Suraj Kolarkar

A stand-up comedian, actor and podcast host with a fifty-thousand strong following on social media and tens of millions of views on his comedy clips, Suraj Kolarkar is becoming a familiar face to comedy fans across the country – with his sharp wit, captivating storytelling, and magnetic stage presence making Suraj a go-to booking at comedy clubs, cruise ships, corporate events and the media throughout Australia and beyond.

After placing highly as a Queensland State Finalist (2018) in Australia’s most prestigious stand-up comedy competition, triple j and Melbourne International Comedy Festival’s RAW Comedy, in 2019 Suraj was one of fifteen comedians selected from sixty-nine heats around the country to gain a spot at the National Grand Final. His hilarious set earned him the runner-up crown for that year and was broadcast nationally on TV by the SBS Network. He has since taken his unique blend of acute observations and deft storytelling to perform everywhere from delivering a stand-up set aboard a moving train for Triple M to speaking alongside the Queensland Premier at Parliament.

Born and raised in India before migrating to Australia at eleven years old, Suraj developed an enduring fascination with immigrant stories from an early age. As well as informing much of his comedy, this unique life story and perspective led Suraj to create and host his podcast My First Year in Australia for SBS. In the sometimes moving, always funny podcast, Suraj chats to people who have found their feet here in Australia—including his parents—sharing hilarious first impressions, the highs and lows of life in a new country, and the perils of the Aussie accent.

Suraj has appeared as an actor on Netflix’s God’s Favourite Idiot alongside Melissa McCarthy, Apple TV/Paramount’s Shantaram with Charlie Hunnam, and as a guest comedian on SBS TV’s gameshow Patriot Brains. 

In July 2025 it was announced that world-leading comedy media company 800 Pound Gorilla Media had added Suraj’s debut comedy special to their distribution roster of comedy specials – putting Suraj in the company of the likes of Mark Normand, Iliza Shlesinger and Bill Burr while introducing him to a huge new audience of comedy fans across the globe. Que Suraj Suraj collected over five thousand views within just twenty-four hours of its release.

Before launching into his career in comedy, Suraj was a civil engineer—a career path his mum still brings up regularly. Though hesitant at first about his switch to the stage, she came around after an inspiring Bollywood film convinced her that maybe, just maybe, her son was destined to be the hero of his own story (or at least crack a few good jokes along the way).

With his unique blend of personal anecdotes, cultural commentary and a touch of chaos, Suraj never fails to keep the audience in stitches as he dissects everything from everyday observations to his own identity.

Hilarious… self-deprecating humour, a love of word-play, observations of absurdities and inconsistencies only visible to an outside eye. A hidden gem.

Scenestr

Suraj irradiated confidence from the opening line onwards. A well put-together and efficiently written set honed tightly to maximise the laughs.

Chortle

His sharp observational wit and outsider perspective is simultaneously educational and entertaining…. the gags are all gold.

★★★★ Eventalaide