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Episode details

World Service,10 May 2019,24 mins

Is India a happy nation?

WorklifeIndia

Available for over a year

India is one of the world’s fastest growing economies, and yet, Indians don’t seem to be all that happy. It is placed 140th out of 156 on a United Nations list that ranks countries on happiness. So, why the grim faces? Are Indians able to laugh at themselves or do they take themselves too seriously? We sit down in a swanky pub near Delhi with some of India’s top comedians and satirists and ask them what it’s like working as a comedian in India. Do they feel free to poke fun at sensitive issues around Indian society and politics, or are they concerned about how audiences might react? Presenter: Devina Gupta Contributors: Aditi Mittal, stand-up comic; Akash Banerjee, political satirist; Rajneesh Kapoor, stand-up comic; Sweta Mantrii, stand-up comic Image: Senior citizens perform various laughing exercises during an event to mark World Laughter Day (Credit: Kalpak Pathak/Hindustan Times via Getty Images)

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