Tiktok sensation and everyone’s favorite Indian auntie Zarna Garg’s first ever hour-long special, was just released on May 16 through Amazon Prime. In the special, titled Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, she discusses topics like motherhood, the life of an immigrant, and how being one in a million isn’t all that special when you’re from a country with a population of over one billion.
@zarnagarg IT’S LIVE!!!!! Please take a moment to watch the special in full, and leave an honest review on IMBD! It would really mean the world to me! I think you’ll definitely enjoy the special, so share with everybody you know! Can’t wait for you to see it!!! #zarna #zarnagarg #indianlife #india #comedy #jokes #family #kids #womenincomedy #browncomedy #aapi #aapiheritagemonth #mothersday #mothersday2023 #standupcomedy ♬ original sound – Zarnagarg
Zarna Garg’s path to stardom seems like it was right out of a fairy tale. The quippy comic moved from the Indian city of Mumbai to the suburban American city of Akron, Ohio. Garg made the life-changing move as a teenager in an effort to avoid an arranged marriage, which was organized by her father after her mother’s death. Her life and career developed somewhat traditionally; she went to undergrad at the University of Akron, then law school, and became a lawyer. She met her husband through a personal ad she published, had three children, and soon became a stay-at-home mother. Despite having her life path pretty much laid out for her, raising children and living in New York, fate had its own plans.
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Though Garg has been in the States for decades, she still sees things from a different perspective. “You know when you’re outside this country looking at life in here, everything looks so much more fun,” Garg says in her special. “Like people frolicking in hot tubs, jacuzzis, bubble baths! In India, you get water in a bucket. There’s buckets in America too, but they’re filled with fried chicken! A shower doesn’t stop here until you stop it. People fill gallons of drinkable water in a bathtub, and just sit in it, because they’re sad.”
Garg’s natural comedy chops were developed in her own household; her children encouraged her to pursue comedy, and without them, she may have never developed an actual set. Garg performed her first open mic in New York City back in 2018, and it was the first step of many that would develop her one-of-a-kind comedy career. When Garg took to social media in 2020, she immediately found an eager audience. Her comedy translated so well to social media, and she grew her following significantly; she now has 15.6 million likes on her TikTok channel!
Garg didn’t get her own special just because of her social media fame. She’s also taking the traditional route to comedy stardom. According to her rep, Garg has performed up to 15 times a week at the Comedy Cellar in New York, cutting her teeth on new material in front of an ever-changing crowd.
If you’re looking for your next laugh, check out Zarna Garg’s comedy special, Zarna Garg: One in a Billion, is now available on Amazon Prime.
Top photo: screen grab from Zarna Garg’s instagram
