Categories
Comedy, Comedy Show, Film, Good For Singles, Indoor / Outdoor Event, Live Entertainment, Performing Arts
# Desi Comedy Fest SoCal Tour – Ontario Improv
**America's largest South Asian comedy festival comes to Ontario!**
Get ready for an unforgettable night of stand-up comedy as Desi Comedy Fest brings 6 hilarious comedians to Ontario Improv! From sharp cultural observations to outrageous personal stories, this lineup delivers diverse perspectives, unique comedic styles, and plenty of laughs.
## MEET THE COMEDIANS
**AHMED BHAROOCHA**
Ahmed Bharoocha is a stand-up comedian, actor, and writer known for his sharp social commentary, absurd observations, and high-energy storytelling. Half Irish Catholic and half Pakistani-Indian-Burmese-Muslim, Ahmed draws from his multicultural background and offbeat perspective on life. He has appeared on Conan, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and Comedy Central, where he starred in his own half-hour special.
**RAJIV SATYAL**
Rajiv Satyal is a Los Angeles-based Indian-American comedian whose smart, clean comedy blends cultural observations, personal stories, and sharp social commentary. Originally from Cincinnati, Rajiv holds the distinction of being the only person to perform stand-up comedy on all 7 continents. He has opened for Dave Chappelle, Russell Peters, Sebastian Maniscalco, Jo Koy, and Tim Allen, and has been featured by Netflix, Amazon, NPR, and The New York Times.
**PALLAVI GUNALAN**
Pallavi Gunalan is a stand-up comedian, writer, actor, and former biomedical engineer whose comedy explores family, relationships, culture, and everyday absurdities. She has written for Lovett or Leave It, appeared on Dropout, and performed at SF Sketchfest and the New York Comedy Festival. Pallavi has opened for Jay Leno, Arsenio Hall, Maria Bamford, and Bassem Youssef. She also produces Facial Recognition Comedy, a nationally touring showcase of Middle Eastern, North African, and South Asian women.
**DJ SANDHU**
DJ Sandhu is a Sacramento-based comedian whose razor-sharp wit, absurd observations, and unmistakable stage presence have made him a favorite with audiences across North America. He has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the World Series of Comedy, and shared the stage with Russell Peters, Theo Von, Sinbad, and Tommy Davidson. Born to Punjabi parents, DJ turns cultural identity, travel mishaps, and everyday absurdities into unforgettable laughs.
**SAMSON KOLETKAR**
Samson Koletkar, aka Mahatma Moses, is the world's only Indian Jewish stand-up comedian. His comedy blends his Indian upbringing, Jewish roots, and American life with wit, warmth, and a refreshingly clean style. He has performed across the U.S., Canada, and India, and has been featured on NPR, NBC, CBS, NDTV, and The Times of India. Samson is the co-founder of Desi Comedy Fest and founder of Comedy Oakland, voted Best Comedy Night by East Bay Express from 2016–2025.
**ABHAY NADKARNI**
Abhay Nadkarni is a third-culture comedian born in Delhi, raised in Doha and Bangalore, and now navigating American absurdity with a global perspective. Featured as a New Face at Montreal's prestigious Just For Laughs festival, Abhay has also performed at the Melbourne Comedy Festival. With over 100,000 online followers, his comedy combines silly jokes with sharp observations. His debut comedy special, Brown Jesus, is streaming on Amazon Prime. Abhay is the co-founder of Desi Comedy Fest.
## ABOUT DESI COMEDY FEST
Founded in 2014 by comedians Samson Koletkar and Abhay Nadkarni, Desi Comedy Fest is America's largest South Asian comedy festival.
What began as a San Francisco Bay Area comedy festival has grown into a nationally touring celebration of South Asian comedic talent, entertaining audiences in New York, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Texas, and beyond.
The festival showcases comedians from diverse backgrounds, bringing audiences together through humor that explores family, relationships, marriage, immigration, cultural identity, and the universal absurdities of everyday life.
**You don't have to be South Asian to get the jokes. You just have to love great comedy!**
**All performances are in English.**
Whether you're planning a date night, an evening with friends, or looking for live entertainment in the Inland Empire, Desi Comedy Fest brings together an exceptional lineup of comedians for a night filled with laughter.
**One stage. 6 comedians. Countless laughs.**
Visit DesiComedyFest.com for tickets and more information.
Event Links
Tickets: https://go.evvnt.com/3896527-0
Facebook: https://go.evvnt.com/3896527-2
Instagram: https://go.evvnt.com/3896527-3
YouTube: https://go.evvnt.com/3896527-4
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/3896527-5
