I almost feel bad for 2022. The year has just begun and it’s already burdened with the weight of all the world’s most unreasonable expectations. And even though we can see that things are already going awry, we latch on to our dreams for it, as if we can will that trip to Goa, or a movie screening, or a restaurant dinner date into existence through sheer resolve. I don’t think that’s how this works, mitron.

So let’s not treat 2022 the way desi parents treat their kids. Let’s keep our expectations realistic, and appreciate the good things that have already come our way this year. I’ve got five. Five newly released standup clips to re-assure you that comedy is alive and kicking despite the full-frontal attack it faced last year. Have a look at our weekly roundup of the best Youtube videos released this week that you can binge-watch from your couch.

1. Mohd Suhel – Stolen Joke & Unprofessional Comedian

First off is Mohd. Suhel, flexing his comedy muscles in a quick 2-minute clip released on January 3. Suhel is one of Indian comedy’s rising stars, with his straight-faced style becoming so intrinsic to his performances that the audience can pick up on different layers of deadpan (sorta like deadpan-ception). In fact, this video features Suhel cracking a deadpan joke about how his jokes are too deadpan.

2. Nalin Yadav – Humour Khatre Mein

One comedian on the receiving end of the afore-mentioned full-frontal attack on comedy was Nalin Yadav. The comic was sent to jail early last year alongside Munawar Faruqui and actually spent 57 days behind bars. This video is Yadav’s first after his release and honestly? It’s a banger. Yadav talks about his imprisonment, jail time and sex-ed (because why not, we know we need it) during his performance. He also works in an understated and hilariously crafted “Hinduon khatre meh hai” joke. A stellar performance on his YouTube debut.

3. Pratyush Chaubey – Dheet Men

Pratyush Chaubey started off the year with an incisive set on men and their many (MANY) frailties. We’ve got aalsi men, dheet men, laalchi men, unmotivated men, men motivated by the wrong things, baalti waali aukaat men, inexpressive men, emotionally stunted men and incompetent men. #YesAllMen? Chaubey’s jokes are trained on all the toxic masculinity that keeps men down and he does a great job at making a tough pill to swallow quite easily consumable. PS: stick around for a short crowdwork clip in the outro.

4. Mohit Morani – Journalism

Mohit Morani is quietly building quite the repertoire of political comedy. He’s done bits on everything from a Modi-bhakt roommate to the tired tropes about Muslims scattered across popular culture. And he’s started 2022 off by taking aim at journalists. Morani makes fun of Arnab Goswami and Ravish Kimar and everyone in between, even caveating his performance by saying he’s got enough jokes about the left to earn a get-of-jail-free card. Are we seeing the rise of a new political satirist?

5. Yash Rathi – Chemistry

Yash Rathi takes us back to school with this story about his antics in chemistry class. And whether it’s just the ridiculous nature of the shenanigans kids resort to in school, or Rathi’s expert storytelling, but the laughs don’t stop coming for a whole ten minutes. No wonder this clip has gone viral, hitting almost a half million views in a day.