In conversation with stand-up sensations Amin & Ashiq about their journeys as comedians and as a duo, and what fuels their passion.
We are eager to know about the start of your journeys as comedians. How did it all begin?
Ahmad Ashik: I used to do standup comedy in the UK, and when I came to Bangladesh, I continued to pursue comedy. It was during this time that I realised the potential benefits of teaming up with Amin. Amin graciously took me under his wing, and together, we started creating content. One notable example is the restaurant video that gained a lot of popularity. Our main goal has always been to produce funny videos that would attract a live audience. The whole idea was to make stand-up comedy more prominent and successful, and everything we have done so far has been leading up to ensuring that a considerable number of people would come to our ticketed shows, ideally a hundred or more.
Amin Hannan Chowdhury: I had once randomly walked into an open mic event where Ishfaque Kamal was performing. Ishfaque has known me since school, so he signed me up as a stand-up performer without my knowledge. I went up on the stage in the spur of the moment even though I did not want to perform, and improvised a set. Surprisingly, I received a lot of attention, and from that moment on, I realised that I wanted to pursue comedy for the rest of my life.
What are your families’ attitudes toward your comedy careers?
Ahmad Ashik: My mother said that I would not get married because I do comedy, and so far, she has been correct. (Laughs)
Amin Hannan Chowdhury: When it comes to my family, they are unaware of my profession. My dad believes I am a motivational speaker. In my family, both my elder brother and my second eldest brother are an engineer and a doctor respectively. Therefore, my career choice has been a disappointment to them. However, as long as I can cover my expenses and pay my bills, they are somewhat content.
Stand-up Comedian
“The whole idea was to make stand-up comedy more prominent and successful, and everything we have done so far has been leading up to ensuring that a considerable number of people would come to our ticketed shows, ideally a hundred or more.”
When and why did the solo performers become the dynamic duo of ‘Amin and Ashik’?
Amin Hannan Chowdhury: Both of us have a background in stand-up comedy, with me starting around 2018, and Ashik being involved since 2011. Our paths crossed when I saw him perform at BRAC University, and he witnessed my act at Naveed’s Comedy Club during an open mic event. We instantly connected and appreciated each other’s individual style, which, I admit, may sound a bit like a rom-com moment.
Recognising our potential as a team, I suggested that we collaborate. So, we decided to open a page together and began creating videos. The main goal was to draw a crowd of 100 people to our live shows. From that point on, the rest is history, as they say.
Despite the recent progress of the scene, many people fail to grasp the concept of satire. Have there been any incidents with any sensitive audience members?
Ahmad Ashik: I’ve never had anyone come to physically confront me after a performance; all I’ve received are complaints. Although I’ve performed at numerous venues in the UK, such incidents have never occurred. However, I wouldn’t be surprised if someone actually came to confront me someday. I take responsibility for my act, and I won’t blame the audience, but it’s essential for them to understand that comedy involves a lot of joking around.
Amin Hannan Chowdhury: I was once performing at BRAC University, and in my set, I made fun of a senior. After the set, the senior called a boro bhai, who then gathered some other guys. They surrounded me and asked me which department and batch I was in, and how dare I have the courage to make fun of a senior like that. It was a scary situation, and the worst part was, I was in a few of the same classes as them. It may be a bit far-fetched, but I wouldn’t be surprised if one day I get beaten up. If either of us does get beaten up, I hope that at least it is recorded so that we can go viral. (Laughs)
Stand-up Comedian
“The thrill of stepping onto that stage and bridging joy to the audience is just something that we can’t get enough of. Even in our everyday interactions, we find ourselves cracking jokes and making people laugh.”
What drives your passion for stand-up comedy?
Amin Hannan Chowdhury: At this point, the money. I’m just kidding. The truth is, when we first started, we had no idea where this journey would take us, and even now, we’re still figuring it out. We do this because we genuinely love the attention and the instant gratification we get from making people laugh. The thrill of stepping onto that stage and bridging joy to the audience is just something that we can’t get enough of. Even in our everyday interactions, we find ourselves cracking jokes and making people laugh. So we figured, why not take it to a bigger stage and share our humour with a bigger Audience?
Ahmad Ashik: Amin and I both share a deep love for stand-up comedy. While we cherish our audience and all the excitement that comes with performing on stage, we mainly do it for ourselves. Personally, I find immense joy in crafting a joke, stepping onto the stage, delivering it, and witnessing the audience’s reaction.
In reality, we are both somewhat closeted narcissists. We may act humble, but the truth is that performing stand-up comedy taps into a certain level of narcissism. It’s that feeling of confidence when you know you have something to say, and you’re sure that when you say it, people will laugh because, well, you’re genuinely funny. This is what keeps fueling our passion time and again. In essence, we just enjoy the entire process of comedy, and that’s why we keep doing it. Plus, let’s be honest, we all crave validation to some extent, and stand-up comedy provides the perfect platform to receive that constant affirmation from the audience. It is the best way to know that we’re connecting with people and bringing a smile to their faces.
Besides shouldering Bangladesh’s standup scene, you both are currently very occupied with individual projects. Can you please share the details on them?
Amin Hannan Chowdhury: Personally, I have a lot of upcoming hosting gigs and collaborations with various brands coming up that I am very excited about. For these brands, I’m actively involved in writing sketches and performing live shows. Additionally, my weekly stand-up routines continue to be a source of excitement. On top of that, I just released my first special on Chorki, which is another significant milestone for me.
As a duo, we have several exciting projects lined up. One of them is a song release, which will be happening very soon. Currently, Ashiq and I live in different countries, but despite the distance, we have managed to create numerous videos together. However, once Ashiq returns permanently, we plan to work on even more projects. This includes music videos and additional sketches that we already have in the pipeline. The future looks promising and full of creative ventures for us.
Photographs: Courtesy of Amin Hannan Chowdhury and Ahmad Ashik