Faris is a Karachi-based theater, TV & film actor, radio show host, improv trainer, learning & development coach and a certified personal trainer.

 

As a theater actor, Faris has worked with Ayesha Alam, Zia Mohyuddin and Rahat Kazmi for productions in Pakistan and Singapore. As one of the original (and longest staying) members of Black Fish, Pakistan’s most well known improvisational comedy troupe, Faris used his knowledge and experience as an improviser to train other Pakistan based improv troupes such as ‘The Platoon’, ‘Khawatoon’ and ‘Improvistan’. He has also conducted improv workshops at National Academy of Performing Arts (NAPA) in Karachi.

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In addition to training improvisers for performance, Faris is also an applied improviser, using improv-based principles and techniques for off-stage applications such as soft skill development. He is the founder and lead facilitator of DeveloPlay Consulting and designed and conducted workshops for clients such as Standard Chartered Bank, The Nest I/O, Oracle UAE, Shell Middle East, Habib University among many others. His most well documented applied improv project is a focus group for Nestle that was published in a book titled “Applied Improvisation”.

With over 20+ years experience, Umar has performed comedy in Theatre, TV & Comedy Clubs across the world.

 

He's the founder of Comedy Masala Singapore, which is Singapore's most popular & longest running weekly standup comedy show. In 2017 Umar launched Comedy Masala International in Karachi, and successfully ran 68 shows over 24 months, bringing International comedians to Pakistan.

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In Nov 2017 he was featured as Comedy Central's Comedian of the Month (Asia). In Sept 2016, Umar made his TV debut on Comedy Central. In 2013 he was listed as Top 10 comedians in Asia by Top 10 Magazine (Malaysia).

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Umar's been doing comedy since 2001, in both improv & stand-up. He was one of the founding members of Black Fish, Pakistan's first & highly acclaimed Improv Comedy Troupe. He's performed live in Singapore, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Indonesia & Pakistan.

 

Umar was the official opening act for BILL BURR in Singapore, and has hosted and opened for Hollywood comedian Rob Schneider. 

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Yasser, unlike the other multitalented and experienced thespians in the group, has had no exposure to any acting since his glory days in Blackfish, Pakistan's first Improv troupe, when he was much thinner and had a long black ponytail for some reason. 

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He then moved to Dubai for the next 12 years and discovered his sense of humor didn’t work well in an office setting, so proceeded to keep his comedy reserved to strange rambling multicharacter conversations with himself. Returning to Pakistan he was fully preoccupied with trying to make a living and being perpetually depressed on the state of the country.

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But as fate would have it, Faris called him one day out of the blue and asked if he would like to partake in some improv practice sessions, you know just to pass the time. As the great Ron Burgundy used to say "that escalated quickly", and has now found himself once more on stage battling a constant feeling of Imposter syndrome.

Usman Mazhar has played pivotal characters in popular TV Dramas such as Mayi Ri, Pardes and Do Bol (ARY Digital), Pehchaan, Ishq Zeh Naseeb and Ki Jaana Main Kaun (Hum TV), Khan and Teri Meri Jodi (Geo Entertainment) along with telefilms for TV One and Hum TV.
 

Usman is a multi talented individual with a career spanning a wide range of diverse and opposing professions. He's been able to master many disciplines, and has accomplished everything from qualifying in Computer Science and beginning his career in an advertising firm, to becoming a dedicated math tutor for University Level students, and eventually pursuing his personal dream of becoming a professional actor.

 

His passion for stand-up comedy led him to diversify his repertoire. He's performed across 10 cities in Pakistan, and is one of the most sought after standup comedians in Pakistan. ​

A theatre actor, a classical singer and a stand-up as well as improv comedian, Kumail is a multitalented performer who has been on stage for as long as he can remember! He co-founded Pakistan's longest running improv troupe LOL Waalay and was part of it as a performer and host for over 12 years. 

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​He has a long-running career in education with focus on his favorite subject Physics, which he has been teaching for over a decade at several A Level colleges in Karachi. He is also big in EdTech, having worked with the likes of Khan Academy, Microsoft, Abwaab and Maqsad and runs his own channel on YouTube called "Bhin Physic" where he brings all his talents together and uses comedy, acting and memes to explain scientific concepts.

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Kumail loves working with young minds and currently heads the Office of Student Life at Habib University. He particularly enjoys the unhinged humor of gen-Z and alpha thoroughly and is intrigued by the effects of social media on our collective humor across the globe. His love for memes and pop culture references has led to him being proclaimed as a "meme-lord" in the newspapers! 

Having trained people in performing arts, especially theatre and improv and having taught these subjects at institutions like Cedar College, IoBM and Southshore; Kumail is an educator, a performer and an explorer through and through!