Meet Ah V, the stand-up comic standing up for Hong Kong
- Award-winning comic Vivek Mahbubani is among the rare few Hong Kong artists going public with their support for the city’s protest movement
- The Hong Kong-born comedian says amid the frustrations, the protests are sparking healthy discussions of identity and encouraging people to see beyond racial or religious lines
Vivek Mahbubani is not your average Hong Kong comic. Born and bred in the city, the funnyman, who is of Indian descent, performs stand-up comedy in both English and Cantonese, with his local fans even giving him a nickname, as they tend to do with their favourite stars.
But in recent days, Ah V – as he is known – has been in the spotlight for a different reason.
Last Sunday, as thousands of people joined a banned anti-government protest in Tsim Sha Tsui, he stood with a group of ethnic minorities at the entrance of Chungking Mansions distributing water, proudly shouting to the crowds: “We are all Hongkongers.”
While many artists in Hong Kong have avoided taking a political stance or making any appearance that may link them to the protests, Mahbubani – who has several regional comedy awards under his belt – is willing to take the heat for his beliefs.
If don’t stand for my own home, then I have no right to complain about my home not being the home I want.
“My activism has an impact on my career,” Mahbubani says. “But if I censor myself because of business reasons, then I am letting money decide my fate … If don’t stand up for my own home, then I have no right to complain about my home not being the home I want.”
“I understand if you don’t want to work with me because I have certain political beliefs, although it’s a shame because I thought you were hiring because of my professional skills,” he says. “But I respect that – because that’s what I am fighting for. You should be able to choose and say what you want.”
Other artists, such as actor Anthony Wong and pop star Denise Ho, who have been particularly outspoken since the Umbrella Movement in 2014, also previously said they have lost work opportunities both in Hong Kong and mainland China because of their activism.
Mahbubani, 37, who received Hong Kong’s Top Outstanding Young Persons Award last year, says he supports the protests because he is concerned about the city’s future. “When I was growing up, I enjoyed certain liberties and freedoms; it would be very selfish of me not to do my part now.”
The comic, who attended Diocesan Boys School and then City University of Hong Kong, says previous generations have created a system where young people today feel they have no option but to take to the streets. “When I hear kids saying they’re willing to die for Hong Kong, I look at previous generations and feel ashamed. I get very upset, because they are children.”
At the same time, their response shows that “certain values are ingrained in our hearts and we realise it’s worth the cause … It shows that we are willing to stand up for each other”, he says.
The current wave of protests began about four months ago against a proposed extradition bill that would allow suspects to be sent to mainland China, but it then spiralled into a wider anti-government movement.
Mahbubani says he feels disappointed that even though millions of people marched in June, it was not until September that the government announced that the bill would be formally withdrawn. He also says he stands by the four other protest demands, which include calls for universal suffrage and for an independent committee to investigate the use of force by police.
The comedian says the failure by government officials and police to acknowledge their mistakes, and their poor attempts at explaining their actions have led to distrust in society. As an ethnic minority, Mahbubani says he grew up being stopped by police and having to show his identity card, and seeing police today “taking advantage of the powers and weapons they have, and even bullying young Chinese men” was upsetting.
Despite the frustrations on the streets, Mahbubani – who received the Hong Kong Spirit Ambassador Award in 2013 – says the protests have sparked a discussion about identity, which has taken a positive turn. “We remembered that Hong Kong is not defined, and should not be defined, by skin colour, religion or race, but by the idea of sharing a certain set of values or having the Hong Kong spirit, and basically loving this city we call home.”
Hong Kong’s minorities strive to be heard above din for democracy
The gathering at Chungking Mansions especially connected communities “that did not understand each other. It showed that we are not that distant and that, in fact, we are very similar”, Mahbubani says, adding that he believes this trend will “build momentum”. Last Sunday’s initiative also seems to have encouraged many locals to visit Chungking Mansions – a melting pot of businesses and cultures in Kowloon, particularly from South Asia and Africa. “All along, people have thought of Chungking Mansions as a very dark and unsafe place, but on Sunday, we told them, ‘hey, come and join us, and we are more than happy to show you around’,” he says.
Even as the comedian joined the demonstrations, he has continued to focus his gigs on the lighthearted aspects of life. “People aren’t ready for jokes about the protests – it’s something that’s too close to the heart and I feel it’s an uneasy topic. I also spoke to some people who said they come to my show to get away from everything. They want to feel it’s OK to have a laugh and be reminded of what life was about before all this stuff happened.”
Mahbubani does not know what Hong Kong will be like in 10 years’ time, or even if he will still be in the city. “But while I am here, it is my responsibility to make it the home I want to live in.”
For now, he hopes that people will be able to connect with each other beyond political lines. “A protester when he goes home is still a person,” he says. “All we were doing [on Sunday] was telling people that it does not matter if you are pro-police or pro-protesters, water does not discriminate,” he says, referring to the bottles of water he helped to distribute. “It’s not just about politics – it’s about us wanting a better future, instead of saying, ‘I am right and you are wrong’.” ■
