News: South Asian SNL Reimagining "Desi SNL" to Play 2026 NYC Fringe

Azhar-Bande Ali, a New York–based comedian whose work has been compared to Hasan Minhaj and Mike Birbiglia by critics, will present Desi SNL, written, directed, and produced by Azhar Bande-Ali in partnership with Shreya Thakur and media host and storyteller Sandalina Sattar as part of the 2026 New York City Fringe Festival with FRIGID New York at wild project (195 E 3rd St, New York, NY 10009) with performances on Fri April 3 at 6pm, Mon April 6 at 7:40pm, Mon April 13 at 6pm & Sat April 18 at 8:40pm. 

Desi SNL is an ensemble cast-driven sketch comedy show reimagining the SNL format with monologues, the Weekend Update segment, and original skits rooted in South Asian culture— delivering sharp satire, bold performances, and unapologetically relatable takes on identity and diaspora life with an ensemble cast of TBA South Asian talent.

Lead writer, director, and co-producer Bande-Ali has won multiple Moth StorySLAMs and earned Best Comedy awards for his specials Curry & Catharsis (2024) and Bad Muslim (2025). After selling out four performances of Desi SNL's debut in November 2025, he’s now cooking up episode two with the best Southasian cast based in NYC. Sattar, the show's other co-producer, is the host of Spotlight with Sandalina, a talk show known for intimate, culturally resonant conversations with South Asian and Muslim creators and changemakers. 

Tickets ($28) for Desi SNL are available for advance purchase at www.frigid.nyc. The performance will run approximately 60 minutes. Performances will also be available to livestream.

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