Comedian Zakir Khan's new standup special pays ode to Ustad Moinuddin Khan

Zakir Khan conjures up his characters from his joint family in a way that makes you feel you know them

Four years after Kaksha Gyarvi, comedian and poet Zakir Khan is back with his third standup special, Tathastu. This is a story about him, his joint family and its most celebrated member, sitar maestro Padma Shri Ustad Moinuddin Khan. The tribute starts with his very garb - embroidered black kurta with white pyjamas, against the backdrop of white arched doors. He is otherwise seen wearing jeans paired with a shirt (unbuttoned) over his T shirt. The ambience is that of a classical music concert, and that's intentional. He also requests the audience to wear Indian clothes.

"It is a very personal story," says Khan over a call, adding, "After my grandfather's demise, whenever I would tell my friends about him or things that I learnt from him, they would ask me to do a special on him. The difficult part was talking about my grandfather in a way that everyone else could relate to."

Khan conjures up his characters from his joint family so graphically that you feel you know them; or are seated in the centre of his bustling home. There is the chachi that nobody likes, a fufaji who only calls when things go south, Khan's college where he became the leader of his whole class on day one, and the protagonist of this tale: His guru and grandfather who not only spent several years teaching him the sitar, but also rescued him more than once.

Later, his grandfather would recreate exaggerated versions of these incidents, infusing them with tales of his bohemian living in the city, and take them back to his hometown Indore. Like the rumour that he lives with a married woman in Delhi and has a daughter. Whereas, in reality, the comedian was living with a male friend and going through a jobless phase when his grandfather came unannounced and took both of them for a hearty meal.

In his trademark style, Khan also imparts life-lessons in the 93-minute special - like how growing up is not about getting a job or raising kids, it is about seeing people close to you battle diseases and dying. Or that professional goals are temporary, and can be chased tomorrow,but personal loss is permanent.

"My whole body of work is about me talking to someone who is younger to me, someone who is seeking some guidance," he says. "In a way, I tell them that these are my mistakes and that you mustn't make them. I also tell them what I did right."

Tathastu executes the rare feat, reserved usually only for cinema, of making everyone laugh as well as cry. Asked how he manages this, he replies matter-of-factly: "I am an emotional person who is very much in touch with his vulnerable self, I don't find it challenging." He elaborates that his earlier sets were for fans and loved ones, but "Tathastu is just for me. This is a story I had to tell. Irrespective of who likes it or not, I like it a lot."

The set comes after a long gap, but Zakir assures us that we won't have to wait this much for the next ones. "I write one special a year, so while this was recorded this year, I have three more in me," he says. "Next year is going to be the year of fiction," he continues. "I am working on Season 3 of Chacha Vidhayak Hai Hamare, as well as on two fiction web series and a film."

WHAT: Zakir Khan's standup special Tathastu
WHEN: Streaming now
WHERE: Amazon Prime