I bear in mind the primary time I met Zarna Garg.
It was at a picnic for New York Metropolis comics in 2021, again when she carried round her signature rolling pin. Garg’s star was already on the rise — I acknowledged her from social media however didn’t know her personally, not to mention anticipate to see her out and about with rising native expertise. She spoke to me with the form of respect and attentiveness that comes from years of media coaching (and, in her case, many years of motherhood); she adopted everybody she met that day on social media, and had tagged me in a photograph earlier than I even made it house.
I’ve instructed that story quite a bit as Garg’s profession exploded over the previous few years — to not name-drop (although my mom is impressed), however to reveal that social media’s favourite aunty is precisely who she appears, and likewise a real advocate for different creatives. She’s additionally one of many hardest-working folks in leisure if not the world at massive; in 2025 alone she has revealed a e book, filmed a sitcom pilot, premiered a film, and now debuts her second taped particular on Hulu.
“My mind doesn’t cease,” Garg instructed me over Zoom. “I see anyone and I’m like, ‘Let’s make a video, let’s seize this.’ I’ve to remind myself to not assault folks with it. I’ve to sluggish myself down as a result of I overwhelm folks simply.”
Within the e book, “This American Girl,” Garg tells of an astrologer who as soon as instructed her mom: “This lady will speak and speak and speak.” A part of that’s performing, being what she describes because the face of a household enterprise, however a part of it’s the hustle and grind behind the scenes.
“I’m in a privileged place at present, however I’ve no apology for it, and I’ll let you know why: as a result of I constructed all of it with my naked palms,” she stated. “No person was there. I understand how to put in writing your entire script. I understand how to shoot it. I understand how to edit it. I understand how to distribute it on 9 platforms. I understand how to make it go viral. Each single step of this can be a step that I’ve lived and perfected on my manner earlier than I employed different folks to do it. So yeah, I’m very privileged proper now, however take all of it away and I’ll begin over, and I’ll win once more.”
The next interview has been edited and condensed for size and readability.
IndieWire: I instructed my editors that you just’re not a lot in Hollywood but, but additionally some of the well-known folks on the planet. What has it been like experiencing that form of recognition by means of arise and social media, which for lots of people doesn’t occur earlier than they step onto a display screen, or not less than it didn’t used to?
The factor that I like finest about being acknowledged is such as you stated, they don’t know me from an enormous display screen, so it’s not like seeing Priyanka Chopra. If I see Priyanka Chopra, I’m like, wow, as a result of she’s this massive Bollywood and Hollywood star now, proper? Individuals see me and so they simply begin smiling. They don’t even know why they’re smiling, as a result of they see me combined up with their households of their telephones, their uncles, their aunties, their neighbors, their no matter. It’s a number of like, “Oh, I do know her! I do know her. How do I do know her?”
However the factor that makes me most proud is that when folks see me, it’s an involuntary response that they haven’t even thought of, and so they begin smiling. My affiliation with humor and good emotions is so sturdy that it’s by no means some other response — even the individuals who don’t like my work really simply begin smiling as a result of they will’t assist it. They instantly consider no matter final video of mine made them smile, or that they ship of their household chats.
That’s a part of it; you’ve such a household enchantment, and also you’ve been so good about involving your loved ones because the starting. Was there ever any query of how a lot or how little to incorporate them, particularly with the youngsters?
No. I at all times say that we run a household enterprise — I’m the face of it. It’s not like I’m involving them. They’ve been concerned since day one. I wouldn’t be doing any of this with out them. It was my daughter’s imaginative and prescient that I ought to strive arise comedy. My son put me on social media. Even now, simply this previous weekend I used to be at a Stomach Laughs Comedy Pageant the place [Zoya] was with me capturing footage all over the place we went. So I do issues like mothers do issues. My children go along with me a number of locations, and we’re constructing this entire world of household comedy collectively.
Was there a degree the place it was shifting too quick? If you’ve blown up exponentially, there needed to be early on, and even nonetheless, like there’s simply a lot happening to steadiness.
