couldn’t feel my cramps anymore.
Meeting Phoebe Waller-Bridge:
In 2023 at the Fringe Festival, I met Phoebe Waller-Bridge. She came to watch my show and hung out with us later. It was so kind of her, and we had the best time chatting with her. It’s a core Fringe memory for me forever.
Daniel Sloss gave me a shoutout after watching my show:
Another memory from the 2023 festival was when Daniel Sloss came to watch my show and liked it enough to recommend it to people to come watch, it was surreal! I was overjoyed by his warmth – and it helped my sales so much. Phew!
Winning Best Newcomer at the Fringe in 2023:
That was a very big year for me.
Doing food deliveries after starring in a viral comedy sketch by the comedy group AIB:
I starred in a sketch called If Apps Were People by AIB, a legendary Indian comedy group, back in 2016. The video did really well and I was a delivery girl for my sister’s breakfast and brunch service Eggcetra at the time. I would show up outside their rooms with the breakfast for students at a nearby fashion institute and they would open the door at 8 am bleary-eyed, looking like they had seen me before and they just couldn’t tell where. One time, a man recognised me and asked me, “Do you still take tips?” I said, “Yes sir, I’m pursuing a career in comedy, please tip me!”
Releasing my first YouTube video:
It is a big day in the life of an Indian comedian when we release our first YouTube video. It is our debut into the online world of comedy, and it really helps build our audience. My first video really helped me build that and be able to tour. It was a very important moment for me.
Playing Tara on Pushpavalli:
Pushpavalli is an iconic Indian comedy‐drama series on Amazon Prime created by Sumukhi Suresh. I played Tara in the duo Tara and Srishti, who are the Siamese twins of evil. Srishti was played (both were largely written) by the hilarious Sumaira Shaikh, who is my college mate and we started doing stand-up comedy together. It was so fun to be on set and shoot this series. The characters were so mean and evil and funny, we had the best time playing them.
Being a question on the Indian version of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire hosted by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan:
On Season 15, Episode 31 (I’m really casual about it), this specific question was asked: “Which Indian comic won the Best Newcomer award at the prestigious performing arts festival, Edinburgh Fringe?” The guest on the show that day was a legend in the Indian comedy scene, Zakir Khan. My entire family watches this show and they were stoked to see my name pop up, everybody called my parents and they expressed some pride about me. It was really sweet.
I’m saving this spot for something magical at Fringe 2025:
Maybe One Direction will come to my show and applaud my erotica reading, maybe I will be the first person in history to receive a 15-star review – “We had to increase the number of stars for her! She was just so good!!” Or maybe, just maybe, I will have a Fringe with zero cries in the meadows.
Urooj Ashfaq: How To Be A Baddie At Soho Theatre in central London from July 21-26. Then Monkey Barrel 4 at Monkey Barrel Comedy, 9-12 Blair Street, Edinburgh EH1 1QR from July 30 – August 24.
Sohotheatre.com and www.edfringe.com
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