Zakir Khan: 'For success, you need to get over it'

Indian stand-up comic Zakir Khan created ripples on social media when his fans heard that he was going to take a break after his latest tour – which concluded in Dubai on Jan 21 at Dubai Opera.

He has after all earned a space among some of the funniest comics in India — think Varun Grover, Biswa Kalyan Rath, and Karunesh Talwar — people who make you giggle and think at the same time.

He has been open about his health struggles tugging at him for some down time since September 2025. And after his final bow, he sat down with Gulf News to talk about why perspective is key to success, why Dubai is one of his favourite places to perform and why this break is not the end.  (This interview was conducted in English and Hindi, and the answers have been transliterated.) Here are the excerpts:

Here’s what he said about…

Dubai…

I think it's the best city in India (laughs). It feels like home. It's a very warm city. And every time I have come here, I've been treated very lovingly by the people of Dubai. That's why even my parents love to come here.

Plus, people here speak in Urdu and Hindi, making their conversations more comfortable.

What happens after a show…

Right after a show, we think about what we have done and what we could do better. And of course, what are we going to eat.

Being relatable even after fame…

Well, being relatable has nothing to do with how rich or poor you are. It’s about the sentiments you eke out of people. But here’s the thing: for most of my life, I have lived hand-to-mouth. So most of my life experience comes from there. So up until the experience I am having now (fame and fortune) overshadows the life I’ve lived, I will talk about the major experiences I’ve had. I speak my truth.

Competing with the algorithm…

People to try to be relatable even though they don’t really feel what they are saying… those people have lived very shallow lives. I am grateful for the circumstances (some tough) that I had to live through that allowed me to see and understand every socioeconomic strata of society.

Also, as an artist, I try to talk to a lot of people. Being a good listener also helps you.

On success…

Success is a retrospective conversation. Else, it’s just work – you work no matter how much fame or how little exposure you are getting. And life is a journey – sometimes you eat in a five-star restaurant, sometimes in a roadside shack, but at the end of the day you are working. And you have a responsibility to your craft no matter when you are working – from day one.  

Staying motivated…

Requires perspective. Being less self-indulgent also helps when you know everything is not about you. People are not trying to target you. Just accept the fact and move on.

I have few complaints from the world. Instead, I look at how I can maneuver to the best of my ability to get to where I want to be.

On taking a break…

It’s time for me to look after my health. I’ve tried to balance work and health but I need a time out to manage things. (Read about why he’s taking this mini retirement of sorts here.)

But I love to perform; I want to do it when I’m 80, which means I need to do this now.