Kapil Sharma: Fundamentals of a funny man
Nonika Singh
I will never forget where I belong — as Kapil Sharma sings out this promise in his maiden Netflix show ‘I’m Not Done Yet’, one more name can easily be added to what all Amritsar is famous for.
“Sapne peedhi dar peedhi chalte hain,” the superstar of comedy shares in reference to his late father, a Punjab Police constable who too, he reveals, was an artiste. Whether we inherit our elders’ dreams or not, Kapil Sharma stands as an example of living the dream of a common man. In what is being touted as a stand-up comic act, but turns out to be a mini journal, the man who has been making us laugh for over a decade, through the veil of smiles and laughter, makes the eyes turn a wee bit moist. He opens his heart, letting the audiences into some unsavoury secrets like bouts of alcoholism and depression and even dares to walk the politically incorrect path.
His fans applaud, stars like Suniel Shetty and Gulshan Grover gush, though his critics find the act below par. That might as well be the story of his life. Comedian, actor, singer and anchor, Kapil has found his way into the Forbes Celebrity 100 list as well as into our hearts time and again. Yet, he has often raised the hackles of many too.
But love him or hate him, there is no way you can ignore him. So, what is it about this 40-year-old stand-up from Amritsar, with no filmy connection whatsoever, that makes him a household name and allows him access to the who’s who of Bollywood week after week? Decoding Kapil’s rise to the phenomenon that he has become is as easy as his easy-going nature, and as complex as his multifaceted persona.
Actor and anchor Archana Puran Singh, an integral part of his show, puts it down to his honesty and child-like innocence; “the disarming smile and twinkle in his eyes that sets him apart”.
Her construct of the man, voted the most popular Indian television personality by Ormax Media in 2016, might seem simplistic, but it is a contention held by all who have known him up close. Incredibly affable, his natural charm endears him to audiences and stars in equal measure. His mass appeal, according to Archana, also comes from his being “an out and out desi person”. She adds, “Since we Indians are deep down desi at heart, the connect is easy and instant.”
Always the common man
Though many a commoner has risen from the ranks to a celeb stature, Kapil still retains the common man demeanour. As Bharat Kukreti, former creative head of The Kapil Sharma Show, reasons, “He appears to be the common man people know, someone whom they may have known in their family and friends’ circle. He is that celebrity who doesn’t come across as a star. Moreover, he fills the gap between celebrities and the common man, making stars appear accessible to people.”
Certainly, the credit for the show’s design and the format must go to the creative team, as also Sony now and Colors previously, for steering it in the right direction. Indeed, much of the show’s lines are scripted, as are the questions he poses to stars. Entries, exits are all planned well in advance. But still, Kukreti says, “Kapil does bring in his own signature as well as adds lines impromptu to make it all seem very spontaneous.”
What explains his easy camaraderie with stars? Archana shares that stars are at home in Kapil’s shows as no one feels threatened or intimidated by his persona. Director and writer Raaj Shaandilyaa has known Kapil since 2008 and has also written for his shows like Comedy Circus and Comedy Nights with Kapil. He recalls the days when Comedy Nights premiered on Colors in 2013 and they didn’t know which star to approach. Dharmendra was the first star they managed to rope in.
Today, viewers might be stupefied by the rather discomfiting questions (even seasoned journalists dare not ask) Kapil has the gall to stump his exalted guests with, but Kukreti goes down memory lane on how things were not always as smooth. Back in time, he remembers how Kapil was overawed by Amitabh Bachchan and felt a bit of unease when Shah Rukh Khan came as a guest.
Over the years, of course, Kapil’s confidence has grown in direct proportion to his enviable guest list. Besides, Kukreti lets us into an insiders’ secret: “Most of the star guests have a one-point agenda to promote their film. As a rule, film promotions are a very stressful affair for stars. Moving from one city to another, inundated with a similar set of queries, they are jaded. But when they come on Kapil’s show, the lighthearted format acts as a stress-buster. They are willing to let their hair down. Another USP of Kapil’s style is that while he has fun with his guests, he never makes fun of them.” It is this non-condescending attitude and lack of apparent seriousness that differentiates Kapil’s show from other celeb-centric programmes. Punjabi actor-singer Ammy Virk reveals that the entertainment quotient of the show is only the “tip of the fun(berg) behind the scenes”.
