Aap mujhse abhi jokes bulwalo, main bol dunga,” Zakir Khan tells us in his trademark style, while on a visit to Ahmedabad for a live performance. Zakir, who calls himself a stand-up comedian and storyteller, feels that comedy always came naturally to him.

“I started performing at the age of nine and realized that talking on stage gives me instant gratification,” he adds. The artiste, known for his soulful shaayari and quick-witted comedy, spoke to us about how he picked up comedy as a career, how his sets do not define him as a person, and more. Excerpts:

Zakir comes from a family of musicians, but he shares that comedy runs in the family. “My entire family is super funny. In fact, I’d say I’m the least funny of them all. Their comic timing is extremely sharp. As a matter of fact, they feel ‘Yeh itni toh normal baatein karta hai, iska kyu itna naam ho gaya hai?’ (laughs),” he shares.

Zakir says that keeping his performances original and authentic is possible because heconsiders his fans as family. “My idea of family is very open. Whenever I am on stage, I’d talk just the way I’d speak to a loved one. That’s why I find comfort in sharing my stories, despite them being personal...Having worked in the industry for so long, you also learn to articulate your feelings better.”

He adds that the sense of responsibility he feels towards his fans ensures he never underperforms, regardless of his state of mind. “My job is to make others feel things, main kaisa feel kar raha hoon woh baad mein dekh lenge. Mood uppar neeche hota hai kai baar, but I love performing on stage. Being on stage improves my mood instantly.”

Despite his image of being a “sakht launda”, Zakir comes across as anything but that. When asked if being a storyteller allowed him to be open and expressive, he shares, “I think it’s the opposite for me. Since I am good with expressing my feelings, I am a good storyteller and performer. As far as the image of sakht launda goes, it was simply a portion of my set. No single piece, poem or show can decide how I am as a person. That’s a different journey, aur kaam apni jagah hai.”