After years of grinding, KZN comedian Akhil Maharaj is finally enjoying his moment in the sunshine as a nominee for the coveted Savanna Newcomer Award.
Maharaj is nominated in the category at the 13th Savanna Comics’ Choice Comedy Awards alongside fellow newbies Nishen Pather, Prince K, Rae du Plooy and Sjika Da Thirdborn. The winner will be announced on Saturday at Gold Reef City’s Lyric Theatre. Before then, Sowetan gets to know Maharaj.
Sowetan: How did you get into comedy?
Akhil Maharaj: I started comedy in Durban just before Covid-19 lockdown. It’s something I’ve always wanted to do since I was a kid. I guess you could call it a calling. It took me a while to get the courage to try it. I was living in Richards Bay, where there wasn’t really a comedy scene, so I used to drive about 200km to Durban to do open mics and then drive back the next day. Even Durban’s scene was small at the time, but it’s growing now. Through that period, my love for stand-up comedy grew.
Sowetan: How long have you been doing stand-up, and why did you relocate to Cape Town?
Maharaj: I’ve been doing it on and off for about five years. In the beginning it was very sporadic, and then Covid happened, so I didn’t perform for about three years. After that, I had a more stable job which allowed me to travel more for comedy. I started doing it more often and fell more in love with it. I wanted to explore other comedy scenes in the country. I visited Cape Town in 2024 for about a week and did around eight or nine shows. The scene was very welcoming, and there were many opportunities. I realised that if I wanted to take comedy seriously, I needed to take a risk and move.
Sowetan: How would you describe your style of comedy?
Maharaj: I gravitate towards observational comedy. It’s about making observations that people don’t usually think about and using that to build jokes. Being relatable helps you connect with the audience, and once you have that connection, you can take the joke in a more unexpected direction. I mostly write about my life and experiences. Life is often stranger than fiction, so there’s a lot to draw from.
Sowetan: How excited are you about the awards this weekend?
Maharaj: I’m excited. Right now I’m focused on getting my suit tailored because I don’t really have one and I’ve been procrastinating. I’m also looking forward to seeing friends, connecting with other comedians from Joburg and Durban, and enjoying the experience. I know it’s going to go by quickly, so I want to savour it.
Sowetan: You’re up against strong competition. What do you think sets you apart?
Maharaj: I try not to think about that too much because I didn’t get into comedy to win awards. But for the showcase, I did try to stand out. There were about 20 comedians doing five minutes each, so it’s not easy to stand out in that type of lineup. I decided to go a bit wild with my material, to do things people might not expect at a big event. Being an Indian comedian coming from Durban, I didn’t want to be boxed into a specific style of comedy that’s more clean or predictable. I wanted to stay true to myself and talk about what I find funny.
- This article forms part of a commercial collaboration with Savanna.
