Muhammad Moiz is bringing his stage persona, Miss P. Chatni, to stand-up clubs of Karachi.
When Pakistani media is usually talked about, it is often the television and film landscape that comes to mind. However, beyond the mediums of the mainstream, there lies a huge concentration of performers who light up the world of social media. One major example of this is academic, performer and comedian Muhammad Moiz, whose characters Shumaila Bhatti and Miss Pudina Chatni have carved their niche into the millennial Pakistani mind.
Now, bringing his comedic talent to stand-up clubs of Karachi, Miss. P. Chatni – as she loves being called – is all set to unleash her cutthroat attitude on the metropolis, as she reveals to Instep.
For the uninitiated, how do you define drag culture? Especially desi drag culture here and abroad.
Muhammad Moiz (MM): For the uninitiated, drag culture is basically whenever individuals who are not predominantly born as biologically women, adopt a female or feminine character, which is hyper-exaggerated. It can be dramatic or beautiful. It just depends how you play with the idea. There is no ABC definition of the culture and that is the beauty of queer culture and its evolution.
How did Miss Pudina Chatni come about?
MM: Miss Pudina Chatni’s story is quite simple. I was in California and there was a convention going on in Santa Clara, where I was talking about the South Asian presence in cinema, and this idea came to me to do something out of the box that pushes me out of my comfort zone as well. It was the idea of how I can land my comedy in a much more powerful manner. I felt the character of Shumaila Bhatti had limited me to household people and wasn’t able to push the envelope as much as I would want to.
When Pakistanis think of drag culture, the point of reference is often Begum Nawazish Ali. How do you feel what you do, differs from that?
MM: When it comes to Begum Nawazish Ali, I don’t think Pakistani people look at her as drag, despite the fact that she has been quite open about the fact that she is doing drag. Pakistan’s narrative on it has always been that it’s just a man who has dressed up as a woman. The term drag has recently become popular because people have access to social media, people are watching Ru Paul’s Drag Race, and the queer culture is becoming more normative. There’s more acceptance now and the point of reference has changed. That said, Begum is absolutely brilliant. My character is entirely different, whereas hers is like a bureaucrat’s wife.
Do you feel the country is ready to accept drag culture?
MM: Pakistan has always accepted drag and gender fluidity in performance, and it has been celebrated and often worshipped at times. Look at Moin Akhter’s character, Miss Rosy, or Hina Dilpazeer’s multiple characters where she’s played the role of a man or hyper-exaggerated feminine characters –I would almost consider them as bio-queen or when women do drags. Gender fluidity has been in our culture for ages and I am just taking it forward.
The only difference is that I don’t come from a typical media background. I am also perhaps one of the youngest performers of Pakistan and there’s a more urban/millennial take to things. I think that resonates really well with the younger crowd. In a way, I am more representative of the voice of tomorrow than I am that of the past. But I do have my rear-view mirror and I always respect and honour the legacy other Pakistani performers have created.
What are the plans for Miss P. Chatni next?
MM: Miss P. Chatni is doing a cameo in an upcoming film. While there aren’t any plans of my character as such, I will continue doing my comedy shows. Perhaps, venture into music videos. There are a few things that are also under consideration, but let’s see. If the flow works, I’ll do it. I usually don’t do it unless it comes from within me. Money and fame were never a consideration.