I really feel like I must be humble and say sure, but it surely’s really not true. I feel my mind has this damaged OCD part the place if I would like one thing, I chase it like a mad particular person, and I can’t cease. Even when I wish to make it cease, I can’t. Once I had a e book popping out, I requested my writer, “What’s it that you really want?” And she or he stated, “It could be nice if we may make New York Occasions bestseller.” After which that grew to become my singular imaginative and prescient, and I used to be like, till we get it, we’re not gonna cease. As soon as I made a decision that I’m doing the arise comedy, it was “How are we gonna do that? What are the highest gamers doing? How do they get it achieved?” It form of simply went like a machine was constructed to make it occur, and now we’re doing the identical factor with TV initiatives, with films.
My film, when it got here out — I’m simply an actor on it, I didn’t must do something, however I might not have rested till the film was an enormous success. As a result of my producer’s success is my success. I don’t sit there and assume, “Is that this my job? Am I getting paid?” It’s not how my mind works in any respect. So as soon as I began doing this, I additionally constructed a world the place I’m collaborating with lots of people who’re giving me their goodwill; the golf equipment that rent me, the streaming providers that give me their platform. Proper now, I’m absolutely obsessive about how I’m going to make Hulu succeed like a wild, loopy particular person, not as a result of they’re asking me for something. They’re really extraordinarily light and beneficiant, like “Do what makes you cheerful.” It’s additionally a number of American folks, white folks, so they’re very light of their chit chat. If it was an Indian place, they might have been like, “What are you doing?!”
If you find yourself working in Indian movie, we’ll have that dialog then, an actual spicy one.
what I’m speaking about. However simply because they aren’t beating me down for it doesn’t imply it’s not prime of my thoughts, is what I’m saying. Coming again to your query, the pace and velocity is orchestrated. It’s not simply taking place. None of this stuff simply occur. We’re on the market grinding, 5 Gargs and our entire staff of one other ten folks, is on the market grinding and hustling consistently, all over the place we go, saying, “Watch this. Watch this. Watch this.” It’s not only a victory for me if I win, it’s a victory for all of the individuals who selected to help me, who selected to have a look at this difficult and quirky scenario, and stated, “Sure, let’s give her a platform.”
Let’s begin with the movie, since you did movie that earlier. It was your first time appearing. What was that have like?
It was A+. My director couldn’t be higher, my producers couldn’t be nicer. My costars have been all superb, and that’s why I feel I’m most likely by no means going to do it once more, as a result of you possibly can’t prime that. The expertise was so good that I’m nervous to signal anything the place the expertise shouldn’t be going to be that good. They have been so good to me. We made that film with a lot love, there’s actually a number of love behind the scenes, which is why the film form of popped and glowed the best way it did. It’s so actual. So it was actually, actually superb. Particularly my director and my co star, Karan [Soni], excellent. They knew I didn’t know something, I used to be coming from reveals, going to reveals, so that they have been very understanding of the truth that I used to be new at this, and actually helped me take each child step that I wanted to to get there.
That’s form of a refreshing reply, as a result of the trail that’s often made for comics is, you begin doing arise, you go on reveals, you produce reveals, and then you definately audition and also you do extra appearing. That’s simply the profession path ahead, however in your case it doesn’t must be.
The advantage of not being anyone’s best choice for something is that you just don’t even fear about auditioning and all that. Not one door would have opened for me if I might have sat round auditioning, like no manner. Who’s casting an Indian middle-aged lady in a kurta and a bindi and an accent? I knew from day one I’m gonna do my very own factor, and I say it even now. My comedy reveals — not a single membership was open to me as a comic book. Nobody was reserving me. I simply began doing reveals without cost, exterior, within the subway, below a tree. I used to be like, “I’ll construct my very own following. This isn’t going to work for me. The method shouldn’t be arrange for me.” I began engaged on an distinctive second hour earlier than I had a cope with anyone. I knew that if I create an distinctive second hour, I’ll discover the viewers for it if nobody desires to collaborate with me. Hulu stepped in and stepped in in an enormous manner, and I’m honored about that, however I didn’t assume I might make their reduce. I truthfully didn’t assume — the truth is, I instructed my brokers, “Overlook it. They’re not going to need me. All of them need younger women.” We all know what’s what. All of them need the younger girls who look fairly and all that, and that’s fantastic, it’s their enterprise. And my brokers have been like, “No, I actually assume there’s one thing right here, and they’re watching you. Give it a minute.” However I don’t decelerate. The saying on this within the Garg world is the Z practice stops for nothing and no person. If I wish to do a TV present, I’ll simply create my very own little, very makeshift model and begin releasing. Principally, what my channel is is sort of a sitcom. Individuals watch hours and hours of our movies as in the event that they’re watching a TV present.
