New Delhi: After spending four decades in Hollywood, Conan O’Brien now wants to become a Bollywood star. During a meeting with Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal on his travel-comedy series Conan O’Brien Must Go, the actors were not entirely convinced that he had what it took to be a star in India.
“I haven’t become a Bollywood star. Do you think I have what it takes?” Conan asked.
Chadha quickly brought him back to reality. While the couple admitted to being huge fans of Conan, she told him that she did not think he was “Bollywood material.” Fazal also questioned whether Conan could simply enter the industry and expect to become a star.
Conan was not ready to give up. He insisted that he could sing, dance and even play the sitar with one hand. When Fazal asked whether he could speak Hindi, “I don’t speak Hindi. I sing it,” Conan said
And he proceeded to prove it. Conan broke into a full Bollywood-style song and dance, singing, “Hello! Namaste, my name is Conan! Mera naam Conan hai! (My name is Conan)” He then continued dancing and repeating, “My name is Conan.”
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Conan’s India debut
Conan O’Brien Must Go is a travel comedy series for Max, in which comedian Conan O’Brien travels around the world. The show is a spinoff of his podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend. It takes him to different countries and cultures, where he interacts with local people, tries regional food, explores traditions and gets involved in often chaotic comic situations.
The series premiered in 2024 and grew out of Conan’s long-running career in late-night television. After stepping away from his nightly talk show in 2021, Conan shifted his focus towards travel and documentary-style comedy, eventually creating Conan O’Brien Must Go. Season 3 premiered on 21 August, with India as one of its destinations. Later in the season, Conan will also travel to the Netherlands, Morocco and the Philippines.
(Edited by Saptak Datta)