Disparagement Humour as a Means for Social Exclusion: Examining the Day-to-Day Casteism in Indian Stand-Up Comedy

In May 2021, almost five years after its publication, a clip featuring comedian Neville Shah cracking a joke on caste-based reservations resurfaced on social media. The clip sparked a social media outrage. Netizens took to various social media platforms to share earlier statements and clips of several known comics and public personalities, calling them out for their casteist, communal, and sexist remarks. Quite similar to the concept of ‘ironic racism’, casual casteism in the Indian stand-up scene is often camouflaged under the banner of woke, witty humour, apparently delivered with the sole intention of pushing boundaries, rather than endorsing prejudiced behaviour. The element of offensiveness is rampant in stand-up comedy, however certain variations can be seen in the intentions and consequences of the jokes which might qualify as being that of the nature of insult comedy. While references to caste find their way into several stand-up shows, the nature of its presence in different scripts is mostly distinguishable. In this chapter, the author examines how popular Indian comedy reflects the broader outlook of Indian society towards caste and casteist stereotypes. Through an analysis of casteist jokes and statements from popular comedians, this chapter challenges the notion that questioning social hierarchies is the principal purpose behind casteist comments in comedic performances. Through a social media analysis, the author tries to examine the receptions and reactions to casteist remarks in Indian comedy and concludes with a focus on the social effects of such content in strengthening bigotry. It also becomes imperative to question the performer’s complete disregard for Bahujan audiences when resorting to the usage of casteist abuse in scripting comic content. This allows one to assume that such entertainment aims to cater to viewers hailing from certain sections of society only, consequently establishing its exclusionary nature. Taking offense at comedy is often dismissed as irrelevant, without taking into consideration the groups or individuals at the receiving end of disparaging jokes, or the social implications of such content when viewed against the backdrop of a certain socio-political environment. When stand-up comedy, as an important form of expression, is used to reinforce the social exclusion of oppressed groups rather than to make room for them, it perhaps becomes only fitting to acknowledge the fine line between humour and offense.