Desi SNL
Written by Azhar Bande-Ali
Presented by Needle Films
Presented by the New York City Fringe Festival
April 3, 6, 13, 18 2026.
Azhar Bande-Ali and a cast of wonderful comedians took to the stage at wild project last week for the opening of ‘Desi SNL,’ a comedy show structured like the late night show we all know and (some of us) love. The opening monologue, performed by Bande-Ali, set the tone for the night; dating as a brown person, needing control over the outcome, intense family dynamics were key themes throughout each live or pre-recorded sketch.
It was exciting to see a group of South Asian comedians commit so fully to each character and story they were telling, but the biggest thing that stuck out to me was how the script itself refused to be put into a silo. Normally when the word ‘Desi’ is used, the content tends to focus
entirely on just the Indian experience, or one place in the entire subcontinent. What I really appreciated about these sketches were that the characters were from different countries, with different religious backgrounds, yet all the jokes landed with the entire audience. Sitting in a theater, laughing at the same time regardless of the specificity of the cultural context reminded me that those of us in the diaspora are much more similar than we are different. Our parents have similar mannerisms, we approach love in the same way, and we have similar struggles.
As a childhood SNL fan, I never considered what it might have looked like if those same sketches were written and performed by an entirely Desi team. The comedy itself had the same tone and style as what we see on TV, but the references were specific and hilarious to see onstage. I have to take a moment to also appreciate the final sketch. There’s nothing like a good Bollywood song that’ll get the aunties up and dancing in a theatre.
If you find yourself in the East Village during the Fringe Festival, consider going to see this show. It’s a funny, warm and joyful experience.
Review by Niranjani Reddi.
Published by Theatre Beyond Broadway on April 6, 2026. All rights reserved.
