Unveiling Urooj Ashfaq: How to Be a Baddie?

Unveiling Urooj Ashfaq: How to Be a Baddie?

Urooj Ashfaq, the surprise winner of the best newcomer award at the fringe, is back with a new show, "How to Be a Baddie?" addressing the criticism that her comedy lacks edge. Despite her unshakeable charm and amiability, Ashfaq aims to deliver a show with more edge this time around. She explains that the perception of her comedy being mild is a cultural misunderstanding, as back in India, she is not considered conservative. Ashfaq, a standup comedian in a country where such acts attract vigilante attention, cleverly responds to critics and explains her off-putting nature to both Hindu and Muslim men.

While the promised combative material on religion doesn't materialize, Ashfaq engages the audience by reading their horoscopes and incorporating crowd-work into her act. The show takes a bold turn with a standout section on erotica, where Ashfaq delves into the books that shaped her sexual awakening and even recites Indian-style One Direction fan fiction. The comedic heights reached in this segment are reminiscent of Sofie Hagen's teenage fanfic show, but Ashfaq brings her unique style to the literary epic, complete with jokes about Indian tweens' feelings towards their potential mothers-in-law.

The later sections of the show may not reach the same comedic peaks, with a segment on defending her sister's honor at school that may be edgier for those familiar with the Hindi term "randi." The show closes with a bit about Ashfaq's recent surgery for haemorrhoids, which doesn't quite deliver the expected comedic punch. Despite some ups and downs, Ashfaq proves that her success in 2023 was no fluke. Catch her show at Monkey Barrel, Edinburgh, until August 24th.