Can Dalit laugh? Humour as resistance and politics of Dalit-comedy in India

Dalits in India are an ex-untouchable caste group who have been placed at the bottom of the Indian hierarchical social structure, whereby they often experience exclusion, discrimination, humiliation, and inequality. However, despite the enduring of caste-based inequality, undignified treatment, and humiliation, Dalits find their ways to negotiate, assert, and resist the prevailing form of caste practice. Recently, through digital platforms, Dalits have begun using humour and comedy to enact everyday resistance against discrimination and exclusion on the basis of caste. Humour has been known as a significant part of social life, and often, marginalised communities have used it to challenge and mock power and influential people. Despite its significance to challenging power, caste and Dalit studies have undervalued the analytical value of humour and largely overlooked its ability to depict suffering and tragedy. Drawing upon the stand-up comedy on digital platforms and various other mediums of Dalit ‘humour’, this article explores the politics of Dalit comedy and the way it uses humour to challenge the power and resist caste-based exclusion. Further, the article examines the issues and challenges that Dalits face when using comedy and laughter to challenge the dominant narrative of social structure to claim their freedom and liberation in a caste society.