Mumbai-based standup sensation Urooj Ashfaq brings award-winning ‘Oh No! show to Bristol

Based in Mumbai, Gen Z comic Urooj Ashfaq is a huge star of the stand-up scene in India with a fast-growing fan base.

She first began performing at regular open-mic nights at 21, and has since made a name for herself as a standup, writer and actor with an endearing presence and a strong and candid comic sensibility.

Brought over by Soho Theatre India to perform at her debut Edinburgh Fringe in 2023 to much critical acclaim, she went on to win the Best Newcomer award for her show Oh No!, with which she is now touring the UK.

Ahead of her date at the Hen and Chicken Studio on February 1, Ashfaq spoke to Bristol24/7 about her relationship with her art.

How do you view your rapid ascent within the UK comedy landscape since winning the Best Newcomer award at the Edinburgh Fringe?

“Ooo have I ascended? That’s great! I view it as a really good thing, and I hope I can keep whatever it is I’m doing up forever and ever. If not, then we can come back to this interview to discuss my rapid descent.”

In terms of your own style of comedy, how connected do you feel to the standup scenes both within India and in the UK?

“I feel most connected to the standup scene in India of course, because this is my home ground; it’s where I’ve learnt standup comedy, and it’s also where I can be the most myself.

“In terms of the UK scene, I feel greatly appreciated there. I love performing for UK audiences because they seem to be up for anything and I really enjoy that sense of freedom!”

Who were your own comedic inspirations growing up, and what made you make the jump into trying it yourself?

“I saw a lot of Bollywood comedy movies growing up. Johnny Lever is an Indian comedian (he is a star!) whom I adore and I used to love watching Amy Poehler do anything at all.

“I started watching standup comedy much later, and I like and look up to a lot of standup comics like James Acaster, Bridget Christie and Brian Regan. I started doing open mics myself mainly because I didn’t get into any of the colleges I applied to and I was forced to take a ‘gap year’.”

Are there ways in which you can make a personal experience (a generation-specific observation, or an ancedote about a family member) relatable to a wider audience?

“Yes, and I’m sure there are multiple ways to do this, but the way I usually try to do it is to focus on the emotion or the feeling that drives the anecdote or the observation. Since we’ve all felt most feelings, that really helps.”

In what ways is comedy a cathartic process for you?

“Mostly comedy is painful till you find the right or funniest way to talk about something difficult on stage. Then, when it starts getting laughs and becomes material that people can relate to, you feel seen, and it becomes cathartic. And when you start making money off your pain is when you really start to get over it.”

Urooj Ashfaq: Oh No! is at the Hen & Chicken Studio on February 1 at 8pm. Tickets are available at www.thecomedybox.co.uk.

All photos: Jonny Ruff

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