The Awkward Indian Guy Act

The show is about being an outsider trying to fit in and find a sense of belonging.

I came to New Zealand at the age of 8, from India, and tried to blend into the culture and society but never quite felt like I did. That feeling of not belonging swelled through my teens and continued into my early 20s until, at the age of 25, I found out I have autism spectrum disorder.

This discovery came as an epiphany and a relief to me – I’m not the only one! I realised I’ve felt like an outsider not just because I’m an Indian immigrant but predominantly due to my neurochemistry. (Autism is sometimes referred to as Alien Syndrome because we can feel like we’re from another planet and aren’t quite human. Sidenote to the parenthesis: there's a theory that autistic people are remnants of Neanderthal DNA in Sapiens, so maybe not quite human…)

The ultimate message of the show is that I find the place I feel like I most belong is on stage as a stand-up comedian. I find myself, my purpose, my calling in and through the act! This might be the show that changes your life!

Fringe in the ‘Stings is coming to shake up Hastings. In the first two weeks of October the beating heart of Heretaunga is given over to diverse quirky performance. There’s baroque and burlesque, cabaret and comedy, theatre and thrash metal, all at low prices making FitS a festival for everyone.