Zakir makes audience laugh with refreshing, relatable humour

It was an act of comedy packed with the most refreshing and relatable jokes. The humour in the stories was so entertaining that the audience remained glued to their seats for over two hours of the show.
Whether it was a short conversation between a father and his son about the future plans of the son or a couple discussing each other’s friends, the humorous way Zakir Khan, a famous stand-up comedian from India, described all the scenes was very engaging.
It was a packed audience at Al Mayassa Theater at Qatar National Convention Centre on Thursday night. The expatriates from South Asian countries, particularity Indians, thronged the venue to listen to the funny and satirical quips by Zakir, who rose to popularity by winning Comedy Central’s India’s third best stand-up comedian competition in 2012.
The programme named ‘Desi Comedy Nights’ was organised by Millennium Entertainment, an event management company. This was the third stand-up comedy show by the organisers this year.
The show started with the performance by Nishant Suri, an emerging stand-up comedian. He rose to fame after he won Comicstaan, a popular comedy competition. His appearance was a surprise for the audience who were not aware of Suri’s performance. He set the tone of the show by making jokes about how childhood friends feel for each other after one gets success and the other who is not so successful in practical life.
The much awaited comic acts of Zakir started with how a teenage son reacts to his bossy father. The artiste actually satirises the father’s attitude towards the young son. He highlighted how the father expects his son to be a brilliant student and a successful professional.
Zakir goes on to highlight husband and wife relations as he tells their feelings for each other’s friends in a funny and comic way. All and sundry, present in the theatre seemed to enjoy the jokes and comments of the comedians.
Priya Denny, a member of the organising team, said: “Zakir was born and raised in Madhya Pradesh, India. He comes from a humble background and credits his father with being supportive of his talent. Khan has a diploma in sitar and is a college dropout.
“Besides performing at many stand-up comedy shows, he has also done ghostwriting and produced radio shows. He is known for his punchline “Sakht launda”, which means a guy with immense self-control who would not be easily manipulated by pretty, cunning girls.
“With over 3 million subscribers on YouTube. Zakir is India’s biggest stand-up comic who has performed to sold-out audiences all over the world.”
Charmi Nagaria is a house-wife. She has been living in Doha with her husband for over three years. She was present in the theatre with her husband to enjoy the show. She said: “It was fantastic to attend the show and listen to the comedy of Zakir who is famous for his refreshing quips. I like his comedy because it is very relatable. One can relate to his remarks about son and father and husband and wife relationships. His comedy is very native for us as Indians. He talks about household issues and highlights follies and whims of certain people in the society. You can see everyday happenings in his comic acts.
“In Doha, we have many things happening as far  as art or cultural activities are concerned. When it comes to stand-up comedy, the events are few. The indoor stand-up comedy shows are very refreshing during the summer in Doha.”
Parag Kothari is a sales manager. He has also been living in Qatar a little over three years. He also cherished the comedy of Zakir. “The show was amazingly amusing. He is a very good storyteller. His style keeps you hooked and glued to your seats. His stories are very relatable and presented in a funny way.
“Nishant was also a real surprise. He is also well known in India. He started the show very well and set the tone for Zakir.
“It was really nice of the organisers to bring Zakir to Doha. We miss Indian stand-up comedy here. The company has already done two comedy shows here. I also attended their earlier shows and enjoyed the events with my family. I hope they will keep bringing talented comedians in the future as well to entertain the expatriates who are away from their home country.”