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.”