sa国际传媒

Nish Kumar鈥檚 latest comedy tour is called 鈥淎ctions speak louder than words, unless you shout the words real loud鈥�.

It聽demonstrates how activism is as important as being funny to this 31-year-old who grew up in a British-Indian family.

In a special interview episode of her聽Better Angels podcast, sa国际传媒 President Sarah Brown talks to Nish about his comedy, his聽childhood and the ways in which he is pushing back to tackle聽racist attitudes in the UK and unlock his own activism.

Nish聽confesses that聽he is struggling with how to give his audience what they want to hear about today鈥檚 issues but also to do more personally as an activist 鈥� particularly on the issue of the UK聽voting to leave the European Union.

He says:聽鈥淚鈥檓 not sure I ever believed that comedians have the power to change 鈥� or certainly not that I have the power to change anything, because I鈥檓 largely performing to people that already agree with me.

鈥淣ow I鈥檓 at a point where I鈥檓 wondering is that enough 鈥� what is my responsibility going forward.聽I鈥檓 genuinely wrestling with that.

鈥淗ow do you convince people that things are so bad that it鈥檚 not just enough to come and watch a political comedy show 鈥� but taking that energy out into the real world?鈥�

Sarah gives him some food for thought about how to better focus his activism by stepping back and looking at the underlying issues.

Nish gets particularly聽animated when it comes to the subject of identity in Britain today.

鈥淥ne of the things that really angers me and really frustrates me is this idea that multiculturalism as a project is dead,鈥� he says.

鈥淥r, in some cases, people seem to believe that multiculturalism is responsible for all of the problems that we have.

鈥淏ecause when people say multiculturalism doesn鈥檛 work I feel like they are trying to rub out my existence.

鈥淚 feel very strongly that I love this country and I鈥檓 100% British 鈥撀燽ut I have a huge affinity for India because it鈥檚 where my parents come from and it鈥檚 where a huge part of my family lives.鈥�

When he grew up in the 1990s, he says, that view was accepted 鈥� but there has been a steady erosion of that stance.

鈥淭hat idea is constantly under attack,鈥� he says.聽鈥淢e and so many of my friends are living proof that it鈥檚 perfectly possible to be a British Asian 鈥� it doesn鈥檛 mean I have any sort of disloyalty to my country.鈥�

Don鈥檛 miss an episode 鈥� subscribe now

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Sarah talks to politicians, entertainers, activists and world leaders about their inspiration, their hopes and their dreams at a time of enormous international upheaval.

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