Pakistani soap actress Kanwal Nazar has made a foray in Indian television. Surprisingly, not in soaps, but as a stand-up comedian in Sahara One’s Comedy Champions. Nazar has acted in the popular Pakistani soap Kahani Mohabbat Ki Hai Mukthasir and has also been a RJ with MastFM 103.

The pretty damsel from Karachi speaks on stand-up comedy, Bollywood aspirations and more.

Here’s Kanwal at the launch of Comedy Champions.

Women are a rarity in stand-up comedy. Your comments?
Well, I’m not a professional stand-up comedian. On the contrary, it’s the first time I’m doing it. I’m primarily an actress. I have done sitcoms before but this is my first attempt at stand-up comedy.

Stand-up comedy is a professional’s job. Do you think you’ll be able manage it?
It’s an honest attempt on my part. I’m not too perturbed about the results. Basically, I’m eyeing Bollywood.

So, are you using stand-up comedy as a back door entry to Bollywood?
Yes, I wouldn’t shy away from it. Though I’ve established myself as an actress in Pakistan, the world wide recognition comes through Bollywood.

Pakistani comedians have received a lot of flak for their style of humour. Why?
Let’s put it this way. The humour in Pakistan is vastly different to what we find in India. We Pakistanis have got used to that particular style. Besides, there’s also a cultural difference to it. A lot of Pakistanis live in a joint family thus there is humour from family situations. So our artists mostly crack jokes on women. What I’ve observed about Indians is that their style of humour is mainly topical.

As a television actress shouldn’t you try your luck in Indian soaps?
Soaps are my forte and I can never say no to it. Inshah Allah! I can only hope for the best.

Has the popularity of Indian serials in Pakistan hit the domestic market?
Two years ago, I would have agreed with you but it’s an altogether different scenario now. Pakistani people, like their Indian counterparts, have become fed up of the saas-bahu sagas.

In the last few months, a lot of entertainment channels have sprung up which have caused a decline in viewership of Indian shows. Most of our shows are based on realistic subjects, on day-to-day lives. Of course, one thing that you will find missing in our shows is glamour.

Are you keen on meeting any Indian superstar?
To be honest, I don’t want to meet any one of them yet. If I ought to meet them then it will have to be as an achiever and not merely as a fan. I need to establish a name for myself before I can see these individuals in the eye.