Comedy on every continent: The Rajiv Satyal Story

They say humor is contagious & my first meeting with Rajiv Satyal reinforced this! There was never a dull moment talking to him; his anecdotes on life and people were inspiring as also entertaining.

His journey from an engineering student in Ohio to a prominent comedian in California embodies the American Dream with a comedic twist. Born to Punjabi immigrants and raised in a disciplined, education-focused household in Cincinnati, Rajiv’s path was unconventional. Though he loved his Procter & Gamble position, he made a life-changing decision at the age of 30.

“The move was terrifying; it’s one thing to say, ‘just go for it,’ but quite another to actually do it. I realized that while any intelligent person could do my day job, only I could express myself creatively the way that I do.”

Driven by this realization, he packed his bags and moved to California to pursue comedy full-time, facing financial risks and the daunting prospect of starting over.

Rajiv has opened for Russell Peters over 30 times, as well as for Dave Chappelle, Jerry Seinfeld, and Indian PM Narendra Modi. His “I AM INDIAN” video went viral with over 100 million views, cementing his place in comedy. However, Rajiv learned that success in comedy is not linear.

“Roadblocks aren’t linear; some big opportunities to you might not be to others. I’ve achieved things that blow me away and missed things that seemed easy.”

As he observed the changing portrayal of the Indian diaspora in US media, Rajiv felt a greater sense of belonging and embraced the rising competition in a diverse comedy scene. He advises aspiring comedians to stay true to their humor, believing that audience enjoyment follows naturally: “If you’re having fun, the audience will too.”