Hasmukh is an Indian dark comedy crime series premiering on Netflix in starring Vir Das as the titular character, an aspiring young comedian who can only perform if he kills a guilty person before going onstage. Murdering his mentor Gulati in cold blood, Hasmukh's crime is discovered by his friend Jimmy "The Maker", who insists on becoming Hasmukh's manager. Received as a prodigious "God of Comedy" after his stand-up acts go viral, Hasmukh's rise to fame must come at a terrible price.
Hasmukh provides examples of the following tropes
- Ambition Is Evil: Subverted initially, as Hasmukh is reluctant to kill anyone, but his ambitious desire to become the greatest comedian in India overrides his otherwise decent morals. Even then, he insists on only killing bad people. The significantly less moral Jimmy enables Hasmukh's homicidal habits.
- Evil Uncle: Hasmukh's horribly abusive uncle is one of his first victims. Hasmukh feels absolutely zero guilt for his death.
- Small Name, Big Ego: Jimmy "The Maker". Yes, it's a self-given nickname.
- Spirit Advisor: Hasmukh's murdered mentor Gulati, with his throat still slit, haunts him throughout the series. While he is understandably harsh about it since Hasmukh did kill him, Gulati provides his successor with valuable advice. Whenever the imaginary spirit of Gulati appears onstage with Hasmukh, it's a sign to the viewer that Hasmukh's performance will go well.
