Following a successful debut hour, comedian Rajiv Karia is back at the Edinburgh Fringe with ‘Man Alive!’, a show that explores what it means to truly feel alive whether it’s the big life moments like getting married or the quiet absurdities of modern life.
With his trademark laid-back delivery and whip-smart observations, Rajiv weaves together themes of love, existential anxiety, family, and self-improvement into an hour that’s equal parts funny and reflective.
Asian Voice spoke to Rajiv about the new show, what’s changed since his first outing, and why stand-up remains his creative home.
What was the inspiration behind ‘Man Alive!’?
There’s a lot of inspiration behind the show. At its core, it’s a stand-up comedy show, so it’s full of little stories: things that have happened to me, observations I’ve made, and reflections on my experiences. But it also goes deeper. It’s about identity, race, masculinity, and my life as a comedian. One of the threads running through it is this comparison between my own life and the lives of my dad and uncles. I explore the idea that maybe I would have been more content if I’d followed the path they took. So, in the show, I create a kind of “formula” for how to become a classic brown uncle and I break down whether or not I’ve managed to live up to that.
How are you feeling right now, especially with this being the second set? What has changed since the first?
A major shift in my life since my last show is that I got married and a lot of the material in this new show reflects that, stories about being married and how life has evolved since then. Aside from that, not much else has changed. This show is also about telling stories I didn’t get to share the first time around. During your first show, you're still figuring things out—how to structure things, how to land the punchlines. Now I’m trying to revisit some of those stories and tell them better. The goal is to create a show that’s stronger than the last one.
Is there any nervousness at all?
These days, it’s less about stage fright and more about making sure the show is the best it can be. I’ve been doing this long enough that I don’t usually get nervous before going on stage—unless it’s a really big gig. What’s nice about the Fringe is that it becomes part of your daily routine. You start to operate on this rhythm: “Okay, I’ve got to do this, then that, then my show.” Everyone has their own ritual. For me, I need an hour alone before the show to sit quietly and go through my routine. That structure helps calm the nerves.
How does your identity as a South Asian person influence the work you do—the projects you create, how your mind works, and the way you approach creativity?
There’s a lot in the show about my identity. It’s an interesting one, because I do think it’s important to talk about your ethnic background but I’m also always trying to second-guess the audience. I like to stay one step ahead of what they might expect. I want to speak honestly about my experience as a South Asian person, but sometimes I also enjoy subverting expectations; saying the unexpected just to catch the audience off guard. That said, it's not just about ethnicity. My identity is shaped by my family as well, and I talk a lot about them on stage ad what it’s like being South Asian in the UK and growing up as a second-generation immigrant. Honestly, I think identity fuels every stand-up show in some way, and it definitely fuels mine.
Do you ever feel like, 'I wish there comes a day when people would stop asking me about my South Asian heritage'?
I never judge anyone for asking about it because honestly, it’s part of the deal. If you’re a comic and you’re not white, there’s this unspoken expectation that you’ll say something about it. It doesn’t have to be your whole act, and you can choose how much or how little you want to talk about your race, but you do have to acknowledge it. It’s just one of those weird rules in comedy. I don’t mind talking about it. It is a big part of my identity. But at the same time, it’s also kind of mundane. That’s the funny thing about race; when you do a stand-up show, people are like, “Wow, tell us about your race!” And I’m like, “I just wake up like this. It’s not that special to me.” But that’s the art of stand-up: sharing your experience with people who have a different one. So you do have to think about what sets you apart and for me, race is one of those things.
As someone who’s worked in television and also performed on stage, what’s your preferred format? How do you most enjoy presenting yourself and your work?
For me, performing live stand-up is still at the heart of it all. With stand-up, though, you have complete creative control. My new show starts next week, and I alone decide what goes into that hour. No one’s going to stop me or edit it down; I make all the decisions. That’s incredibly satisfying. It’s also a lot of fun. I still love watching live comedy too, going to the Fringe and seeing my friends' shows or discovering new ones. It’s such a rewarding environment.
Television is also amazing and I’ve really enjoyed being part of TV projects whether acting, writing, or working within a writers’ team. TV reaches a much wider audience and involves a lot more people in the production process, which however means you often have to make compromises. You’re working as part of an extended team, and everything has to go through compliance checks.
So yes, I’ll keep doing TV, I enjoy it and want to keep being part of it. But stand-up comedy is where it all begins and where my heart really is.
