Sami Shah
Encyclopedia
Sami Shah is a Pakistani stand-up comedian, writer and improvisational actor. Sami performed the first ever solo English-language comedy show in Pakistan. He has had several tours across Pakistan, performing in theatre venues and colleges. Sami has also been a member of the improvisational comedy troupe "Black Fish".
, Pakistan
on November 13, 2005. Titled, "Nobody Moves, Nobody Gets Hurt", it was aimed at raising funds for victims of the 2005 earthquake. He then took the hour long performance to Islamabad
and Lahore
, where he performed for colleges and the general public.
In 2006, he toured Pakistan with fellow comics Saad Haroon
and Danish Ali, in what came to be called the 3-4-5 Tour. His most recent new hour of comedy was performed on 27 October 2007. Debuting in Karachi, he plans on releasing a DVD of the performance.
Sami's style of comedy is often described as sarcastic and acerbic. He covers topics ranging from the Pakistani obsession with fair-skin to cultural taboos, like child molestation. Quite a few of his routines have focused on religion and his irritation with the way people behave because of it.
. In more recent years he has written a series of articles focusing on the lighter side of technology.
Stand up comedy
Sami performed his first ever solo show in KarachiKarachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
on November 13, 2005. Titled, "Nobody Moves, Nobody Gets Hurt", it was aimed at raising funds for victims of the 2005 earthquake. He then took the hour long performance to Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
and Lahore
Lahore
Lahore is the capital of the Pakistani province of Punjab and the second largest city in the country. With a rich and fabulous history dating back to over a thousand years ago, Lahore is no doubt Pakistan's cultural capital. One of the most densely populated cities in the world, Lahore remains a...
, where he performed for colleges and the general public.
In 2006, he toured Pakistan with fellow comics Saad Haroon
Saad Haroon
Saad Haroon is a Pakistani comedian, actor, and writer. Saad is the creator of the first ever Pakistani improvisational comedy troupe "BlackFish", he was the first Pakistani Stand Up comedian to perform in English in cities across the whole of Pakistan in his tour "Saad Haroon: Very Live".Saad...
and Danish Ali, in what came to be called the 3-4-5 Tour. His most recent new hour of comedy was performed on 27 October 2007. Debuting in Karachi, he plans on releasing a DVD of the performance.
Sami's style of comedy is often described as sarcastic and acerbic. He covers topics ranging from the Pakistani obsession with fair-skin to cultural taboos, like child molestation. Quite a few of his routines have focused on religion and his irritation with the way people behave because of it.
Improvisational comedy
Sami joined "Black Fish" in 2003 and remained an active member till the troupe disbanded in 2006. While with the troupe, he co-wrote 'We’ve made contact’; a half improvised half scripted original format play created for the British Council's Connecting Futures Project which was performed in Manchester, England.Writing
Sami has been actively authoring articles for several years, on a variety of subjects for Pakistani magazines. His regular contributions as a music critic resulted in him being a judge for the prestigious Lux Style AwardsLux Style Awards
The Lux Style Awards is an award ceremony held annually in Pakistan since 2002. The awards celebrate "style" in the Pakistani entertainment industry, and honour the country's best talents in film, television, music, and fashion. Around 30 awards are given annually.The Lux Style Awards is considered...
. In more recent years he has written a series of articles focusing on the lighter side of technology.