Meet Johnny Lever, the king of stand-up

dubai - But don't expect anything related to Bollywood at his Dubai show, warns the famed comedian, who will perform with daughter Jamie

JOHNNY LEVER IS undoubtedly one of the most iconic comedians in Indian cinema. He is known for his fabulous comic timing and has starred in umpteen movies in the Nineties. He is now coming to town for a stand-up show, along with his daughter Jamie and comedian Rehman Khan, on Thursday, September 27 at Indian High School. We speak to the Levers who performed to packed audiences in Dubai a few years back. 
 
How happy are you to come to Dubai and what's in store for the audiences?
Johnny: We love Dubai especially because it is a wonderful opportunity to meet fans not just from India, but also from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan etc. I am happy to present my stand-up show where I will talk about my observations of daily life and also from my experiences. I want to make it very clear to my fans not to come to the  show expecting me to deliver lines from my popular Bollywood films. But I promise them a show that will keep them entertained throughout. I present fresh jokes with every new show. There is a lot of singing and dancing - it is like watching a complete Bollywood film but through one person. 
We work really hard in writing and making sure that the content is really strong, engaging and entertaining. 
I just love being on stage. It is the perfect and direct way to interact with the audience. My stage shows are different from film and television comedies.  
Jamie: We came to Dubai once before and it was a brilliant experience. I got very excited when I heard that we are coming back (to Dubai). 
Shopping at The Dubai Mall is one of my favourite activities in the Emirates! Earlier, people had no idea that Johnny Lever's daughter is also a comedian so they used to be surprised (seeing me on stage), but now the audience know me, so they come expecting to see my set as well. 
It's a compact show with three artists and we all bring our own unique style. 
 
So, Johnny, do you love stage more than movies?
Yes, of course. The stage is my first love. I started my career on stage. That's where I was spotted. Ever since I was a kid, I would mimic actors, my friends or family members. Before entering the film industry, I had taken part in many stage shows and audio cassettes of my shows were very popular those days.
 
You were part of almost every film in the 90s. Can you recall how many movies you shot per day?
Johnny: I used to shoot five movies a day and  work for two to three hours on each movie. I remember working 16 hours on any given day, and at times it used to stretch even to  20 hours. It was very exhausting. I would sleep while my make up was being done before shots. There are times when I watch some of my movies and I don't have any memories of them at all!
 
Who are your favourite comedians apart from your father?
Jamie: I have grown up watching American comedian Carol Burnett, Omar Shariff from Pakistan and my uncle Jimmy Moses who has been my mentor from the beginning of my career. 
arti@khaleejtimes.com