Manoj Prabhakar takes his solo comedy show, Extra Ordinary to Edinburgh Fringe 2025

“When you ask any comic about the Fringe, it’s like asking a sportsperson about the Olympics,” says standup comedian Manoj Prabhakar, who is currently taking his English solo Extra Ordinary to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, what he calls a “bucket-list item” for all stand-up comedian.

A desi comic’s debut at the world’s biggest stage

After touring this show in several Indian cities, Manoj is bringing it to one of the world’s most prestigious and unpredictable performing arts festivals. “The Fringe is a very rare space where audiences don’t expect familiarity,” he says. “They just want to hear your side of things, however unfamiliar. That’s the beauty of it, people from all over the world, each bringing their own perspectives, coming to listen, not project.” He likens the experience to performing raw, unfiltered. “They want the raw version of the artist, not someone trying to fit in.”

But he isn’t chasing viral fame or trying to ‘break into the UK market’. “I’m just here for the experience,” he says, candidly. “Even if I fail, even if none of the jokes work, I’m okay with that. I just want to see where I stand on a global level.”

The show, Extra Ordinary, built around the maxim that “the more local something is, the more universal it becomes,” is this comic’s take on how language and culture divide us, but also connect us. “It’s about how we’re all just ordinary people trying to do something extraordinary,” he says. Through slices of his own life, he explores the nuances of growing up in India, learning English as a second language, and realising how even that language keeps evolving. “I thought I knew English, but every generation comes and changes things again,” he chuckles.

Drawing from such personal stories, he uses humour to explore cultural differences with sarcasm and self-deprecation. “Nobody’s above or below, we’re all just navigating the same mess differently.”

Though he hasn’t customised the show much for a Western audience, he believes that the universality of the themes will speak for themselves. “Fringe audiences don’t come expecting relatability, they come for your perspective like I said before.”

Performing at the Fringe is a daunting logistical and emotional feat. Manoj began prepping months in advance, applying, pitching his show, finding a venue, and speaking with fellow comics who’d done it before, like Kanan Gill, Anirban Dasgupta, and Deepu. “Fringe can be overwhelming. There are 3000 shows happening. So just marketing your show is a full-time hustle,” he explains. “You go distribute flyers, busk, talk to strangers, no matter how many followers you have, you’re on the same pedestal as everyone else.”

Manoj has been in comedy for over a decade now. Over the years, he’s found what he calls his own ‘language’, a voice that is comfortable, convincing, and authentic. “It’s you versus you,” he says. “As long as you’re okay with what you’re saying and you’re saying it in the way you want to, that’s your voice.”

If given a chance to do another TEDxtalk, Manoj says he’d speak about starting over. “I used to work in IT before switching to comedy. So maybe I’d talk about career pivots, what it’s like to start from scratch, and find meaning in something new.”

What he’s especially excited to return to, besides the stage, is Edinburgh itself. “It’s one of the best cities I’ve ever been to. It’s like living in the 1850s… with mobile phones,” he laughs. “Everyone’s kind. And when they hear you’re a Fringe artist, they really respect you for coming all the way and sharing your work.”

As we wrap up, we ask him what he wants audiences to take away from his set at the Fringe. “Just that no one’s above or below. We’re all just trying to do something extraordinary. That’s it.”

From August 1 to 23 (except 10 and 17), at 6.20 pm. At Pickle Studio, Riddle’s Court, Edinburgh.

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