Zakir Khan is about to make comedy history.
On Sunday, Aug. 17, the Indore native will become the first stand-up to headline a show in Hindi at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.
“Comedy is deeply rooted in context, and much of that context doesn’t translate well across languages,” the 37-year-old funnyman explained to The Post in an exclusive interview. “Since I’m sharing stories from my childhood and personal experiences, it’s most authentic for me to express them in my native language, Hindi.”
The Big Apple night is just one small part of the gifted storyteller’s mammoth ongoing North American arena tour. Following the MSG gig, he has 12 more shows lined up in the U.S. and Canada including a pair at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena on Sunday, Aug. 24.
And, yes, he has some tricks up his sleeve.
“It’s a guest-heavy tour featuring legends and friends who will be supporting me at the shows at Madison Square Garden and Scotiabank Arena,” Khan teased. “It’s a surprise worth keeping a secret till the time I bring them on stage. It is one of the biggest nights of my life and I want to celebrate stand up comedy with my audience and make it as memorable as possible for them.”
If you’ve exhausted Khan’s five Amazon Prime specials and are craving something new, tickets are still available for all upcoming shows on the run from August through October.
Just be prepared for the adventure of a lifetime.
“It’s an emotion-filled rollercoaster ride, one that leaves everyone in splits but also leaves everyone with some food for thought,” he noted.
For more information, our team has everything you need to know and more about Zakir Khan’s 2025 North American stand-up comedy tour below.
Zakir Khan tickets 2025
A complete calendar including all Zakir Khan tour dates, venues and links to buy tickets can be found below.
Zakir Khan comedy specials
If you’d like to brush up on Khan’s material before seeing him IRL, we recommend seeking out his five stand up specials on Amazon Prime Video.
“Each of them takes you on a different journey,” Khan shared with us. “[You] can watch any of them, I’d prefer you watch all of them.”
To go on that journey, you can find all five Zakir Kahn comedy specials here:
“Haq Se Single” (2017) can be streamed on Amazon Prime
“Kaksha Gyarvi” (2018) can be streamed on Amazon Prime
“Tathastu” (2022) can be streamed on Amazon Prime
“Mannpasand” (2023) can be streamed on Amazon Prime
“Delulu Express” (2025) can be streamed on Amazon Prime
Zakir Khan interview
Ahead of the show, we asked Khan a handful of questions about the MSG show and performing on the road. Below, you’ll find a lightly edited version of our chat.
What does performing at Madison Square Garden mean to you?
Honestly, I wasn’t sure how I’d get here—but I always imagined that I would. I’ve explored so many forms of expression over the years: music, radio, theater. Comedy ended up being the path that carried me forward, but I’ve always felt drawn to the stage in some form.
What’s your favorite story from the road?
One particularly memorable experience was when I was scheduled to perform at the Beacon Theatre in New York. My flight from Chicago to New York was cancelled at the last minute, and because it was St. Patrick’s Day weekend, almost every other flight was fully booked. I ended up taking a 5:30 AM connecting flight from Chicago to Detroit, then from Detroit to Washington, and finally drove all the way to New York. I got stuck in traffic at the New York–New Jersey tunnel and reached the venue just seven minutes before I was supposed to go on stage. It was a chaotic journey, but one I’ll never forget.
Will you be doing new material at this show?
Each time I go back to a city, it’s always a new show. This one too is a new show and very close to my heart. This is the 4th special I’m bringing to the USA and each time I come here, I end up wanting to perform a newer show immediately.
Is there any joke you’re particularly excited to perform in the States and Canada?
Nothing in particular honestly. I have stories that are four to five hours long, and depending on the room and audience, I get into the rhythm of my art form and try to take everyone on a journey with me.
Is this your first time performing in NYC? If not, where have you gone up?
I have performed multiple times in NYC before. We started with a dream when we were touring through the U.S. for the first time back in 2018, which eventually led to a goal for us- which was performing at The Garden. In New York, we started with The Town Hall, then Beacon Theatre, after that was The Theatre at MSG and now we’re due to perform at The Arena. It was strategically planned and we made our way through these to ensure we’re doing it the right way.
What’s next for you?
That’s a great question. In fact, my team and I have been thinking about what to do after announcing shows like these. Once we announced our sold-out show at The Royal Albert Hall in London, we knew Madison Square Garden was the next sensible step. But what does one do after performing at The World’s Most Famous Arena? I’m yet to comprehend. I may start doing shows that are more intimate, I may take a break. For now, I’m only imagining what me and the thousands of others with me are going to feel like on 17th of August.
Who are some of your favorite comics working in the US these days?
There are so many, but the ones I look up to the most are John Mulaney, Taylor Tomlinson, Nate Bargatze, Hannah Gadsby, Dave Chappelle, Ronny Chieng, Russell Peters and Hasan Minhaj.
Hindi comedians on tour in 2025
If Khan isn’t headed to your neck of the woods in the near future, you need not worry.
Many iconic Indian comedians will be out and about these next few months. Here are just five of our favorites you won’t want to miss live.
Plus, you won’t want to miss A.R. Rahman at Newark’s Prudential Center on Aug. 16.
Who else is on the road? Take a look at our list of all the biggest comedians on tour in 2025 to find the show for you.
This article was written by Matt Levy, celebrity.land live events reporter. Levy stays up-to-date on all the latest tour announcements from your favorite musical artists and comedians, as well as Broadway openings, sporting events and more live shows – and finds great ticket prices online. Since he started his tenure at the Post in 2022, Levy has reviewed a Bruce Springsteen concert and interviewed Melissa Villaseñor of SNL fame, to name a few. Please note that deals can expire, and all prices are subject to change
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source celebrity.land ’
