RHLSTP with Richard Herring Retro RHLSTP 138 - Eshaan Akbar
Mar 23, 2026
Eshaan Akbar, comedian and ex-banker turned writer and actor, shares candid stories about switching careers and stage life. He discusses challenging his childhood religion through comedy, navigating representation and ethnic impressions, and surviving threats for his material. Expect quirky tales from Bollywood choreography to a twisted childhood medical mishap.
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From Blue Badges To Arena Dancing
- Eshaan Akbar ran a Bollywood dance troupe called the Blue Badges from age 18 with eight boys and eight girls performing at weddings nationwide.
- The troupe name embarrassed him later because none were disabled and he didn't realise the Blue Badges meaning, yet he returned to dance for 10,000 people at M&S Bank Arena in 2022.
The Advantages Of Being Untribal
- Eshaan feels permanently outside neat identity boxes: not Asian enough for some immigrants, too Asian for others, and reluctant to be a spokesperson for any group.
- He values being treated on merit and describes his career path from banking to comedy as 'falling into' opportunities rather than following a tribal agenda.
From Leading Prayer To Leaving Faith
- Eshaan described leading the call to prayer as a child after auditioning with imams, then later stepping away from practising Islam while still appreciating parts of its philosophy.
- He used that journey in his show Profit Like It's Hot to both critique and celebrate elements of the Quran and his upbringing.