Behind the laughter: Unmasking gender bias in the stand-up comedy circuit

Don't just humour us, say women comedians as they battle stereotypes, trolling and pay disparity

After a gruelling week at work, what better way to unwind than with a night of laughter? As India's stand-up comedy culture flourishes, comic gigs have become the go-to destination for entertainment, with ticketed shows at cafés, auditoriums, live streams on social media and performances on over-the-top (OTT) platforms.

However, like many industries, the world of entertainment has struggled with gender disparity. Stand-up comedy is no exception. Delving into the data from online ticketing platform BookMyShow, it becomes evident that women-led shows are still a rarity on the comedy circuit.

The Delhi-National Capital Region has 198 comedy shows lined up