They say you know a man by his acts. However, this adage certainly does not hold true for everyone’s favourite quipster, Danish Sait. After all, how many people can play the role of radio jockey, emcee, actor, comedian, writer and prankster-par-excellence with such ease? It goes without saying that he is undoubtedly the undisputed master of improvisation and the imitation game.
How many times has Danish’s wonderfully colourful alter egos – Nograj, Asgar or Chacko, and more recently, Bevarsi Kudka, Jaya or Rammurthy – left us howling and snorting on the floor with laughter?
However, this is not all that sets Danish apart from his peers. If you know Danish Sait at all, you’ll notice that his acts and pranks are peppered with just the right dose of satire.
So, what does it take to embrace multiple personalities so seamlessly and effortlessly? We had a frank conversation with Danish to get to know him a little better and here’s what he had to say about his career, family, money and life in general.
We all agree that Danish Sait is a talented, funny guy. But, what does Danish think of himself?
‘’I’m a very boring person when I’m not performing. Maybe boring isn’t the right word, but I have my own little world. Of course, there are jokes I crack on a regular basis with my family and close friends, but those are just running jokes.
Otherwise, I am not as funny as I am when in front of a mike, camera or on-stage. In real life, I come across as a lot more serious and as someone who wouldn’t crack a joke straight up.
What I’ve realised is that people follow me for my work. They like the personalities I play. It’s the personality that’s got them hooked, not the person.’’
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Hearing a gifted comedian talk so seriously sent us into a bit of a tizzy. Yet, the calm and control Danish exuded during the interview painted a picture of a person who was very different from the personalities he portrays.
So, is he Mister Crazy or Mister Unflappable?
‘’4-5 years ago, I used to live the sort of life where everything was a blur, a joke. Even conversing was a task because I would just throw something in which wasn’t contextual.
It came to a point where it became difficult to draw boundaries between my professional and personal life. I didn’t know where one ended and where the other began.
It was during that time my sister (Kubra Sait) sat me down and told me to draw a line between my personal and professional life, and it was only then that I started to distinguish between the two.
Also, being in character all the time would have surely taken the fun out of the acts, both for the people as well as for myself. Kubra’s advice set me in the direction of a more balanced life, one which I currently live today.’’
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Family has always played a big role in Danish’s life. One can often see his mother and sister, Kubra, who has a ton of achievements under her own belt—make guest appearances in many of his videos.
So, we asked Danish to share some anecdotes and tell us about the inspiration he draws from his tightly-knit family.
‘’I think sometimes parents hope that their children will cherish the dreams that they couldn’t conquer.
My mum is inherently funny. I think she has a great sense of humour and is very good at impersonations herself. She’s a natural. When I was kid, I remember my mother used to imitate an aunt of mine. Even though my mother didn’t sound anything like my aunt when impersonating her, it used to be extremely funny.
We also used to have these debate competitions in our community when we were kids. My mother would make us stand on the dining table and read out our scripts to us. Maybe my mother wanted to become an actress at some point.
It’s the same with my sister. I feel so good when people turn around and recognise me as Kubra’s brother. So, it’s very natural when I feature them in these videos. They just blend in.’’
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Danish’s acts come in all kinds of flavours and we were wondering if he has any more impersonation ideas in mind that we could look forward to. His answer had us thrilled!
‘’I have a cat that I love a lot (chuckles). I love my cat way too much. When you think about pets, it’s unconditional love. It’s always one-sided. But, I manage to get it two-ways because I talk on behalf of my cat as well.
When I do that it’s a different voice every time. There are times when I end up liking one voice more than the others. Then I do that more often, either in front of the mirror or when I am talking to one of my friends. There is nothing full-fledged in my mind, but I am sure it’s a bug that’ll catch on. And when it does, I’ll probably have a new character.’’
We hope the bug catches on soon, Danish! But, for now, we all have our eyes set on his next release, French Biryani where he brings to life his popular character – Asgar.
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Wondering where Danish gets all his ideas from and how he deals with creative blocks? We took the opportunity to ask him for some tips.
‘’There are times when we get bored very quickly. But, the important thing is that you continue doing what you are doing until you find a way out. The idea is to not quit and run away mid-way. That isn’t right.
It also depends on how monotonous something is getting for you. For example, the prank calls started getting monotonous for me personally. We wanted to make a film a few years ago and I remember telling Saad to wait for the right time.
Reinvention is the key to breaking the monotony.’’
Does Danish want to be an entertainer forever? We hear he has noble ambitions. Here’s what his plans are.
‘’Five more years of entertainment and creativity and then I want to wrap up and start teaching. I truly want to give back to the community.
The person who played a big role in changing my life and turning it around was the principal of my school. He was like a father figure to me. I think teachers are like second parents and I have a lot of respect for them. So, that’s what I want to do after a certain point of time.’’
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So, what’s his take on money?
‘’Funny made me money. But, to be honest with you, I am very far from understanding money. I just don’t get it. That’s why, about five years ago, my mother had to step in to manage my money.
One thing I’ve realised with money is that the more you hold on to it, the faster it gets out of your hands. But, don’t be irresponsible with your spending and purchases. Don’t waste money and don’t buy things you don’t want. Take only what you want and plan for it.
Doesn’t matter if you are driving a Mercedes or an Alto, what’s important is that you take care of your possessions. Just because you spend money, it doesn’t mean that you can be irresponsible. You have to be responsible with your spending and take good care of what you buy. Just because you can afford something, it doesn’t mean that it’s okay to be careless with it.
I spend on the right things and I spend on things that give me joy. It doesn’t mean that I don’t look at my responsibilities, my investments and the income that is coming in. When I want something, I plan ahead for it, set goals and then buy it. Gratitude is very important with anything in life.
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That was Danish Sait for you! A practical side you probably never expected to see, especially considering he’s partly responsible for people developing abs overnight with his outrageous sense of humour.
In the meantime, check out our amazing range of financial products that are sure to bring a smile to your face.
Note: This post is based on an interview originally conducted in December 2017.