Many Indian American comedians have already made their own space in the film industry and found big success in making the world laugh. It is not fair to compare them as each have their own characteristics and style. However, we are listing five successful Indian Americans, who made it big in stand-up comedy.

Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari began his career performing stand-up comedy in New York City in mid-2000 while attending New York University. The 34-year-old is also an actor, writer, producer, and director. Ansari is best known for his role as Tom Haverford on the NBC series Parks and Recreation (2009-2015) and a creator, writer, and star of the Netflix series Master of None, which started in 2015. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, to Tamil Muslim parents, Ansari released his debut CD/DVD on Comedy Central Records in 2010, and tours nationally as a stand-up comedian between his acting commitments. In 2015, Ansari managed to slot into sixth place on Forbes’ list of the highest paid comedians with his annual earning reaching $9.5 million.

Mindy Kaling

Vera Mindy Chokalingam, known professionally as Mindy Kaling is an actress, comedian, and author. Born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, she started doing stand-up in New York City where she worked as a production assistant. She is best known as the creator and star of the Hulu sitcom The Mindy Project, which is originally aired on Fox and the NBC sitcom The Office.

Aasif Mandvi

Aasif Hakim Mandviwala, known professionally as Aasif Mandvi began appearing as an occasional contributing correspondent on The Daily Show in 2006. The 51-year-old Mandvi is also an actor appeared in Mystic Masseur, Sex and the City, Law and Order and Miami Vice. He also the lead actor, co-writer, and producer of the web series Halal In The Family that premiered on Funny or Die in 2015. Mandvi is also the actor, writer, and co-producer of the HBO comedy series The Brink.

Dan Nainan

Bloomington, Indiana,-born Dan Nainan is the son of a nuclear physicist from Kerala and a child psychologist from Japan. He served as a senior engineer with Intel Corporation and it was during that time he accidentally came across the world of stand-up comedy. His performance at a consumer electronics show in Las Vegas created an impression among the audience that he had been hired as a professional comedian. He also performed in this year’s All American Inaugural Ball.

Russell Peters

Toronto-born Russell Dominic Peters attributes his 2004 performance on the Canadian TV comedy show Comedy Now!, which was uploaded onto YouTube and became viral, as the turning point in his career. The 46-year-comedian, who currently lives in Los Angeles, released his debut comedy album Outsourced in 2006 and a second DVD/CD combo Red, White and Brown in Canada in 2008, and in the US in early 2009. Peters made it to the Forbes list as the third-highest-paid comedian in 2013 with a whopping $21 million. In 2015, he ranked 4^th with earnings of $19 million.

Along with these five, Hasan Minhaj, who roasted President Trump during the White House Correspondents’ dinner in April this year, Paul Varghese, who is best known for the hit reality show Last Comic Standing 2, Vidur Kapur, a gay Indian American stand-up comic, and Hari Kondabolu, who is also best known for comedy on subjects like race, identity and inequity all deserve a place on the list of best Indian American stand-up comedians along with the rising names including Aparna Nancherla, Asif Ali, Raajeev Aggerwhil, and Alingon Mitra.

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