Additionally, you probably did do a TV present in the midst of all this different stuff!
Yeah. Even the film, I instructed Karan and Roshan [Sethi], my director and our lead star, I stated, “We can not wait. We can not watch for folks to be like, ‘Oh, watch this film,’ we gotta go on the market.” Roshan is a most cancers physician. So I instructed him, “Roshan, you gotta deal with the gross sales and the noise round this film such as you’re saving you’re a child who’s about to die. You gotta struggle that arduous.” Ask him, he’ll let you know. Day by day I used to be texting, “Get in there and reply to feedback. What are you doing sitting at house and simply saving lives? Save lives on the facet.”
Inform me in regards to the scripting this e book and what that course of was. You had that bestseller purpose set and also you signed so many copies.
Oh my god, my palms are gonna fall off. I don’t actually know why they need signed copies, as a result of I don’t get it, however that may be a factor that folks need. The e book is my life story. It’s a really casual tone. I didn’t assume I may write the best way — I wished to put in writing an entertaining e book. At first, the e book has to entertain. It’s not a chronological dump of all my trauma. That’s not enjoyable nor attention-grabbing for anyone, and never even for me. So we wrote the entire thing like an arc with a starting, center, and finish. Twenty-one chapters have been written the identical manner as a result of we wish folks to really feel sturdy feelings. The primary factor I’m getting again suggestions from the e book, which has hundreds of near-perfect opinions, is that folks didn’t need it to finish. They have been feeling so unhappy when it ended, as a result of it’s a enjoyable journey. Though it’s an actual story, with the ups and downs and all of it, I wrote it to entertain folks. That’s what I’m right here to do.
It does get very private, very weak, and that’s not one thing that South Asians and Desi mothers specifically are identified for.
However once more, it was like the choice was made to do all that after I determined to put in writing the e book. I stated to my household, both I’m writing the e book or I’m not writing the e book. However I don’t wish to write a e book the place I’m consistently afraid, what is going to my husband assume? What is going to my brother assume? As a result of then you definately’re not trustworthy and connecting with the viewers. The viewers at present could be very sensible. If you happen to’re hiding issues, should you’re mendacity about issues, they know. And my viewers is actually, should you may do an IQ check, I’m telling you, my viewers is the neatest viewers on this planet. They’re all medical doctors, they’re all neurosurgeons. They’re like tech entrepreneurs, billionaires — you can’t idiot them. So both you’re writing the e book otherwise you’re not writing. Not a single particular person in my household noticed any copies of any pages earlier than the e book was completed, accepted, legally, accepted by the writer. After which I stated, right here you possibly can learn it. You both belief me otherwise you don’t.
Was there something you have been significantly hesitant or excited to incorporate?
The New York Metropolis non-public faculty chapter — we needed to travel on that chapter quite a bit as a result of we speak about a number of selections, however ultimately my writer, authorized, all of us determined that it’s an excellent chapter, and it’s a doing an enormous service to moms in America who’re feeling extraordinarily burdened by this entire system, who’re feeling alone, who’re feeling crushed by it, after which we made the choice to go ahead with it. However virtually every thing else was was very easy crusing. In publishing world, they name my e book the other of “The Spare,” of [Prince] Harry’s e book, as a result of his e book is all about each grievance he ever had along with his household, and my e book is all in regards to the love. It’s all about each member of the family that did proper issues by me. My mind doesn’t even bear in mind what flawed issues folks do to me. I don’t have the mind area to carry all that.
You’re open about residing a privileged life at this second, even not working when you went into arise and hiring a author. When you talk about your previous and the place you’ve come from, after all it is smart. It jogged my memory of “Indignant Younger Males,” when Javed Akhtar talks about coming from not a lot cash. He says to this present day, generally they’ll lay out a meal and I feel this should not be for me.
