People underestimate the power of stand-up comedy: Karan Johar

Bollywood director Karan Johar has donned a never seen avatar as he collaborates with stand-up comedian Zakir Khan and swap roles with him for an ad campaign.

In an interview, Karan says, "I think people actually underestimate the power of stand-up comedy and also the ability to do it."

How was your experience of swapping roles with Zakir?

The experience was great fun, me being Zakir, Zakir being me. I am a big fan of Zakir and I think that he is really hilarious. So, I think this kind of a switch was quite fun, it was a good surprise and I enjoyed it.

Is there a particular trait in Zakir that you found interesting and therefore decided to swap with yours?

Zakir has a very straight-faced comic timing, I like the way that he is not theatrical in his comic timing. I think he is quite clear, clean and one tonal but in a very strong way. He connects with an audience because of his straight face. I watched a lot of his stuff, especially before shooting the commercial and I was very enthralled by his comic timings and how he projected himself to an audience.

Usually, you're the one behind the camera, directing the actors, here we find you front and centre; what was that like for you?

Well, being in front of the camera is not entirely new to me. I have faced the camera several times as a show host, as a reality show judge, so this was yet another vertical of that same feeling. Though of course facing the camera in the pandemic is a rare thing. Always exciting, it kind of makes you feel that you are back at work. So, it was fun, it was exciting and there was a young crew working on the campaign and everyone was giving it their all, so the energy was infectious.

Have you ever tried stand-up comedy? Has this campaign inspired you to in any way?

I mean, I would like to believe that I am a kind of funny person. But I have never done stand up. I think people actually underestimate the power of stand-up comedy and also the ability to do it. Not everyone can crack a joke and say something funny. It's not something like reading off the page. I know that I may not necessarily have that ability, I might be funny in a room but I may not be funny on stage. So, I have great respect for the great comics that we have in our country and even internationally and I am a big fan of watching comedy.

How do you see the audience reaction and acceptance change over the years in the film industry?

I think that the audience's taste is constantly evolving and challenging filmmakers, ad filmmakers, storytellers, digital filmmakers. There is so much content being consumed in digital space that actually makes people pull up their creative socks. Similarly, in the world of advertising people are thinking of new and innovative ways to tell their stories and sell their products, and this was yet another innovation that I applaud and I hope that the audience will too.

What's next in the pipeline for you?

Well, there is lot at Dharma and Dharma that I would like to look forward to, post when things can hopefully open up and when there is light at the end of this deep dark tunnel. There is a lot of content waiting for both verticals of Dharma as in films and digital and we are very excited to tell new, unusual and unconventional stories.