Aditi Mittal is an Indian stand-up comedian, writer and actress based in Mumbai. She is regarded as one of the first women to perform stand-up comedy professionally in India and has been a prominent voice in the country's English-language comedy circuit since the early 2010s.
| Profession | Stand-up comedian, writer, actress |
|---|---|
| Nationality | Indian |
| Based in | Mumbai, Maharashtra |
| Language of performance | English (with Hindi) |
| Notable special | Things They Wouldn't Let Me Say (Netflix, 2017) |
Mittal grew up in Mumbai and pursued higher studies abroad before returning to India to work in writing and performance. She entered the Indian comedy scene at a time when stand-up as a live format was still emerging in the country, and the presence of women performers on club line-ups was rare.
Mittal began performing stand-up in Mumbai in the early 2010s, working the open-mic and club circuits that were beginning to take shape in the city. She quickly became a recognisable figure in Indian English-language comedy, known for material that draws on gender, social conventions in urban India, and observations of everyday middle-class life.
In 2017, Netflix released her stand-up special Things They Wouldn't Let Me Say, making her one of the earliest Indian women comedians to headline a special on the streaming platform. The special was released as part of Netflix's wider expansion into Indian stand-up programming.
Beyond live comedy, Mittal has worked as a writer and host. She has co-hosted the podcast Women in Labour with journalist Christina MacGillivray, focusing on conversations about women's lives and work in India. She has also appeared in television and web projects, and has written opinion and feature pieces for Indian and international publications.
Mittal's stand-up is characterised by character work and sharp social commentary. Recurring themes include the experience of being a working woman in urban India, family expectations, sexuality, and the gap between traditional norms and contemporary urban life. Her recurring character "Dr. Mrs. Lutchuke", a fictional sex-education expert, has been a signature element of her live sets.
Mittal is frequently cited in discussions of the growth of Indian stand-up comedy during the 2010s, particularly with reference to the visibility of women performers. Her early work in clubs, her television appearances and her Netflix special contributed to widening the audience for English-language stand-up in India and to opening the format to a broader range of voices.