- Posted on: February 12, 2014 | Comments

Google Translation: اُردو | 中文

On Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Islamabadis were in for a treat. Mirth and laughter lit up the atmosphere at Kuch Khaas where one of the country’s best young stand-up comedians, Saad Haroon, was performing. He is currently touring Pakistan with his Kata Kat comedy act.

Leaving a life of affluence, Saad Haroon chose to be a story teller. In his stories humor takes a life and form where previously none existed. “A comedian observes ordinary things differently and he points out things that were there the whole time but just not visible to everyone”, says Saad, while talking to Youlin after the show. 

 Saad Haroon was born in a business family and was mentored from an early age to become a businessman. It was to his family’s surprise and perhaps, dismay, that Saad left the well beaten path, to find fulfillment in being happy and making people happy. “My family still worries about me, and honestly I worry about myself as well, but then these appreciative people coming at the end of the show, telling me how much they liked the performance, make me go on”, says Saad.

Saad, uses a lot of his own life stories and by putting in just the right proportion of exaggeration, transforms them into something people can connect with. “Even if at some point, I leave stand-up comedy, I’d still be a story teller”. According to Saad, people have an intrinsic need to connect with other people, to hear their stories, and many a times, it provides an impetus, a motivation to live, to go on with life.

Starting off in 2002, Saad has helped groom many comedians himself; Danish Ali and Ali Gul Pir to name just a few. He has performed with them at various platforms and has always been supportive of people looking to make people laugh. Little wonder that all comedians especially the ones performing in English, look up to him for inspiration.

In his act, Saad pokes fun at himself, but then also interacts with the audience, spontaneously coming up with comic jibes while taking care not to offend. “You are the ones who paid for the show, so you should blame yourselves for it”, he says on stage. In his career of more than 10 years, there has been only one incident where an individual came up to him after the show to say that Saad’s jokes were offensive.  

The Islamabadi crowd, however, did not think so, with little children sitting amidst elderly people, enjoying Saad’s jokes along with everyone else.

“I believe in goodness of humankind and I believe that people are intrinsically good but then there haters as well”, says Saad. He had to face many in his life, especially after his controversial Burqa Woman song (remix of Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman) came out, which drew in comments from all around the world. 

But Saad’s greatest faith is in spreading happiness. “In every show, there are going to be a few people who would hate you, and maybe without even knowing why”, he says. “By jeering at and belittling others, certain people derive satisfaction and happiness – and by letting those people have this opportunity, I am again doing what I do best – spreading joy”.

Yes there are a thousand and one ways of earning a living, and may be more, but how awesome is to make people laugh to earn your bread.