Why Can't India Deliver the Basics? - Daniel Fernandes

Why can a joke make powerful people nervous? Daniel Fernandes joins Sheeba Aslam Fehmi to talk about political comedy, protest, and what citizens should expect from the people they elect. Daniel explains why he speaks about public affairs on stage and how laughter can make a difficult subject easier to face. They discuss taxes, public services, safety, and the habit of defending a party even when daily life gets harder. The conversation also turns to young protesters, the changing audience for stand-up, and the pain and grief behind Daniel’s comedy. Daniel reflects on the emotional cost of speaking about every crisis, the barriers women face in comedy, and the importance of owning your creative work. What can political comedy do that a speech cannot? Tell us in the comments, with a timestamp. CHAPTERS 00:00 - Trailer 02:44 - Political comedy and speaking out 13:16 - Gen Z and protest 18:35 - Civic failures and public accountability 23:09 - Citizens or subjects? 26:03 - How young protesters challenge political power 35:13 - Is a youth revolution beginning? 40:53 - Dissent and holding leaders to account 49:08 - Who comes to stand-up shows now? 55:45 - Roast culture and different kinds of comedy 01:01:11 - Pain, grief and anxiety 01:13:23 - Women, comedy and patriarchy 01:19:44 - Virality versus the craft of comedy 01:25:01 - Creative freedom and owning your work 01:33:01 - Daniel’s closing appeal to citizens Find Daniel on YouTube:    / @absolutelydanny   Kintu Parantu on Instagram:   / kintuparantu.sheeba   Guest enquiries: kintuparantu.connect@gmail.com #DanielFernandes #PoliticalComedy #KintuParantu © 2026 Sheeba Aslam Fehmi Any illegal reproduction of this content will result in immediate legal action.