Zarna Garg
| Zarna Garg | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 15, 1975 India |
| Nationality | Indian, American |
| Education | University of Akron Case Western Reserve University |
| Years active | 2018-present |
| Spouse | Shalabh Garg |
| Children | 3 |
Zarna Garg (born February 15, 1975)[1] is an Indian-American stand-up comedian and screenwriter. CNBC described her as "the zany, outspoken voice of the Indian American woman."[2] She is also a New York Times bestselling author.
Early life, family and education
Born in India, Zarna lived in Mumbai as a teenager. Her mother died of jaundice when Zarna was fourteen.[3] Her father demanded that Zarna get married the day after the death. Rather than have an arranged marriage, Zarna moved out of the house and stayed with friends and family.[4]
Eventually, she emigrated to the United States, relocating to live with her sister in Akron, Ohio.[2][5]
She earned a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Akron, and a Juris Doctor degree from the Case Western Reserve University School of Law.[6] After being a stay-at-home mother for 16 years, she was encouraged by her children to try stand-up comedy.[7]
Career
Garg first performed at an open mic in New York City in 2018,[5] and her first official standup show was in February 2019 at Carolines on Broadway in New York City.[3] Her debut romantic comedy screenplay Rearranged won the Best Comedy Screenplay Award at the 2019 Austin Film Festival, and was also a 2019 Academy Nicholl Fellowships Semi-Finalist.[8]
In 2021, Garg won Kevin Hart's comedy competition on Peacock, Lyft Comics.[9] She also won the Ladies of Laughter Award in the Newcomer Winner category.[10] In 2022 she was highlighted as "one of the gutsiest women comedians in America" in Gutsy on Apple TV, hosted by Hillary Clinton and Chelsea Clinton.[11][12] She appeared on Tamron Hall,[13] Today,[14] and This American Life[15] to discuss how her daughter Zoya inspired her to start her stand up comedy career. She then made a second appearance on This American Life with her husband, Shalabh. She was named one of "Variety's 10 Comics to Watch for 2023."[16]
Her first comedy special, Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, was released on Prime Video on May 16, 2023. It was filmed in September 2022 at Gramercy Theatre in New York City.[12] "Quick set-ups, rapid-fire punchlines ... Zarna has the kind of presence that powers network sitcoms," said Jason Zinoman of The New York Times.[17] Her follow up special, Practical People Win, was released on Hulu on July 18, 2025.[18][19]
Garg's memoir This American Woman was released on April 29, 2025 and is a New York Times bestseller.[20]
She starred in A Nice Indian Boy as the mother of the Gavaskar family. The film premiered at the SXSW film festival[21] and is a New York Times Critic's Pick.[22]
She is currently opening for Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's tour and touring her next stand-up hour, Practical People Win, in the US and internationally. She is also touring her podcast The Zarna Garg Show.
Personal life
In 1998 Zarna married Shalabh Garg in the USA. They met on an online platform. They have three children together and live in New York City.[23]
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | To the Letter | Asha | Voice, Short film |
| 2023 | Zarna Garg: One in a Billion Amazon | Self | Also writer |
| 2023 | The Zarna Garg Show: Family Podcast | Self | Producer |
| 2024 | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon | Self | Guest |
| 2024 | A Nice Indian Boy | Megha Gavaskar | Actress |
| 2025 | Zarna Garg: Practical People Win | Self | Also writer |
References
- ^ Kokra, Sonali (October 9, 2023). "Meet Zarna Garg: The Indian mother whose comedy is taking the US by storm". The National.
- ^ a b "Zarna Garg: the zany, outspoken voice of the Indian-American woman". cnbctv18.com. 18 January 2020. Retrieved 2021-06-01.
- ^ a b Dutt, Ela (6 October 2020). "She calls herself 'The Funny Brown Mom': comedian Zarna Garg". News India Times. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ Power, T. (July 18, 2025). "Zarna Garg treats comedy as a business, not an art form". CBC. Retrieved July 18, 2025.
- ^ a b Kelsch, Carl (12 May 2023). "Zarna Garg's New Stand-Up Special Is a Family Affair". Harpers Bazaar. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ Biswas, Swarnendu (29 March 2022). "All About Zarna Garg". Seema.com. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ McCarthy, Sean (16 May 2023). "'Zarna Garg: One In A Billion' On Prime Video, An Indian Immigrant Mom Releases Her Debut Comedy Special". Decider.com. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ Ramos, Dino-Ray (2020-02-18). "Sanjay Sharma's Marginal Mediaworks Sets South Asian Rom-Com 'Rearranged' From Zarna Garg". Deadline. Retrieved 2020-12-16.
- ^ Which Comedian Will Win This Head-to-Head Undercover Challenge? | LYFT COMICS (Eps. 1), 30 August 2021, retrieved 2021-12-19
- ^ "Ladies of Laughter®". Ladies of Laughter®. Retrieved 2023-03-18.
- ^ "'Gutsy' Apple TV Plus Review: Stream It Or Skip It?". 9 September 2022. Retrieved 2022-09-13.
- ^ a b Patten, Dominic (6 April 2023). "Zarna Garg Lands First Comedy Special, Gets May Premiere Date On Prime Video". Deadline. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
- ^ Comedian Zarna Garg Went From Being a Stay-At-Home Mom to a Social Media Star, 16 September 2022, retrieved 2022-09-21
- ^ "Episode dated 7 January 2023", IMDb, retrieved 2023-01-24
- ^ "Comedy Duo". This American Life. 2022-09-17. Retrieved 2022-09-21.
- ^ Derschowitz, Jenelle Riley,Paul Plunkett,Charna Flam,Nick Clement,Courtney Howard,Jessica (2023-07-19). "Zarna Garg, Leanne Morgan, Brian Simpson Among Variety's 10 Comics to Watch for 2023". Variety. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Five Stand-Up Specials for the Long Holiday Weekend
- ^ Grobar, Matt (2024-11-07). "Zarna Garg Sets Stand-Up Special With Hulu". Deadline. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ Sahay, Alisha (July 18, 2025). "Zarna Garg's Auntie Bit Is Authentic As Hell — And We Can't Get Enough Of It".
- ^ "Hardcover Nonfiction Books - Best Sellers - Books - The New York Times". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ South by Southwest
- ^ Azzopardi, Chris (2025-04-03). "'A Nice Indian Boy' Review: Meet-Cute at a Hindu Temple". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2025-05-13.
- ^ Mauch, Ally (November 11, 2021). "Comedian Zarna Garg Jokes About 'Trashing' Her Family: 'It Comes Easily to Me'". People. Retrieved 2021-12-19.