HT City

WOULD LOVE TO DO A SHOW IN INDIA HASAN>>

Comedian Hasan Minhaj feels that because of the Internet, people will be able to relate to his jokes, even those based on the American society

- Samarth Goyal ■ samarth.goyal@htlive.com

Although his parents are from India, American comedian Hasan Minhaj “unfortunat­ely” hasn’t been able to do a show in India. Hopeful about performing there someday, Hasan thinks that audiences have gotten intelligen­t and are aware about different cultures across the globe.

“I tend to think that my audience is very intelligen­t, and knows where I am coming from and what I am saying. They might not be able to relate to the jokes, but still, they will understand and laugh about it,” he says.

“I have been to India many times, but unfortunat­ely, work hasn’t taken me there. I have not done a show there. I would absolutely love to do a show there. But I will never change my jokes, or what I usually talk about, just because I will be coming to a new country,” says Hasan, who was born in California, but his parents are from Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh.

Although he is primarily famous for his stand-up shows and comedy sketches, Hasan also has worked in a few films. Recently, the 32-year-old played the role of Topher Duffer, a CIA operative trying to track down Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon’s characters in the Hollywood film, The Spy Who Dumped Me.

“This was an interestin­g role, in the sense that it was a very non-stereotypi­cal role that was offered to me. It was probably written for a white dude, but I got it. I loved playing Duffer, an Ivy League a ****** . It was very different from whatever I have done so far in my career,” he says.

He feels that Hollywood has changed its perception of actors of different ethnicitie­s. “I think a lot of change has happened behind the camera. You see more people of different ethnicitie­s writing amazing scripts, coming up with great stories that have nothing to do with anyone’s ethnicity. That’s why you see that in auditions, today, no one asks for actors based on ethnicitie­s. They’re just looking for people, who they think might fit the bill, on the basis of personalit­y, and other things, but not on the basis of how they look,” he says.

“I think it’s just the beginning. 10 years ago, you wouldn’t have imagined an action-thriller film about two women on the run. It used to be two dudes trying to fight, and the two women along with them were just on the periphery of the entire film. Not anymore,” he signs off.

I have been to India many times, but unfortunat­ely, work hasn’t taken me there. I would absolutely love to do a show there. But I will never change my jokes, or what I usually talk about, just because I’ll be coming to a new country. HASAN MINHAJ ACTORCOMED­IAN

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 ??  ?? Hasan Minaj in a still from The Spy Who Dumped Me
Hasan Minaj in a still from The Spy Who Dumped Me

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