Zakir Khan is a pro on stage, but he admits that television is going to be a different ball game altogether. The stand-up comedian, who is gearing up for his TV show Apka Apna Zakir, admits, “I am a little nervous, but I have my parents’ blessings, so I am sure everything will work out well. But yes, even after performing on stage for so many years, there is always a bit of anxiety.”

Given that people today get offended easily, how tough is it for stand-up comedians? Zakir replies, “I haven’t faced a situation like this so far, so I don’t know how I would tackle it. But for comedians, the one challenge is to understand that every audience is different, be it their likes, dislikes, cultures or sensibilities. So one has to be mindful of that.”

Known for his punch line ‘sakht launda’, Zakir says that being a comedian is a full-time job. “It is not a 9 to 5 job. I have to always be alert during conversations, observing and listening to people, because that’s how I get relatable content for my shows.”

Now with his TV show coming up, has he thought of the obvious comparisons that will be drawn with Kapil Sharma and Krushna Abhishek? “Comparisons are inevitable, but that has been the case since the time I started doing comedy. Whenever we do something new, there will be comparisons and challenges, but one has to keep growing in their field,” says Zakir.