The chants of 'Zakir, Zakir' from the enthusiastic crowd are surely enough for the sakht Zakir Khan to say 'Mein pighal gaya'. For someone whose comedy has always been called relatable by his fans, the stand-up comedian has come a long way from opening sets at small venues to becoming the first Asian comedian to perform at Royal Albert Hall, UK. But Zakir says that someday, when the stadium lights could unpredictably dim, he is ready to return to perform for just 50 people again.

In a candid conversation, he also speaks about venturing into OTT, incorporating vulnerability into his performances and more. "I say this as a joke to my friends that performing at Royal Albert Hall feels like shenanigans you pull in front of your friends on a drunk night. Uska effect aapko agle din pata chalta hai."

Pondering over how he ensures that his material resonates with a diverse audience, while maintaining cultural sensitivity, Zakir says flatly, “I am sure the Queen's family won't be attending my shows anytime soon. Whether in India or abroad, it's mostly Indians that come to watch me perform. So, chal jaata hai theek thaak," he laughs.

Having met British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr at his recent performance in India, Zakir also acknowledges the hard work of Indian comedians like Vir Das, Amit Tandon, and Abhishek Upmanyu for putting India on the global map. "The more we go out there and perform at packed venues, the more people realise that something is happening in India and that there's an industry called comedy in India," shares Zakir.

"To create a relatable story from past, personal experiences, I need to have dealt with them first. If I haven't done that, I will be stuck in a moment of vulnerability."

Authenticity is crucial in comedy and Zakir’s clips about being a sakht launda, relationships and even friendships are packed with it. That's probably why they always go viral on social media. But Zakir confesses, "I am the most unsocial, social person." He emphasizes that his focus is solely on creating art. "Social media is not a big part of my life, but every platform works as a vehicle to reach out to the audience. So I am just thankful that the algorithm is picking up my clips," he smiles.

“I don't understand why people expect a comedian to always be happy. That is why writing poetry is my revolt to that notion. It's a way of expressing myself and keeping a record of my timeline of personal happenings, mishappenings, good and bad times”

Reflecting on the evolution of the stand-up comedy scene since his debut, Zakir notes, "It's very organized now. We know what we are getting into, and there are fewer mishappenings. We have worked really hard to be at this stage. By 'we,' I mean every person who has been in the comedy business since 2010."

Zakir loves the city. He shares, “I bought my first house in Pune. That's how much I love the city. My family lives here and whenever I have a free day, I want to be in the city. I have not explored Pune as much as I would love to. I want to see the old city area and visit the Shreemant Dagduseth Ganpati. I also want to see a dhol tasha pathak performance. Hopefully, all of that will happen this year."

Deepali Singh (DNA; June 29, 2019)

When Zakir Khan started doing comedy almost 10 years ago, he was ridiculed for not having the ‘X-factor’ in him. “People would say ‘Tum mein woh baat nahi hai’, adding that while I’m a good writer, I am not a good performer,” says the stand-up artiste, whose show tickets, today, sell like hot cakes. “I learnt by trial and error. So, I value raw talent. When I see good writers who may not be performing that well, I get that underdog feeling and I feel I’m on their side,” he smiles. The much-loved comedian, writer and actor who played the protagonist in the web series Chacha Vidhayak Hain Humare and popular stand-up specials Haq Se Single and Kaksha Gyarvi, is now the judge on Comicstaan Season 2...

From being judged to judging others, does it feel surreal to achieve so much in such less time?
More than anything else, I am thankful every day of my life. I’m the son of a music teacher from Indore and there are so many people in Mumbai who love me. I have been trying to do comedy since the past 10 years and have been doing it professionally since the past eight years. It’s just that since four years people have come to know me. So, it’s not like I have achieved fame overnight. It’s just that now I’m getting a chance to share with others what I have learnt in the last 10 years.

Do you think this comedy boom is just a phase? 
There is something called fad, and another is culture. Culture doesn’t die, fads do. Bell bottoms will come and go but people will continue wearing pants! (Laughs) Laughter is an emotion, so that will never go out of business.

What do you think has been the biggest reason in people connecting with you and your brand of comedy?
Uska ek bada hissa social change hai. People are not looking for heroes who are out of their reach.  They are finding inspiration in those who are like them or look like them. Woh popularity nahi, pratinidhi (representative) dhoondh rahe hain. As comedians, we fill that gap. We have connected with them via digital space which is a democratic system. People have watched us out of personal choice and liked us for who we represent. You watch a film with 200 people, but when you watch an internet show, aap usko akele chhaati se laga ke dekhte ho. Usse zyada vulnerable moment koi nahi hai.

Is there something you want to work upon when it comes to your performance?
Mere saare dost English mein bahot comedy karte hain. I’m not so comfortable with the language. When we go and perform at international destinations, my friends do two-three more shows because they can speak in English. I feel that if I better my English, then maybe even I can do more shows, some open mics. I will get self-satisfaction from that.

Have there been any offers from Bollywood?
Some offers have come but as an industry and as an individual, I’m not seeking approval from Bollywood. We have our own work and that’s going just fine. Then, the offers are often ambiguous and dubious. Aur hamein samajh aata hai! We see through the bullshit (laughs). Everybody assumes that if you have come to Mumbai for work, you want to become a hero. And if you say no to them, they get offended! But we have our own journey and that pit stop hasn’t come in my journey where I feel I need to do something in Bollywood. I’m good in my own universe.