This event is part of 2023 Melbourne International Comedy Festival.
Comedy Zone Asia is back with a Best of edition delivering fan favourites and exciting discoveries in one very special big show! Diverse, dynamic and downright hilarious, the show features the current finest and funniest voices from across Asia, together for a dose of cross-cultural laughs in what will be the Festival must-see of 2023!
Douglas Lim (Malaysia)
Synonymous with comedy in Malaysia, Douglas’ wit and comedic observations have garnered numerous awards locally and regionally, including Best Actor in a Comedy in the Asian Television Awards and he’s earned himself a spot in the Malaysian Book of Records for his outstanding viewership reach on social media.
Since his Festival debut with Comedy Zone Asia in 2017, Douglas has twice returned and stormed two Gala appearances, recorded for ABCTV where he became known as “the guy with the nice jacket”.
Sakdiyah Ma’ruf (Indonesia)
Celebrated as Indonesia’s first Muslim female stand-up comic, Sakdiyah uses humour to make sense of her place in a changing Indonesia. The comedian, activist and two-time TEDx speaker received the Vaclav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent and was recognised on the BBC’s 100 Women list and Cultural Frontline’s 12 Artists that Changed the World.
Anirban Dasgupta (India)
Kolkata-born, Mumbai-based Anirban is a stand-up comedian and writer with a sprawling, storytelling style. Since leaving behind his career as corporate salesman, Anirban has headlined at major comedy clubs and festivals around India and released his first special Take It Easy on Amazon Prime Video to rave reviews. Expect personal stories, sardonic cynicism and big laughs from this smart, relatable star.
Fakkah Fuzz (Singapore)
The bald and bearded man of Singaporean comedy has been trailblazing through the urban totalitarian seriousness of Singapore with his heavyweight punchlines and swag for a decade. Cementing his popularity, Fuzz’s hour special of outspoken humour Almost Banned has been released on Netflix worldwide garnering buzz from critiques, critics and Kopitiam critters alike.
Sonali Thakker (India)
Sonali made her mark on the Indian stand up circuit with her debut solo show Almost There, which she toured nationally across 17 cities to sold out crowds and rave reviews. Her comedy contains detailed insights into topics she’s most familiar with – that being, herself.
She has performed across the biggest stages in the country and festivals including the NH7 weekender, The Kala Ghoda Arts Festival (Mumbai) and most recently collaborated with Netflix and Amazon Prime to create Marvellous Ms. Sonali Thakker.
