Who Rahul Subramanian is – as he proves in his Fringe debut – is an energetic performer with a knack for observational comedy and creating a character that will stay with us long after the show’s over.

With appearances on Amazon Prime and Netflix, Subramanian is a household name in India. He has brought his first solo hour to the Fringe with ‘Who Are You?’ to full houses. The show is rooted in Subramanian’s Indian cultural roots, but the context and references are explained well for international audiences. He takes around fifteen minutes to warm up the room, with cracks about Scottish weather and a story on engineering campus placements in India.

It’s interesting to learn of the path that brought Subramanian to comedy. And as soon as he dives into the tales of his burgeoning stand-up career, we’re hooked. The room sways to his every word and intonation. He is especially skilled at allowing quieter moments, much needed among the hoots, applause, and stomping feet that provide the backdrop to the majority of the hour.

Subramanian’s way with hyperbole – lifting everyday occurrences into the absurd –  leaves his audience gasping for air. He introduces us to odd characters that we wish we could see for ourselves (from a distance, thank you very much). The posh Mumbai Dada and his daughter, the DJs who threatened Subramanian with cricket bats. The latter is especially curious since, as Subramanian confesses, he deliberately avoids political and religious jokes. But it seems no topic is ever truly safe, since he became the target of DJs in India due to a routine about their work (?).

He reaches the show’s crescendo with a bit about a motivational speaker who opened for Subramanian at a corporate event. I dare you to leave his act without the voice of that motivational speaker burned into your mind, so that you too will awake with ‘I wanna knowwwww… who. are. you?!’ ringing in your ears. But it’s well worth it.

‘Who Are You?‘ is at Assembly George Square – The Box until Sun 25 Aug at 18.25