SINGAPORE: Comedian and disability advocate Karan Nagrani will bring his show From GRINDR to BLINDR to Melbourne Fringe this October, drawing on his experiences of dating, disability and identity through stand-up comedy and storytelling.

Nagrani, known online as “That Blind Guy”, has built a large international following through social media, where his videos about blindness, everyday life and humour have attracted millions of views. He has also been ranked among the world’s top blind influencers for three consecutive years.

The one hour show explores his experiences of navigating dating and relationships while living with a progressive degenerative condition that has left him with about three per cent vision. It also touches on sexuality, identity and the social assumptions that often surround disability.

Nagrani said the show centres on three different parts of his life: being gay, being a person of colour and becoming blind.

He describes the performance as comedy first, with disability forming part of the story rather than its sole focus.

After a sold out season at Midsumma Festival, the show will return for a Melbourne Fringe performance on 17 October.

Nagrani has become one of Australia’s more visible disability advocates using comedy as a way to discuss access, inclusion and public attitudes. His online work often combines humour with practical insights into living with vision loss, and he has spoken publicly about the barriers that people with disabilities continue to face in dating, employment and everyday life.

Comedy that draws on personal identity and lived experience has become an increasingly prominent part of Australian festival programming, with performers using humour to examine topics that are often treated with caution in public discussion.

For audiences, the show offers a perspective on dating and disability that is candid, self aware and sharply observed, with much of the material drawn from real experiences rather than advocacy messaging.