Indian comedian, writer and actor Sumukhi Suresh has been announced as part of the lineup for Netflix Is a Joke Fest 2026, where she will perform as the only Indian comedian featured in this year’s edition of the global showcase.
Set to take place across Los Angeles from May 4–10, the festival returns for its third outing as one of the world’s largest comedy gatherings. Produced by Netflix in partnership with Live Nation, the citywide event will host more than 350 live performances spanning stand-up shows, variety acts, podcast tapings, screenings and exclusive events across multiple venues.
Sumukhi will perform in Los Angeles on May 5, marking a significant milestone in her international trajectory. Reflecting on the announcement, the comedian shared her excitement about reaching a stage she once only imagined being part of, “If you would have asked teenager Sumukhi from Nagpur who was shy and underconfident that she would be performing at one of the most prestigious international comedy festivals, she wouldn’t have laughed at you — but would have 100% been in disbelief.”
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“This is a milestone. A core memory. The fact that I watched lineups being announced at Netflix Is a Joke Fest and now I am on the lineup is thrilling. I can’t wait to bring my Indian multilingual madness in a stand-up bit for the audience in LA,” said Sumukhi.
The 2026 lineup also includes international comedians such as Zainab Johnson, Molly Kearny, Liza Treyger, Aurie Styla, Michael Longfellow, Chris Redd, and filmmaker-comedian Kevin Smith, among hundreds of performers representing stand-up’s global landscape.
The festival appearance arrives amid an expansive international run for Suresh. She is set to take her stand-up special Hoemonal on a multi-city United States tour from April 24 through May 17, following international performance in Dubai on March 28.
Hoemonal, which explores identity, relationships and gender expectations through Suresh’s candid, conversational humour, reflects her journey from India’s digital comedy boom to global live stages. She first gained prominence through sharply observed online sketches before creating, writing and starring in the acclaimed Prime Video series Pushpavalli, later expanding her presence across stand-up and television, including as host and mentor on Comicstaan.
Her inclusion at Netflix Is a Joke Fest underscores the growing global visibility of Indian stand-up comedy and marks a significant moment of representation for Indian women on one of comedy’s largest international stages
Also Read: Bhumi Pednekar on bonding with Lisa Mishra and Sumukhi Suresh in The Royals, “It’s about how women just unknowingly understand each other’s experiences”
