California: Hasan Minhaj, one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World, has proudly represented immigrants and been able to communicate their struggles to the masses through his comedy.
Key Takeaways
- Comedian Hasan Minhaj is a son of immigrants, father Najme, and mother Seema Minhaj.
- He was raised alongside a younger sister, Ayesha Minhaj, who works at Google.
- The comedian incorporates the struggle of immigrants in his standup.
Hasan Minhaj was born to Indian parents Najme and Seema Minhaj (née Usmani) from Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh.
Both of his folks are from respected fields; his father is an organic chemist (Ph.D. in Chemistry), and his mother is a doctor (MBBS).
They migrated to the United States and had him in Davis, California, on September 23, 1985.
While Hasan and his father lived in the US, his mother returned to India for eight years to complete medical school.
However, she returned in between to give birth to her daughter, Hasan’s younger sister, in 1989.
Experience As An Immigrant’s Child
Growing up with his dad for the first eight years of his life, Minhaj once said,
We were basically two brown dudes trying to make it in America. He’s trying to navigate being the only brown guy at his work. He’s this single guy, but he’s married. And he has this kid, this son he’s raising.
Hasan Minhaj
At times, Najme was a strict dad who feared American high school traditions; he wouldn’t let him go to movies or football games.
Hasan shared a story of how his dad responded when he asked to go to prom, which loosely translates to “Hasan I will break your face.”
On the other hand, Seema was a kind soul who was always there for him, figuratively.
According to the comedian, his mother is his biggest supporter, even more than his dad.
In fact, Seema used to cover him up when he had just started his stand-up career, saying he was “going to the library to study late.”
Libraries used to be shut down at 10-11 PM, but Hasam used to return at 1-2 AM. So, initially, his dad understood, but slowly, he became doubtful and asked him, “Are you doing drugs or something?”
Nonetheless, everything worked out, and now, he is on the world stage, making them proud.
His parents were featured on his show, “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” in 2019, where they answered fans’ questions about the comedian.
In the episode, Seema mentioned that her proudest moment was “White House Correspondent’s Dinner” as she watched her son, dressed in her black sari, shine on stage.
Sister Works At Google
Hasan Minhaj’s younger sister, Ayesha Minhaj, has worked at Google as a Security Counsel since 2019.
She is a Juris Doctor who graduated from the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School in 2015.
Moreover, Ayesha is a married woman who tied the knot in 2020 to a guy named Assad.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Hasan is Muslim and has called his belief “non-dogmatic.”
- In 2015, he married his long-time partner, Beena Patel, a Doctor of Public Health. They have two children, a son and a daughter.
- Minhaj is an avid fan of the Sacramento Kings.
