Samay Raina’s Still Alive: A moving second act of the ‘cancelled’ Indian comic

His experience mirrors a wider shift in Indian comedy. What was once a small, urban, English-speaking circuit has grown into a far bigger, more diverse scene, powered by YouTube and Instagram, where comics can reach millions directly. Live shows have surged too, drawing large audiences across cities and smaller towns alike, with regional-language comedy playing a big role in that expansion.