"My mum was always scared that I was going to end up in hell"
Saaniya Abbas is bringing her stand-up show HELLARIOUS to London, marking her first appearance at Soho Theatre.
Born in New Delhi and based in the United Arab Emirates, the internationally touring comedian has built her work around faith, family and the cultural tensions that shaped her life.
Her critically acclaimed show draws directly from personal experience, including growing up in a Muslim household, studying at a Roman Catholic school, and marrying – then divorcing – a British man.
In HELLARIOUS, Abbas embraces the label of a “haram Muslim”, using sharp observation to unpack identity, belief and expectation.
Saaniya Abbas spoke to DESIblitz about her journey into comedy and how her lived experience inspired her material.
Growing up in New Delhi
New Delhi shaped Saaniya Abbas through contradiction rather than clarity.
The city demanded resilience early, particularly for young women, while also offering moments of generosity and warmth. That tension sits at the core of how she understands humour.
She explains: “New Delhi is known for being tough. Even love there is tough love.”
For Abbas, the city was never one-dimensional. Danger and kindness existed alongside each other, creating an environment that required constant emotional negotiation:
“It’s a strange mix of being one of the most dangerous places to grow up as a young woman, yet also a city full of some of the kindest people I’ve ever met.”
Comedy became a way to interpret that complexity. Rather than escaping the chaos, Abbas learned to organise it through observation and timing.
She says:
“It’s wild, disorganised, beautiful and chaotic, and humour became a way to make sense of the contradictions.”
Her perspective widened further at a convent boarding school in the lower Himalayas. Religious difference was normalised through daily routine rather than ideology.
“The convent boarding school in the lower Himalayas run by Roman Catholic nuns? Oh yes.
“In boarding school, all the kids prayed to their own gods, and then to each other’s gods (just in case).
“I think that gave me a deep love and respect for all religions and shaped my multicultural upbringing.”
Personal Experience
Saaniya Abbas approaches personal pain with distance rather than dramatics. Her past marriage and the period that followed reinforced the idea that intensity is temporary.
She says: “No matter how painful something feels in the moment, one day it won’t.”
Time, she argues, reframes experience and allows self-compassion to replace self-blame.
“At the time, it feels impossible, but distance gives you perspective – and eventually, kindness for yourself.”
Those experiences fed directly into HELLARIOUS, her debut comedy show, which functions as both introduction and context.
Explaining her inspiration, Abbas says: “My mum was always scared that I was going to end up in hell, so I decided to lean into it.
“HELLARIOUS is an introductory hour to me as a comedian – my personal experiences that led me to comedy, explored through the lens of heaven and hell, and my cultural identity.”
Belief and Expectation
Saaniya Abbas’ comedic voice was shaped by growing up between two approaches to faith. Neither demanded total allegiance, but both influenced her sense of self.
“I grew up between two very different belief systems.
“My father is a cultural Muslim but almost an atheist, while my mum prays five times a day.”
That balance extended to expectations around marriage and autonomy.
“We weren’t allowed to get married before being financially independent, and we were never restricted as long as we acted responsibly and without harm.”
Rather than resolving those differences, Abbas learned to inhabit them:
“That contrast shaped my comedic voice, existing between belief and rebellion, tradition and independence – which is where the ‘haram Muslim’ persona naturally comes from.”
For Abbas, comedy became a way “to reconcile those worlds instead of choosing one”.
The comedian’s material often addresses taboos that remain culturally sensitive despite social change.
She elaborates: “Indian millennials are the first generation to significantly shift divorce statistics in India, yet it remains deeply taboo.
“Calling myself ‘haram’ and joking about alcohol or dating doesn’t neatly fit into how Muslims are usually portrayed.”
Abbas is clear about intent: “I’m not mocking belief systems; I’m laughing at the tension between who we are and who we’re expected to be.
“For many people, that tension is lived quietly, and comedy allows it to be seen.”
Performing Internationally
Saaniya Abbas’ Edinburgh Fringe debut carried historical weight and personal challenge.
She reveals: “I was the first comedian from Dubai to perform a solo hour at the official Edinburgh Fringe.”
In the United Arab Emirates, comedy infrastructure remains underdeveloped.
Abbas explains: “Because comedy isn’t very established in the UAE, I hadn’t performed for two months before the festival.
“I arrived underprepared and overworked, which forced me to focus on becoming better at comedy rather than chasing success by numbers.”
The experience recalibrated her priorities:
“It made me a stronger comedian and helped me recognise my own resilience.”
When it comes to international audiences, responses are different.
She says: “The biggest contrast I’ve noticed is between the UK and the US. They laugh hard, but at different things.
“American audiences respond more to relatable, expressive and physical comedy, while British audiences lean into dry humour, awkwardness and clever wordplay.”
When it comes to her favourite location, the UK is her favourite:
“My favourite country to perform in is the UK, and not just because of the tour.”
“I feel like we have a strange shared history, from colonial links to my very British ex-husband, which somehow makes performing there feel oddly familiar.”
Work on her next stand-up comedy show is already underway.
She says: “I write as my life unfolds – whatever happens, I try to find where the funny is.
“I haven’t landed on a theme yet, but I’m excited.
“It feels like the beginning of a new chapter rather than the end of one.”
HELLARIOUS reflects how Saaniya Abbas has turned contradiction into clarity, using comedy to explore belief, identity and expectation.
Her work sits comfortably in the grey areas many recognise but rarely articulate on stage.
That perspective has taken her from New Delhi to Dubai, Edinburgh and now London.
With HELLARIOUS arriving at Soho Theatre from February 9 to February 14, 2026, Abbas brings her most personal material to a UK audience.
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