Soho Theatre appoints its first Mumbai-based producer to promote India and UK’s comedy scene

– Image courtesy: Broadway World UK 

Sumit Naganath has joined Soho Theatre as its first Mumbai-based Comedy Producer, part of our ongoing work in bringing the best Indian comedy to the UK and the best UK comedy to India, in partnership with Mumbai arts organisation G5A Foundation for Contemporary Culture.

At forefront of the burgeoning comedy scene in India, Sumit started the first comedy nights in his home city of Belgaum in the southwest of the country. He has gone on to produce shows involving established comedians Biswa Kalyan Rath, Kanan Gill, Abhishek Upmanyu and more. A stand-up comedian himself and with an expertise in event marketing, Sumit is ideally placed to help Soho Theatre’s work with Indian comedy.

Based at G5A, Sumit is currently with the Soho Theatre team at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, working across 11 shows in 7 venues from artists Vir Das, Jinkx Monsoon & Major Scales, Patti Harrison, Thanyia Moore, Frankie Thompson, Kai Samra, Sami Abu Wardeh, Dr Brown, Sarah Sherman, ALOK, and Haley McGee.

Soho Theatre were recently in Mumbai, building partnerships and presenting Nina Conti in partnership with G5A Warehouse – two sold out shows, bringing Nina to a brand-new audience. Sumit’s role as Comedy Producer – Mumbai will see him support Soho Theatre in bringing more comedians from the UK over to India, following previous performances from Shappi Khorsandi, Ahir Shah, Lauren Pattinson, and theatre show Half Breed. The role also involves Soho Theatre’s continued and growing work in presenting Indian comedians to London and UK audiences at Dean Street, on tour, online, and by 2023 at Soho Theatre Walthamstow. Azeem Banatwalla is currently performing, after recent runs from Sapan Verma and Daniel Fernandes, with Sumukhi Suresh arriving in October. Soho Theatre are presenting Vir Das on tour nationwide following his sold out run in Edinburgh.

About joining Soho Theatre, Sumit said: ‘I am excited to work with Soho Theatre, London. It is an incredible opportunity for me, and I look forward to contributing towards Soho Theatre’s work in bringing Indian comedians to the UK, and international comedy to Mumbai.’

Soho Theatre’s Executive Director, Mark Godfrey, said: ‘We’re thrilled to welcome Sumit to the Soho Theatre team in this exciting new role of Comedy Producer, based in Mumbai and working in close collaboration with our partners at G5A.  In a big step forward for Soho, Sumit will be helping Soho to present the very best Indian artists in Soho and in our new 1000 capacity Walthamstow venue opening in 2023. We’ll also be building on our work in bringing international artists to Mumbai, and our comedy specials which  can be seen on Amazon Prime Video (UK), inflight on British Airways, and streamed on our own platform Soho Theatre On Demand.’

G5A’s Founder and Artistic Director, Anuradha Parikh, said: ‘Welcome to our Soho Theatre and G5A teams Sumit! Looking forward to working with you and the Soho Theatre, to further reinforce our partnership and the very exciting programming plans, as well as help establish Soho Theatre, India.’

For further information about Soho Theatre’s work with India, follow on Instagram @sohotheatreindia.