Zakir Khan says taking a break from comedy as there are certain genetic illnesses in family: ‘I have damaged my body myself’

“I need to take care of my health. There are certain genetic illnesses in my family that tend to surface after a particular age. On top of that, I’ve damaged my body myself, sleeping for just two hours and then going on to meet thousands of people. Because the moment you land in a city, you immediately start meeting people.” He further explained that as the first generation in his family to experience success on such a large scale, he now feels a responsibility not just towards himself, but towards the future generations of his family as well to “build some bridges” for them. That sense of responsibility, Zakir admitted, led him to prioritise work above everything else for nearly a decade, something that has now taken a toll on his body.

“When you keep your foot on the accelerator for ten straight years, the body is bound to take a hit. So I initially thought I’d manage health alongside work. But last year, when we were in the US, I realised that it wouldn’t be possible to do both together. That’s when I made this decision.” Addressing a viral clip in which he appeared to suggest that he would be away from stand-up until around 2030, Zakir clarified: “That was something I said specifically for Hyderabad. When I will take a break and then later restart work, it will take time for me to return to Hyderabad. But it won’t be a break that long.” Emphasising his deep love for comedy, Zakir added, “I’ll try to be as healthy as possible. I’ll work on it. I absolutely love stand-up, and I want to do it even when I’m 80. And to be able to do that, this is necessary.”

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Last year, Zakir had also taken to Instagram to share that he had been feeling unwell for over a year but continued working because it felt necessary at the time. He candidly acknowledged that his demanding lifestyle, touring continuously for nearly a decade, performing two to three shows a day, enduring sleepless nights, early-morning flights, and irregular meals, had significantly impacted his health.

In his post, he wrote, “I’ve been touring for the last ten years. Though I’m extremely blessed to receive your love and affection, touring this extensively is not good or healthy. Trying to satisfy everyone you meet, doing two to three shows in a day, sleepless nights, early morning flights, and no fixed timetable for meals. I’ve been unwell for a year, but I had to work because it felt important at the time.”

He further added, “I absolutely love being on stage, but I’ll have to take a break now. I didn’t want to, and I’ve been ignoring this for a year. But now I feel that before it’s too late, I should take the break. That’s why this time the India tour will be limited to a few cities. I won’t be able to add more shows, and after recording this special, I’ve been advised to go on a long break.”