PESHAWAR: Usman Khan lives in an impoverished region of Pakistan that has witnessed decades of suicide attacks, explosions and threats from hard-line militant groups.
Now, the stand-up comedian wants to make people smile, performing across Peshawar, the provincial capital of the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, in Charlie Chaplin’s trademark oversized shoes, baggy pants, cane and black bowler hat.
“The sole purpose of this art is to bring a smile on the faces of people,” Khan, 30, told Arab News while roaming the streets of Peshawar. “For the past decades, Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have faced terrible times and I know I can’t execute as well as the great Charlie Chaplin, but with limited resources I am doing my best to spread happiness.”
Pakistani Charlie Chaplin Usman Khan poses on a street in Peshawar, Pakistan, on January 11, 2021 (AN Photo)
He laughed and added: “I have adopted Charlie’s character and style in such a deep way that I perform even when I am sleeping. My wife has complained about this.”
Khan says he started watching Chaplin’s films from an early age and was soon able to imitate his cane and comic walk.
Now, when he roams the streets of Peshawar imitating Chaplin, people crowd around him to cheer and clap and ask for selfies.
Comedian Usman Khan performs his Charlie Chaplin act in a shop in Peshawar, Pakistan, on January 11, 2021 (AN Photo)
“This man is among the few sources of smiles in the toughest times,” local shopkeeper Wali Afridi said. “Usman is now a kind of star in this area; he comes to our shops and takes what he wants and plays a few comic performances.”
Four of Khan’s friends help him with his routine. The team is now recreating many of Chaplin’s old routines on video, hoping that technology and social media will help them reach larger audiences and turn their passion for comedy into an “earning profession.”
Comedian Usman Khan performs his Charlie Chaplin act outside a shop in Peshawar, Pakistan, on January 11, 2021 (AN Photo)
“Cheerful faces and crowds around us encourage us to do more funny videos,” Khan said, posing with a local for a selfie.
“Although the legendary Charlie died a few decades ago, his art of spreading happiness is fresh even today,” Rizwan Ahmad, a local at a Peshawar market, told Arab News. “Usman Khan is doing a great job; in this time of depression and coronavirus, he brings a smile to our faces and provides entertainment.”
