Zakir Khan announces extended break from live tours, final show likely on June 20

Mumbai: Popular stand-up comedian Zakir Khan has announced that he will be taking a long break from live tours, with his final performance expected to take place on June 20. The announcement was made during his show in Hyderabad on Tuesday, sending waves of emotion among fans across the country.

According to Zakir Khan’s team, the comedian has decided to step away from live performances reportedly until 2030, citing health concerns and personal reasons. Zakir also hinted at the hiatus through a post on his Instagram handle earlier on Tuesday. After arriving in Dubai, he shared another update, confirming that the decision to take a break was final.

In his message to fans, Zakir wrote, “Every show is a celebration till June 20. I won’t be able to come to many cities this time, so please make a little extra effort and come to the shows. Thank you for all the love.” The post was met with an outpouring of support and heartfelt messages from admirers.

Zakir Khan has enjoyed a remarkable journey in stand-up comedy and continues to be one of India’s most loved performers, known for his relatable storytelling, poetic humour and the iconic ‘sakht launda’ persona. His announcement comes a year after he created history by becoming the first Indian comedian to perform a full Hindi-language stand-up show at New York City’s legendary Madison Square Garden.

Sharing memories from that landmark performance, Zakir had described it as a “big day”, expressing how overwhelming it felt to perform Hindi comedy for an audience of nearly 6,000 people. He also thanked his friends and team for their unwavering support, calling it a deeply special milestone in his career.

Several prominent personalities were present to cheer him on during the Madison Square Garden show. Zakir revealed that celebrity chef Vikas Khanna and actor Kal Penn attended the performance, adding to the significance of the night. Ahead of the event, his poster lit up Times Square billboards, and he made appearances on US media platforms, highlighting the growing global recognition of Indian stand-up comedy.

Zakir Khan rose to prominence in 2012 after winning Comedy Central’s ‘India’s Best Stand-Up’ competition. Since then, he has built a massive fan following in India and overseas through acclaimed specials such as ‘Haq Se Single’, ‘Kaksha Gyarvi’ and others. As he prepares to step away from the stage for an extended period, fans are gearing up to celebrate his remaining shows as a tribute to his influential journey in comedy.