Raunaq Rajani almost didn’t make it. For seven years, he performed stand-up in Mumbai’s dimly lit clubs while simultaneously juggling a law degree, telecalling shifts, and his family’s real-estate business. It wasn’t until a single video went viral that the rug was pulled out from under his “backup plan” to practice law. He admits he was ready to quit the stage entirely when that moment hit, turning a near-exit into a full-time career.
His path wasn’t a straight line to the stage. Between 2017 and 2019, he worked as a comedy writer for East India Comedy, a role that sharpened his ear for timing before he ever stood behind a mic full-time. The breakthrough came on Amazon Prime Video’s Comicstaan Season 2 in 2019, where he made the finals. He describes the experience less like a competition and more like an intense workshop that fundamentally rewrote his approach to the craft.
But the format that truly cemented his identity is RelationSh!t Advice. It’s not your typical therapy-hour talk show; it’s a panel of comedians dissecting audience-submitted dating disasters with relentless banter. Rajani notes that the show’s live tapings sell out fast, a testament to the specific flavor of humor he’s built: rooted in modern dating, city absurdities, and the kind of social observation that feels like overheard conversation.
Now, with 50 episodes banked and a growing fanbase, Rajani is bringing that unpolished, relatable energy to NDTV Yuva 2026. It’s a full circle moment for a man who spent years wondering if he should trade the mic for a briefcase.