‘Dalits Are More Than Their Struggles’: Manjeet Sarkar Redefines Comedy and Caste Narratives

Manjeet Sarkar, a stand-up comedian and filmmaker, uses humor to challenge caste discrimination and redefine Dalit narratives. In a candid conversation with The Mooknayak he shares his journey, the making of ‘Untouchable: Laughing out Caste’, and his vision for global recognition of caste issues.

New Delhi- Over the last few years, the advent of social media has enabled the rise of artists from marginalized sections. Some of them have also used this opportunity to raise issues concerning downtrodden communities. Manjeet Sarkar is one such artist who has persistently used the stage of stand-up comedy to address caste discrimination while cracking jokes simultaneously. Manjeet was born and brought up in eastern India. He also had a stint in the corporate world before switching to full-time comedy.

Sarkar has attempted to enhance his narrative with a documentary titled Untouchable: Laughing out Caste. Sarkar is in Toronto for the screening of his film. The movie was screened at Fox Theatre in Toronto on 30th November to rave reviews and is set for another screening at the University of Toronto on 3rd December. Pratikshit Singh spoke to Sarkar to learn more about the film and his experiences in comedy.

How were you initiated into comedy?

I was born and brought up near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border (refuses to mention the exact location owing to security reasons). My childhood was like that of any other Dalit. My childhood is my nostalgia.

I wanted to be famous. I wanted attention and realized that comedians get a lot of attention, and it is a very easy tool to gain it. Once I saw a video of Dave Chappelle, and I thought it was very cool, and I wanted to be that guy. I did not have the privilege or the money to go (for comic shows in different cities). I have been performing since 2018 and have performed at various places, including the United Nations.

Tell us something about the film titled Untouchable: Laughing out Caste. How did the idea of the film come to mind?

The film talks about my life experiences and my expressions (shows) named Laughing out Caste. “Untouchable” because it talks about my story and anecdotes, and Laughing out Caste because it is related to my comedy. It’s titled Laughing out Caste because I make fun of caste. The film has a lot of caste jokes in it.

I always wanted to make a documentary because when I was growing up, I used to watch the comedy of artists belonging to the Black community. When I entered the stand-up comedy scene, I watched a lot of comedy by Black artists in the US. I observed how the Black comedy scene emerged in the US and how the LGBTQ movement crept into the comedy scene, which was very fascinating for me.

Also, I noticed that many movies based on Dalits were made by upper castes, but they depicted only the sad stories, as if Dalits did not have any other emotions besides sadness. I wanted to show how cool Dalits are. When we show the plight of Dalits, the rest of the world feels superior to them. I was the coolest guy in school despite being bullied, and I wanted that cool factor to reflect in my performance and inspire Dalit kids.

The film is entirely funded by me.

I Want to Show the World How Cool Dalits Are.

Manjeet Sarkar

Why are you screening the film in Canada?

Apart from collecting some money, I want the world to watch the film. I want to go global. Indian people know about caste but still ignore it. I want people all over the world to recognize it. They should be made aware of it. I also want to see if my humor works with different races. That is the least I can do as a comedian.

Tell us something about the documentary film’s schedule. When will people in India get to see it?

On 30th November, there was a screening of the final draft at Fox Theatre in Toronto. On 3rd December, we are doing a screening at the University of Toronto. Next year, on 5th January, Bengaluru is the venue. On 1st February, we are having a big screening in Bombay. Since I have to show the film at festivals, where released films are no longer accepted, the release of the film is only possible by 2026. Meanwhile, my 1-hour comedy stand-up special is coming out, which I will upload on YouTube.

Can you share some of your experiences with caste, whether in your village or in Bengaluru, where you have worked?

I don’t want to answer this because this is what the upper castes want. When they hear sad stories, they feel good about it. Rather, I want to show them how good life is — he has an iPhone, he has an iPad, he flies business class — because then they feel bad about it.

In an interview, you mentioned the difference between empathizing and sympathizing. Can you please elucidate with examples?

Savarna people cannot empathize because they do not belong to that community and have not faced its struggles. Sympathizing with someone is a fake thing because it makes you feel better without doing anything. Babasaheb Ambedkar is the perfect example of empathy. He provided reservations for Dalits and voting rights for women of every caste. He addressed the problems of society as a whole without any bias. People who sympathize, on the other hand, often harbor some bias.

Stand-up comedians, irrespective of gender, often use cuss words and abuses that are not family-friendly. Vulgarity seems to have crept in to the extent that it appears indispensable. How would you justify this?

(Laughing) Who decides what we can say or not? I guess some Brahmin decided this a couple of years back. Comedy is all about being true to yourself, being right. All the people who complain about vulgarity are the ones who abuse the most. Art is just a reflection of society. In India, when we go outside, we see people beating their wives, getting drunk, committing crimes, or doing something good — and they have invectives in their mouths. It is a constant. Someone is having a good time; he is abusing. It’s everywhere in our society, and it is reflected in comedy.

If you ask me why we use such words, the artistic explanation would be that it enhances the punchline and makes it more authentic and sharper for the audience. Philosophically, I would say it’s the society — the politicians are abusing, and it gets beeped; the news media slips their tongue and abuses, and memes are made on it. Even someone like me, who didn’t know Hindi, is exposed to Hindi gaalis (abusive words) because of their widespread use. Comedians are caught because they intentionally use these words. In India, there are many arranged marriages. How is that family-friendly? Isn’t that disgusting?

Manjeet, as a comedian who has made a mark in the landscape of comedy, what suggestions would you give, and what challenges can aspiring Dalit comedians face?

You have to work on the craft for years. Once you know the craft, you’ll learn how to write jokes. You have to write your own jokes and perform at open mics, where you perform in front of several strangers along with others. You should be mentally prepared for a lot of mental exhaustion and sacrifices. For example, even on weekends, you may not get time to spend with your family.

For people belonging to the Dalit community, I would say they will have to face extra challenges. You can’t be a bad comedian from the Dalit community because they will tear you apart.

Courtesy: The Mooknayak

Note: This news is originally published in themooknayak.com and is used completely for non-profit/non-commercial purposes especially for human rights.