It took Zakir Khan 1 year to accumulate Rs 500 to register for his 1st open mic
Mumbai, Aug 7
Comedian-actor Zakir Khan recently shared that he saved Rs 500 for a year to register for his 1st open mic, which paved the way for his stand-up career.
The comedian recently appeared on the 'Pehla Pehla' podcast hosted by actor Gopal Datt, where he spoke about his tough days as a young guy, punched down by life.
He told the host, "We used to eat once a day. Every 2-3 months, it happened that we didn't get food for 3 days. In such a scenario, we would sit in our innerwear. And my friend, Vishwas would tell me, 'If you start this work, then no one will be better than you in India'. And what did I say? I said, 'I know'. Now I am ashamed of these things. I had Googled a lot earlier about stand-up/ I had got something. Sitting in a cyber cafe, stand-up comedy, something like this".
He further mentioned, "So there was a fee of Rs 500 to register in open mic. For someone like us, it was very high. So, it took me about 1 year 8 months to save Rs 500. When I went there for the first time to do it, then of course it didn't work. There is something in your mind. All those who do comedy are aware of it. They think that this will be funny, and something else is going on on stage".
"People's mood or the environment is something else. Their social slab is something else. Your economical slab is something else. There are so many variants in it that it takes a lot of time to sit. So it got spoiled. It got spoiled. People are laughing at the fact that it didn't work", he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The part about sitting in innerwear for days without food hit me hard. So many talented people in our country never get a chance because of money. Glad Zakir persisted. His story is an inspiration for all the small-town dreamers!
Sab log struggle ki baat karte hain, but Zakir ne actually jee kar dikhaya. Rs 500 aaj ke time mein chai-nashta ka kharcha hai, but us time uske liye itna bada amount tha. This is why his comedy connects with the aam aadmi.
His honesty about failing on the first attempt is refreshing. Often we only see the success, not the rejections and self-doubt. Zakir's journey from cyber cafe research to becoming one of India's most loved comedians is truly remarkable.
The "social slab vs economic slab" observation is so profound. Comedy is not just about jokes - it's about shared experiences. Zakir managed to bridge that gap with his authentic storytelling. So proud of how far he's come!
Respect to Vishwas for believing in Zakir when no one else did. Real friends push you towards your dreams. Also, yeh open mic wale bhi logon ka Rs 500 le liye but at least they gave him a platform. Win-win!
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