Comedian Tarang Hardikar on his special ‘If I’m Not Wrong’ and performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Comedian Tarang Hardikar's special show "If I'm not Wrong" was inspired by intriguing observations about lines. Initially called "Line is not a Line," the special evolved as Tarang reflected on his life after receiving an autism diagnosis. The theme of lines resonated with his childhood story, earning him the Actually Autistic Award at the Neurodiverse Review Awards during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

This award, along with others for the show, was presented to neurodivergent and differently abled performers at the festival. Tarang, born in Pune, sees the long festival run as an opportunity to form a routine and improve his show with each performance. He attributes his use of comedy as a coping mechanism, connecting with people in a way he couldn't before.

His deadpan delivery and wordplay come from his theatre background, where he practiced one-man silent sketches. Tarang's first open mic performance went well, with the audience laughing at a joke about ordering from Subway. Despite initial fears, he now embraces the mic as a tool to refine his material. To aspiring comedians, Tarang advises having an internal staircase to ground himself and keep believing in oneself. The Edinburgh Festival Fringe continues until August 31.