Rashed Alfalasi
The Face of UAE Comedy and The Voice Behind many creatives
Emirati COMEDIAN offers an intimate Conversation with our Readers
By Janhavi Gusani
Rashed Alfalasi’s journey is anything but conventional. In a world that insists on specialisation, he refuses to be confined to a single identity, moving fluidly between roles as a pilot, comedian, actor, creator, entrepreneur and musician. His life spans skies, stages and screens, yet what defines him most is not the number of titles he holds, but the consistency with which he follows what he loves.
His path often surprises people. Trained in business management with a background in graphic design, Rashed entered aviation almost by coincidence, eventually becoming a pilot. Where most careers demand a single edge, he chose a spectrum, guided less by calculation and more by curiosity. Rather than anchoring himself to one destination, he continues to explore across disciplines, allowing each pursuit to inform the other.
Comedy, however, was never accidental. What began as a child sharing jokes evolved into a deeper purpose, becoming a voice for those around him. Turning everyday observations into laughter, and laughter into relatability, is an art few master. For Rashed, humour became a bridge, connecting people through shared experiences that are often unspoken yet instantly understood.
He does not switch roles, he switches frequencies. One day he is flying at 30,000 feet, the next he is holding a mic, a camera or creating music. Aviation taught him precision and discipline, while creativity offered freedom. Between the two worlds, he learned balance, managing time carefully and gathering ideas quietly. Rashed moves with an observer’s eye, noticing fleeting details and subtle human nuances that later surface as stories. Above all, he believes listening is essential, because connection begins long before the punchline lands. It is a skill that serves him not only as a performer, but also as an entrepreneur and a traveller navigating diverse spaces.
Much of Rashed’s inspiration lives in the in between moments others overlook. A short walk from a parking lot to a building, a brief interaction, a passing remark, any of it can spark an idea. Living in the UAE, a country shaped by diversity, has further sharpened his awareness. His humour reflects the multicultural environment he calls home, making relatability universal rather than niche. For Rashed, comedy must be inclusive and sensitive, grounded in shared humanity rather than difference.
At the heart of his work lies simplicity and connection, not the need to stand out. Humour only works when people see themselves in it. Relatability is what turns a moment into something meaningful. His aim has never been to perform at an audience, but to speak with them, articulating emotions and experiences many struggle to express, often by finding humour within one’s own reality.
Language plays a central role in that connection. Rashed’s seamless movement between Arabic and English became a gateway into comedy, where literal translation exposes cultural nuance and everyday misunderstandings. It was this playful tension between languages that gave rise to his now infamous line, “Who pay?”, a phrase that resonated precisely because it captured a familiar shared experience with effortless clarity.
Beyond performance, Rashed views the UAE as more than a tourist destination. He sees it as a growing digital ecosystem that actively nurtures creators. Through initiatives, workshops and career building platforms, the country offers space to experiment and evolve. Yet he believes the greatest barrier is not access, but hesitation. Fear of failure, uncertainty or not being original enough often holds people back. For Rashed, progress begins with the courage to start and the discipline to continue. Over time, consistency shapes a voice of its own, one that naturally sets a creator apart.
Success, in his view, is deeply subjective. He describes it as a form of restraint, something that helps define goals, with everything beyond that becoming the end game. For him, success is not a milestone to reach, but an everyday process. Thirteen years into his journey, his greatest achievement lies in practising his craft fully, without expectation of reward. The joy is in the work itself, in showing up daily and allowing growth to unfold organically.
Like every personal journey, his has included moments of pause. A period of personal loss led Rashed to step back from social media and take a creative break, sparking rumours, assumptions and half told narratives about his career. Creative paths are rarely linear. Behind every visible moment lies a deeper story, and even absence can test the strength of one’s craft. Returning was not easy. Audiences move on, and some forget. It is a reality every artist eventually faces. What remains, he believes, is the audience that truly belongs, those drawn to connection that lasts beyond trends or algorithms.
Rashed understands that life moves in cycles of elevation and restraint. With visibility comes both appreciation and resistance, and engaging with negativity only amplifies it. While encouragement fuels momentum, rumours have a way of pulling one backwards.
Restraint, he has learned, is as important as ambition. Even comfort can be deceptive. Familiarity may quietly dull creative instinct. Growth, for Rashed, lies in discernment, knowing what to carry forward, what to leave behind and when to listen inward rather than outward.
“Try, no matter what,” he says. “There is nothing to lose. Life is too short to be scared, and regret is part of the journey. It teaches you to grow and make better choices next time.” For him, life is a continuous process of learning, balancing decisions and trusting one’s inner voice.
Consistency, positivity, and kindness form the roots of his philosophy. A person of many interests and identities, Rashed remains grounded in the shared humanity that connects us all. His vision is simple, to keep doing what he loves. He resists rigid definitions of success or purpose, believing they can turn creativity into pressure. When driven by joy, effort comes naturally, and whatever emerges from that process becomes its own reward.
Perhaps the simplest way to understand Rashed Alfalasi is as a creative engineer, guided by curiosity and evolving in multiple directions. His journey continues to expand, where boundaries blur, and ideas flow freely. He follows inspiration as it arrives, never forcing creativity into utility. Quietly and consistently, his work continues to connect far beyond the frame.
After all the analysis, metaphors, and meaning, Rashed might laugh at the idea of it all, crediting laziness over calculation and observation over effort.
“You’re just sitting.”
