He worked as telecaller and almost gave up comedy to study law. Now, he is stand-up star. Raunaq Rajani was recently detained by Mumbai Police in CJP protest

Raunaq Rajani recently made headlines after he was detained at the CJP protest site. After being released, he shared a video assuring everyone that he was safe. Many people are now wondering who the stand-up comedian is and how he built his career. Here's a look at his journey from working multiple jobs to becoming one of India's popular comedians.

Taking to Instagram, Raunaq addressed his followers through a video. "Hello, lots of people are texting me and asking if everything is okay. I'm out of detention, all good, thank you very much." he said.

Coming to his career, apart from his stand-up comedy performances, Raunaq has also gained popularity through his YouTube show Relationshit Advice. The show features him alongside fellow comedians and influencers as they discuss relationship problems shared by his fans, with several Bollywood celebrities also appearing as guests over the years.

From theatre and odd jobs to stand-up comedy

Long before audiences knew him as a comedian, Raunaq explored several different career paths.

His professional journey began as a theatre understudy at Silly Point Productions between 2010 and 2011, where he received his first exposure to the performing arts.

He later worked in a variety of roles while trying to find his footing. According to his LinkedIn profile, he completed an internship as a telecaller at Next Level Media Communications Pvt. Ltd. between 2013 and 2014. After that, he interned in programming at 9X Media Pvt. Ltd. from 2014 to 2015 before moving into content writing with One Network Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. during 2015 and 2016.

During the same period, Raunaq also worked as a real estate agent at his family's Rajani Property Consultants from 2015 to 2017.

His career then took a different turn when he joined East India Comedy (EIC) as a comedy writer between 2017 and 2019. The role helped him sharpen his writing skills and eventually encouraged him to pursue stand-up comedy full-time.

Since 2019, he has been working as a stand-up comedian and humour writer, earning recognition for his observational comedy based on everyday life, relationships and current affairs.

The viral video that changed everything

Although Raunaq is now a familiar face in India's comedy scene, success did not come overnight.

In a social media post shared in 2024, the comedian revealed that he had spent seven years performing stand-up before any of his videos became widely popular online.

Looking back at that phase of his life, Raunaq said, "I had already been doing stand-up for 7 years before my first video went viral on YouTube. Unnoticed at open mics, I was ready to give up on comedy, (something that truly brought me comfort) and move my focus on my law degree. That one video not only kickstarted my comedy career but also saved me and many others from entrusting their lives in the hands of Advocate Raunaq Rajani.”

That turning point eventually helped him build a loyal audience across stand-up shows, YouTube and social media.

Why Raunaq Rajani was in the news

Raunaq recently returned to the headlines after being detained during the ongoing Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) protest along with several other stand-up comedians.

Following his release, he reassured fans through Instagram that he was safe and thanked everyone who had reached out to check on him.

The protests have drawn nationwide attention after educator and environmentalist Sonam Wangchuk began an indefinite hunger strike. Demonstrators have been demanding talks with the Central government and have also sought the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak and other alleged irregularities related to the examination process.

While Raunaq's recent detention has brought him back into the spotlight, his journey to becoming a successful comedian tells a much longer story.