You by no means absolutely come to phrases with it, however I share it brazenly as a result of so many comics behave like they’re writing each phrase and so they’re not. Everyone knows that. Why not give credit score the place it’s due? It’s not the tip of the world to say we collaborated in a wonderful manner. All of the late night time reveals, you assume these guys are writing each joke that they are saying? After all not, and it’s OK. I feel it’s higher to be trustworthy and upfront together with your viewers and allow them to make the choice if it’s good or dangerous. I do know that interview you’re speaking about. It was very refreshing, as a result of he was being trustworthy.
We have now to personal what we’re good at, particularly South Asian girls. We’ve been instructed to attenuate ourselves. Culturally, we’ve been instructed take the least quantity of area, don’t brag. If you happen to say something good about your self, God forbid you’re bragging. No! We have now to speak about what we are able to do and never do. We’re all operating companies right here, so I provide no apologies. I get flamed for it on a regular basis within the media. All of them assume my husband’s funding my life. It’s really the other. He misplaced his job throughout COVID, has not absolutely recovered, and I’m operating this entire home, and I’m happy with it.
The bragging was at all times framed as vainness for me rising up.
Anytime I’ve realized this, anytime they are saying it’s not our tradition, what it’s code for is that our males don’t prefer it. If you happen to have a look at our tradition, primarily every thing they like is us sitting and struggling in silence and the boys being glorified, and that should come to an finish, like ASAP, proper now.
Being too massive or too loud, as a result of it means you don’t want them for help.
Precisely, and guess what? We don’t. Have a look at this, Hulu coming in in such an enormous manner, supporting us, placing an Indian Aunty in a pink kurta, throughout billboards throughout America. That is actual help. Every thing else is nonsense. However that is the actual deal, what we’re getting over right here.
You constructed this entire factor your self, after which all of the sudden you have been at a degree of fame the place most likely lots of people got here calling. Are there individuals who didn’t or weren’t , or who didn’t purchase inventory in Zarna on the proper time?
So many, so many. The place to start? All of the golf equipment in New York. The primary membership that handed me was Comedy Cellar. If I’m not on a late night time present, it’s as a result of [those clubs] rejected me. I’m not going to call them, but it surely’s as a result of they rejected me. We try to be all over the place. We try to hit each viewers. There are comics, brown comics, who don’t comply with me. I comply with them. I’m very beneficiant in my reward of everyone. I provide my platform to everyone. Once they do good work, I shout out everyone. However there’s so a lot of them who select to not comply with me. That is very simple to lookup. Anyone can look it up. And so they have their very own ego and trouble. They act wounded that I exist on the scene.
Why do you assume that’s?
I don’t know. I’ve really had an Indian comedian inform me, “Aunty, shouldn’t you be within the kitchen?” That is an Indian male comedian residing in New York Metropolis, an informed man. So then how can we maintain Indian uncles accountable? If this dude who’s educated right here can’t even assume straight?
Do assume he was making an attempt to make a joke, however is simply dangerous at comedy?
I imply, look, if that is the very best you possibly can give you, you most likely ought to go to med faculty and hope and pray there, my buddy. This one didn’t work.
You’ve written and toured a e book, you filmed and promoted a film, you’ve a number of specials, you’ve your podcast — what’s your favourite?
This hour that I simply filmed for Hulu actually has my coronary heart. I discovered my voice. I wasn’t nervous the best way I used to be the primary time, I had sufficient viewers suggestions to know precisely what they wished from me. So we actually packed — it’s 60 minutes of actually, joke, joke, joke — the density of the jokes is like distilled, pure gold comedy that I created for Hulu, as a result of there was simply a lot love round this partnership that I wished to present them the easiest. And I wished to present my viewers the easiest.
I can’t wait to see it! Lastly, do you’ve any recommendation for our readers from Aunty Z?
Sure: Do all of your creative issues on Friday and Saturday night time and keep within the STEM fields. Don’t learn this interview and assume I must be a full-time comedian. No, you shouldn’t. Even should you’re humorous, you shouldn’t. I’m telling you proper now, if I discover doing that someplace, I’m gonna beat you with my naked palms, and I’m not gonna fear about — I don’t actually care that folks don’t do this in America. If you happen to’ve been to my present, you already know it will get actual in there.
, that’s about what I anticipated, however I’m completely satisfied to get it in writing. And I’m coming into my Aunty period, I form of endorse.
Yeah, do it on the weekends! I’m not saying kill your goals. I’m saying restrict them.
“Sensible Individuals Win” is now streaming on Hulu.