#MeetZaid: Pakistani-Canadian comedian sweeps Lahoris off their feet

Published March 31, 2015
Zaid Ali in his element, acting as a desi mother.
Zaid Ali in his element, acting as a desi mother.

There's hardly a Facebook user in Pakistan who doesn't know who Pakistani-Canadian comedian Zaid Ali is.

And his visit to Lahore proved this, as fans thronged the hotel where he was staying, where he met them for the first time.

With his signature Punjabi accented Urdu one-liners ending in 'kaaaaaar lo' and 'maaaaaar lo' Zaid has become quite a star in South-Asian circles with his lighthearted take on issues experienced by 'desis' in their daily lives.

Zaid Ali stands in from of Minaar-e-Pakistan.— Photo courtesy: Zaid Ali's Facebook page
Zaid Ali stands in from of Minaar-e-Pakistan.— Photo courtesy: Zaid Ali's Facebook page

Born to Pakistani parents and raised in Canada, it isn't the first time Zaid has visited his home country and he was indeed mesmerised by the beautiful buildings and enjoyed the traditional zinda dili of Lahorites as he savoured the food at local eateries.

Zaid Ali dons sherwani.— Photo courtesy: Zaid Ali's Facebook page
Zaid Ali dons sherwani.— Photo courtesy: Zaid Ali's Facebook page

Both guys and girls were there to cheer the comedian at an event held to introduce him to his fans.

Zaid strikes a chord with young people, poking fun at society with jokes on issues ranging from desi shaadis to differential treatment of girls and boys in desi families as well as typical South Asian parents' mentality of pressuring kids to excel at school. There were many who made sure that they clicked a selfie before Zaid would leave the event.

Speaking about the response he has received in Lahore, Zaid said:

"I have received the best response from Lahore and the people here are extremely loving, supporting and caring. I would like to thank all those who came here to support me."

There was even some fan-girling at the event as one girl who came especially from Islamabad and got her flight to UK delayed by two weeks so she could meet him:

"I have come from Islamabad just to meet Zaid," she said.

Another fan shared that his videos were the reason she liked him, "The things shown in his videos happen all the time in my own home like that exam video — they are all so relatable hence I really like him."

One fan took pride that Zaid was a Pakistani who was known internationally because of his skills:

"Firstly he is a Pakistani, and we have very few such Pakistani entertainers who'd represent us globally."

Opinion

Editorial

Rigging claims
04 May, 2024

Rigging claims

THE PTI claims to have “all the evidence” against what it asserts was a rigged election this February. The party...
Gaza’s wasteland
04 May, 2024

Gaza’s wasteland

SINCE the start of hostilities on Oct 7, Israel has put in ceaseless efforts to depopulate Gaza, and make the Strip...
Housing scams
04 May, 2024

Housing scams

THE story of illegal housing schemes in Punjab is the story of greed, corruption and plunder. Major players in these...
Under siege
Updated 03 May, 2024

Under siege

Whether through direct censorship, withholding advertising, harassment or violence, the press in Pakistan navigates a hazardous terrain.
Meddlesome ways
03 May, 2024

Meddlesome ways

AFTER this week’s proceedings in the so-called ‘meddling case’, it appears that the majority of judges...
Mass transit mess
03 May, 2024

Mass transit mess

THAT Karachi — one of the world’s largest megacities — does not have a mass transit system worth the name is ...