But make no mistake, Kapil is more than earnest about his work. What people often read as airs, making co-stars wait for hours, is actually due diligence. Unless he is fully satisfied, he will never take the stage.
Brickbat brigade
But there are those who find his humour déclassé. Shaktimaan actor Mukesh Khanna has gone on record to express his disdain, “This show is full of double-meaning words, taking a turn towards vulgarity with every moment. Men wear women’s clothes, do cheap things and people laugh, holding their stomachs.”
Even diehard watchers of his show admit that often the jokes of his co-actors don’t land and are downright dumb. But humour, feels Fukrey director Mrigdeep Singh Lamba, is subjective. He, in fact, is all set to make a biopic, Funkaar, on this incredibly funny man. And there is much anticipation about what more can come out about the extensively written and talked about comedian-actor whose spats with colleagues, such as with co-star Sunil Grover, make headlines. As do his outrageous questions and equally frank answers which make it to the print edition even before the show is aired.
Lamba elucidates, “You can laugh at his jokes or dismiss them outright, but you can’t take away the fact that his is an inspirational story and ultimately, all biopics are human tales.” Also, he reminds that during the gloomy times of lockdown, it were the reruns of his shows that kept the nation sane. Humour as a genre certainly has repeat value, but Lamba points out, “Humour is available elsewhere too. Yet people return to his brand which has a typical Amritsar stamp writ over it.”
Punjabi comedian-actor Jaswinder Bhalla, who was on the jury of MH1’s comedy reality show Hasde Hasande Ravo where Kapil won the second prize, can’t pinpoint any typical Punjabi flavour in Kapil’s comedy, except perhaps his self-deprecating humour. However, he does feel that “Kapil’s command over both Hindi and Punjabi, coupled with oodles of hard work and passion, is what has led to his meteoric rise”.
Laughter route
Chandan Prabhakar, who plays ‘Chandu’ in Kapil’s comedy shows across various channels, has been Kapil’s constant companion since his Amritsar days. The actor feels that the comedian owes his success to the culture and flavour of the land of his birth. “It is this land’s hava-paani that has made us who we are. Amritsar has taught him to be bebaak (upfront). Only those who are this candid have a clear conscience and heart.”
Shaandilyaa attributes this entertainer’s direct-to-heart simple approach for his exceptional popularity. “He will never spin a joke around something that his audiences are not already aware of.” Highly observant and acutely aware of what is happening around in the world, his humour may not be highbrow or satirical. However, that does not mean Kapil is not intelligent or sharp enough.
In filmmaker Anees Bazmee’s words, “Kapil is clever and knows what to say and exactly how to utter his punch-lines with the right pauses, and at times in a matter-of-fact inimitable and flat way.” Bazmee was suitably impressed by Kapil when he first saw him in the Great Indian Laughter Challenge and offered him a part in It’s My Life. Besides his comic timing and amazing wit, he admires Kapil’s acting prowess too. Sure, the comedian’s tryst with Bollywood as a hero in movies like Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon and Firangi has not worked magic. Maybe the right part still eludes him.
But in the space of comedy, he is irreplaceable. Equally gifted performers like Sunil Grover have not been able to dislodge him from his numero uno position. Kukreti agrees that Sunil is highly talented but he adds, “Everyone has their special skill sets. Kapil has his own and Sunil has his strengths. While it’s one thing to play different characters for 10 minutes, to hold a show for an hour-and-a-half is a different ballgame altogether.”
Does he need to reinvent himself? Judging by the mixed response to his Netflix act, it could swing either way.
Yet, in his signature style as a comic host, he continues to rule, and despite the ups and downs, remains a classic case of the right person in the right time and place. Rather, as Lamba says, “he is for real” and an aficionado puts it, “unafraid to own up who he is”.
That’s precisely why despite his adversaries’ unflattering forecasts about his future and career, Kapil won’t be undone. Certainly, not yet.
Transcends class divide
Kapil draws the fine line between being irreverent and vulgar. Whatever his critics may say, his appeal transcends the class divide. A favourite of the masses, he manages to tickle the funny bone of the elite too. — Archana Puran Singh, Actor-anchor
He thinks from his heart
Like a true artiste, Kapil thinks from his heart. Now this can be his undoing, for professional decisions have to be carefully weighed. Besides, when you invest emotionally, you hurt as easily and the letdown is bigger. — Bharat Kukreti, Former director, The Kapil Sharma Show
