Directorial debut of Manjeet Sarkar and Mike Noone, documenting Manjeet's rise to international fame as a standup comedian from rural India
Manjeet Sarkar is an internationally acclaimed stand-up comedian who has been performing for 7 years with his bold humour. Known for his solo show Untouchable, he has completed six national tours across India, performed at the United Nations, and is now on a world tour. As the first comedian from the Dalit community to achieve widespread recognition, Manjeet has broken through centuries of caste oppression with his work.
"Untouchable: Laughing Out Caste" follows Sarkar's journey across India and beyond — capturing his unique perspective on rural and urban life, caste, and class; and highlighting the shared struggles of marginalized communities worldwide and the transformative power of artistic expression.
Following the screening, a moderated discussion and Q&A session with Co-Directors Manjeet Sarkar and Mike Noone will offer further insights into the film's themes.
So far, the film has been screened across 3 continents in cities like Oslo, Vancouver, Toronto, Austin, Bengaluru, and Chennai.
Join us at the Hoff Theater in collaboration with American University School of International Service Ethnographies of Empire Faculty Research Cluster; Hindus for Human Rights; UMD Asian American Studies Program; UMD Department of Art History and Archeology; UMD Department of English; UMD Harriet Tubman Department of Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies; ; UMD Multicultural Involvement and Community Advocacy.
COVID safety and theater accessibility: We encourage COVID rapid testing before attending, wearing a facemask (we will have some at the door!), and staying home if you are sick.
All entrances to the building are accessible and are equipped with automatic door openers. Some entrances are at sidewalk level and those that are not have ADA-compliant wheelchair accessible ramps. You can find additional accessibility information here: https://stamp.umd.edu/visit/accessibility_resources.
