Stand-up humour is one of the most influential ways of educating, healing and making people litter over important issues. There are comedians that provide humour for the sake of hilarity only, failing to deliver any important message.

However, we are lucky enough to have with us a few sane souls who play an imperative role in our society by holding up a mirror and forcing us to confront realities that we often ignore.

Junaid Akram, is one of those significant members of our society, who prompts us to think rationally, by cracking light-hearted jokes on social taboos and societal stereotypes. Hailing from a middle class family with half a dozen siblings, he did his graduation in Economics from Karachi University and did number of jobs here and there to earn a living. Well-versed by his friends about his knack of humour, he followed the advice of adopting wittiness as a profession. Therefore, he signed up for one of the stand-up events at T2F in 2010 - That’s how it started.

Junaid actively did shows in Pakistan before moving to UAE in 2012. We took his time for an informal chit-chat.

How did you develop humour in your personality, was it an inborn talent or you toiled for it?

Humour runs in the family. I was blessed to have been raised around people with a lot of grey matter. Also, you seek what you are so I always sought after friendship from people with good sense of humour. It is just like any sport, the more you exercise the better it gets.

Whom did you take inspiration from?

I am a schizophrenic comedian, my stand up is completely different from what you see on Facebook. Similarly, the inspirations vary from George Carlin to Umer Sharif.

How did you end up giving ‘public service message’ to people?

I think the best form of comedy is where you also educate someone. Education itself is very boring so if you add a tinge of humour and present it, people listen to it more carefully. I have always enjoyed studying from teachers who had an excellent sense of humour. They were appealing so you can say that it was my initial learning phase. Then there comes, a lot of comedians who centre on social issues, using the element of humour. What made me, whatever I am today, is observation of thoughts offered by people over social media on different forums. Our notion about so many things is flawed and we’re not ready to accept our own shortcomings. Eventually, I decided to address on certain issues to shape us into a better society.

Any interesting incident you want to share with public?

Indeed! Once I was at some mall in Karachi where these two girls recognised me and came to me for a selfie. Their third friend was reluctant which I assumed that she was shy. Her friends kept asking her to join in for the selfie so she finally asked out loud “yeh hain kon?” That actually made me laugh, giving my delusions a reality check, ha!

We find you visiting many places, how many countries have you performed in and which country gave you the best response?

Apart from Pakistan, I have performed in few gulf countries only (because my European and American visa were rejected). I think every place has its own sense of humour and their ability to take in a joke varies geographically. You have to test waters and take it a notch up joke by joke. It would be biased but I would like to say that I enjoyed the most in Dubai mainly because I performed most of my stand up here and given its vibrant multiculturalism, people are very receptive.

You moved to UAE, leaving your fans here by yourself. Do you plan to come back anytime soon?

Well nobody likes to leave their home country but putting emotions aside, everyone seeks for better opportunities for their career to support their family and such an opportunity was presented and I took it. As for moving back, it’s not easy because you get accustomed to a particular lifestyle, yet I can’t rule it out. Pakistan is my home after all.

What kind of constructive change do you wish to see in Pakistan?

Dialogue! That’s something we don’t do. We don’t talk about things. We’re just so quick to judge and label everyone whose thoughts differ from our own. We need to sit back, relax and talk to each other and develop this culture of dialogue. We can solve so many problems just by talking it out.

How do you tackle critics and their cynicism?

I take it in good spirit because I firmly believe there’s always a room for improvement. Also, I take this fact into consideration that you cannot please everyone and everyone has a different taste of appreciation, just like in music. So I cannot really expect everyone to like me and that’s fine. But I do cater to a certain audience and I’m appropriate for them. I don’t like certain sitcoms on TV but they have their share of audience. It just works that way.

Would you like to share your future projects/plans?

I am, what you can call an accidental comedian, in fact, an accidental wholly. I’m not one of those people who plan ahead in life. I live by the bird philosophy. They go out each day, search for food and come back home. They don’t refrigerate it. Similarly, I just let things happen to me on their own. I believe that’s the course of universe. All you need to do is send out positive vibes and good things will come back to you, that’s all. I let the nature take its course on that.

What message would you like to give to your fans all over?

I dropped out of MBA and look where I am now. So whatever you’re studying, drop out right now and let the universe fix it up for you, trust me. You’ll do great. Okay, before anyone take it seriously, stay in school no matter what. These are your formative years and they will shape up the rest of your life, which is possibly slaving for some corporate making meagre amounts of money coming back home to wife and kids who, after 30 years of service will ask you, “what have you done for us.” Prepare yourselves for that.