5 must-watch stand-up comedians in Karachi

By Afia Bint-e-Iftikhar

Laugh out loud: Your favourite comedians are right here. Are you in the crowd?

Comedy is more than just a pleasant way to pass an evening. Whether you are sharing an amusing story in school, cracking a self-deprecating joke, or using dark humour at an inappropriate time, it’s all needed. Stand-up comedy is different because it allows the comedian to interact directly with the audience, making it a unique brand of performance.

Stand-up comedy in Karachi is gaining momentum, and one might not want to miss out on these stand-up comedians:

1-Akbar Chaudry

Akbar Chaudry is an engineer, lecturer, artist, content creator, and a stand-up comedian. He started his journey back in 2005; he faced many challenges while joining the comedic community. He performs with his fellow comedian friends at certain places in Karachi in a friendly and funny environment. Chaudry is one of the most famous comedians—he has done some shows in the USA too. He is one of the members of ‘Lol Walay’ and performs at different cities of Pakistan. Famous for his dirty comedy shows, Akbar Chaudry has also been doing some shows online on his social media accounts.

2-Shehzad Ghias Shaikh

Shehzad Ghias Shaikh is a director, writer, teacher, improviser, and stand-up comedian. He started his journey professionally back in 2009 and established his entertainment production company called ‘Cogito’. Shehzad has received numerous awards and positive reviews in both Karachi and Lahore. One of his most prominent achievements includes a Fulbright scholarship for a Master’s degree in theatre from New York. Shehzad performs physically and on a podcast called ‘The Pakistan Experience’. The good thing about his stand-up comedy is that he raises his voice on social issues and never steps back from talking on taboo topics. His dirty comedy, along with Akbar Chaudry, is known all over Karachi.

3-Ali Gul Pir

Ali Gul Pir is a rapper, voice-over artist, and stand-up comedian. He started his journey in the comedic community long after his musical journey began. Ali Gul Pir has a tremendous amount of fan following from all over the country. His song 'Waderai ka beta' is one of the reasons for his fame. Gul is uplifting his career in stand-up comedy by making funny videos of politicians on social media, and by performing at stand-up comedy shows in Dubai and Pakistan. His recent most-talked music video was ‘Karlay jo karna hai', which was about male allyship in the #MeTooMovement.

4-Sameer Alam

Sameer Alam is an actor, stand-up comedian, improv artist, and a filmmaker. He is 21-year-old—born in Pakistan but raised in America. Sameer Alam has been a member of LyProv and gained experience in stand-up comedy and improvisational comedy. He has also performed some shows with ‘Karachi Comedy Club’. Currently, he is based in London and aims to build his brand—create and act—on both stage and screen.

5-Omer Wahla

Omer Wahla, also known as WheresMySamosa, is a director, producer, stand-up comedian, sketcher, and a social satirist. He was born in Pakistan but raised in America. He produces videos, writes articles, and does stand-up comedy. Omer mostly uses himself as a third person in his writings. He has won several awards—such as ‘International Waste My Life Competition’ and ‘Somehow Still Successful Competition’.