About the Show
Price: $25 GA, $40-$45 reserved
When: Wednesday 7:30
Spotlight: Badar Tareen’s BrownTown isn’t just a comedy show – it’s a fan-favorite celebration of top South Asian comedians (e.g., Indian, Pakistani, etc.) from across the nation. As the DMV’s largest South Asian stand-up show, every BrownTown performance has sold out, and it’s now debuting at the DC Improv. Expect a night of high-energy, hilarious comedy with some of the best and brownest comedians around. This particular show includes outstanding comics like Pallavi Gunalan from Los Angeles, who performs regularly at clubs like the Comedy Store, and nationally touring headliner Vik Pandya (NBC, Dry Bar) from Chicago. Additionally, the show includes a wildly popular Q&A where Badar, also a civil rights lawyer, poses outrageous, unrehearsed questions about race to a white comedian.
Featuring: Badar Tareen, Vik Pandya, Pallavi Gunalan, Vick Krishna, and Kathryn Gongaware
About the Comics
Badar Tareen is a civil rights attorney by day and an award-winning stand-up comedian by night. Known for his analytical, energetic, and unique comedy, Badar captivates audiences with his sharp wit and engaging presence, drawing rich material from his day job, family, and background as a Pakistani Muslim who grew up in a small town in North Dakota. He regularly opens for Zarna Garg, including her show at the Dubai Opera, and has opened for Aparna Nancherla at the Kennedy Center. Badar has also performed alongside comedians like Akaash Singh, Tony Woods, and Marcello Hernandez, and has been featured at over a dozen comedy festivals, performing at clubs across the US, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. In 2024, he was selected to headline his own show at the DC Capital Fringe Festival.
Instagram: @badartareen
Vik Pandya is a nationally touring stand-up comic based in Chicago. Known for his sharp self-deprecation, observational humor on dating, & hilarious crowd work, his comedy album 'Friends With 401(k) Benefits' debuted #1 on iTunes / Top 10 on the Billboard Charts. Vik’s Dry Bar Comedy special ‘No Refunds’ hit Top 10 on the platform, and his OnlyFans TV special is now streaming. He is a regular opener for international acts like Vir Das, Zakir Khan, and Atul Khatri.
Instagram: @vikpandya
Pallavi Gunalan is a stand-up comedian, writer, and biomedical engineer. She has written for Lovett or Leave It with Crooked Media, produces Facial Recognition Comedy featuring an all South Asian/Middle Eastern/North African lineup monthly at the Comedy Store in LA, and performs stand-up all over the US and India.
Instagram: @pallavigunalan
Vick Krishna is a standup comedian, actor and viral Tiktoker (325K) and has been featured on NPR, FastCompany and has appeared on TV shows for CBS, FOX and NBC. He has performed all over the east coast and originally hails from Columbia, Maryland.
Instagram: @hotvickkrishna
Kathryn Gongaware is a comedian, writer, actress, and relative hypocrite. She’s known for her unique stories, distinct race takes, and an unfortunate amount of self-awareness, most (all) of which stem from teaching yoga in Cook County Jail. Kathryn is a regular in Chicago at The Laugh Factory, Zanies, and Second City, and performs all over the country while writing scripts, filming shorts, and losing innumerous games of pool.
Instagram: @kathryngong