Jokesters lead the fight for free expression in India Economist Nov 15th 2025 Jokesters lead the fight for free expression in India
Indeed some Indian comedians feel they have an obligation to stand
up and be heard. “Censorship has captured most of the arts,”
explains Vinay Shukla, a documentary film-maker. “Over the last ten
years, comics have taken on the establishment much more directly
than other art forms.” Films, television shows and plays require
funding and a crew—and often need an official censor’s approval.
Books need publishers. Comedy, by contrast, is decentralised:
comedians speak for themselves and need only a microphone. Their
mode is cheap, portable and, in the age of social media, easily
disseminated: comics can speak to the nation from a single stage or
desk. “Kunal Kamra would be recognised at any airport,” says Mr
Shukla.