Who is Shyam Rangeela? Comedian known for mimicking PM Modi will now contest election against him in Varanasi

Shyam Rangeela, a comedian, mimicry artist and entertainer, is all set to contest Lok Sabha elections from the Varanasi constituency in north India. The announcement of Rangeela’s candidature soon caught people’s attention, when he shared the news on his official X account.

“I am excited by the love I am receiving from all of you after the announcement to contest elections from Varanasi”, Rangeela wrote on Wednesday.

The announcement is eye-catching for two reasons: one, Varanasi is PM Narendra Modi’s stronghold, he has won this seat twice in the 2014 and 2019 elections; second, Rangeela is well-known for his mimicry of PM Modi.

From impersonating Modi's ‘bhaiyo-behno’ (brothers and sisters) salutation to taking jabs on his ‘Man ki Baat’ podcast, the comedian has come a long way from being a fan of the PM to becoming his rival this election season.

वाराणसी मैं आ रहा हूँ…#ShyamRangeelaForVaranasi pic.twitter.com/8BOFx4nnjn — Shyam Rangeela (@ShyamRangeela) May 1, 2024

Rangeela, 29, believes “someone’s name should be on the EVM” against PM in Varanasi, as this is what the spirit of the Indian constitution is, he said in the video.

Shyam Rangeela: From Modi fan to his rival in Varanasi

Shyam Rangeela hails from Rajasthan’s Hanumangarh and has a degree in animation. He was seen as a comedian in The Great Indian Laughter Challenge on TV but grew to prominence when he started mimicking political figures.

He shot to fame for the first time in 2017 when his impersonation of PM Modi with a tinge of humour became widely popular on social media.

Since then, Rangeela has made several videos mimicking Modi and his famous speeches and interviews.

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His Instagram has many videos from his standup shows where he is seen mimicking Modi and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi.

Recently, he started critiquing PM Modi and his policies through his videos.

In one of his interviews, Rangeela recounted his journey from being a supporter of PM Modi to a disillusioned critic, citing restrictions imposed on his comedic work as a turning point.

“I was a bhakt (fan) even till 2016-17, but then restrictions were imposed on me," he said in an interview with The Indian Express newspaper.

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Rangeela cited BJP’s unopposed victory in Surat constituency and controversy in Chandigarh mayoral polls as reasons to contest in Varanasi, to give people more options to choose from.

“I feel like it shouldn’t be that there is no other candidate to vote for. Even if one person wants to vote against a candidate, he or she has that right. Someone’s name should be on the EVM," he said in his video posted on X.

PM Modi is expected to file his nomination from Varanasi for the third time on May 13. With Modi in the fray, the contest for the Varanasi seat becomes symbolic. The Congress has fielded its Uttar Pradesh unit chief, Ajay Rai, from Varanasi.

Among other candidates, transgender Mahamandaleshwar Hemangi Sakhi is also a candidate in the high-profile seat in Uttar Pradesh.

(With inputs from agencies)