Even outside the realm of comedy, Kapil Sharma, undoubtedly one of the biggest comedians in India right now, has a knack for staying in the news.
Earlier this month, the 35-year-old tweeted a series of rants at Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, complaining about being asked for bribes by officers at the Mumbai municipal corporation to approve the site for his office. The tweets quickly went viral, with even the chief minister of Maharashtra getting involved. Some criticised Sharma, chiding him for getting the prime minister of the country involved with his personal problems.
Late last year, bosses at Colors, the channel that aired Sharma’s hit sketch show for three years, Comedy Nights With Kapil, abruptly announced the ratings champ would go off air. As rumours of a massive fallout between Sharma and the channel about pay began doing the rounds, the show aired its last episode in January this year as the highest-rated scripted show in India.
Three months later, Sharma launched The Kapil Sharma Show on Colors’ rival Sony TV. A similar format as Comedy Nights, the show revolves around Sharma and his team of comedians, including Sunil Grover, Kiku Sharda, Ali Asgar, Sugandha Mishra and Chandan Prabhakar, who play residents of a Mumbai neighbourhood. The show usually features Bollywood stars as guests.
Sharma, who brought his Comedy Nights to Dubai in 2014, is all set to bring his entire team from the new show back to the city on October 27 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. Called Comedy With Kapil Sharma and Family, the live show will feature all the usual histrionics from the Sony show, says Sharma.
“This time me and my team are back with the same madness but [with] new characters played by my family members. Really looking forward to it,” he tells Gulf News tabloid!.
UAE fans can prepare for a two-hour laugh riot, says Anita Abraham, the founder and partner at Eyka Events, organisers of the show.
“Kapil and his team are putting together a very special show for all their fans in the UAE and promise to make it a night to remember,” she said.
Ahead of his return to the Emirates, we caught up with Sharma to talk about the business of comedy, what he thinks of his detractors, and what he likes to do when he’s not joking around.
Hi Kapil, welcome back to Dubai. What are you going to bring to Dubai this time after your sold-out show?
It’s always a pleasure to perform in Dubai, the crowd has great energy. Like I said, this is the first time I am bringing the characters of my new show to Dubai, so wait and expect a lot of madness.
How different will the format be from your TV show?
Live shows are always more fun as I get to meet my fans one-on-one. We interact a lot with the fans who come especially to watch us.
You recently performed in Abu Dhabi. How different are Middle East-based audiences from the audiences in India?
Fans are the same all across the world irrespective of the country. I am lucky to have received so much love from my fans in the Middle East. It was so nice to see so many Pakistanis at our Abu Dhabi show. I have had a lot of Pakistanis on my show like Wasim Akram, Shoaib Akhtar, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam. Theirs have been some of our finest episodes as they have a great sense of humour. The energy abroad is always different as they get to watch us live. The innocence and excitement of the fans is what gets me back here.
With such a big team, does doing a show become easier or more difficult?
My team is a bunch of crazy people... we are all friends off screen too. No doubt it is a lot of hard work but when you are working with friends it makes it a lot more fun. At times I feel we are back in college where I used to travel a lot for dramatics all across the country. So it’s like one big family out on a picnic.
How does your TV show come together? How big is the team and how many people are involved behind the scenes? Please explain how it all comes together.
There is a large creative team, artists, writers, musicians, costume designers, set designers and a large production and back-up team. It surely takes a lot of effort from everyone involved to make the madness in the show [seem] like so much fun. There is no formula for the madness that spills out on the shows. The family and extended family backstage understand each other so well that fortunately the madness looks like it is synchronised and cultivated.
You have a lot of Bollywood stars on the show. Do you have favourites? Or most memorable guests?
I have fun on every episode as all the stars have visited multiple times so they have become very comfortable with the set up. For example if Akshay paaji [actor Akshay Kumar] does not come once in two months my team starts feeling something is missing. [Laughs] Deepu [actress Deepika Padukone] my love obviously is my all time favourite and I personally enjoy the singers coming onto the show as well. We have had legends like A.R. Rahman and Rahat sahab grace the show. They have never made TV appearances before... Arijit [Singh] is another name of this kind.
Some say your show is often misogynistic in its portrayal of women. You also have a man dressed as a woman on the show. What do you say to that?
Everyone is open to have their opinions but its all in light humour. We have never done anything to hurt anyone’s sentiments intentionally. There is so much happening around the world and we are just trying to make people smile. People need to take it easy.
Do you think comedians such as yourself have it better now than before when you were just starting off?
I have worked very hard to get here but I have enjoyed and learned a lot through this journey. I have an extremely supportive family and get my sense of humour from my mother who is very witty. It’s not about now or then. If you work hard enough, nothing is impossible.
Why do you think people love you and your show so much?
Because I am one of them. I come from a very normal background and they relate to me. My fans when they spot me at airports and public places don’t think twice before putting their arm around my shoulder or calling out my name like they have known me for years. So I guess that’s how they relate to me as one of their own and I love that.
You recently changed networks. How important is it to have creative freedom of your content and on your show?
I have been quite lucky in this. Every channel I have worked with has put their faith in me and have never interfered creatively.
What do you do when you realise you’ve told a bad joke or a joke that didn’t elicit any laughter?
I laugh loud enough myself. [Laughs.] That has not happened until now... [but] since you have asked me I will actually think about it.
What are you looking forward to doing in Dubai besides the show?
I love shopping in Dubai. So if I get some time I am definitely going to indulge in some retail therapy.
How does Kapil Sharma unwind?
I am not a party animal at all. I love music and watching films of all languages.
Don’t miss it!
Tickets for Comedy with Kapil Sharma and Family on October 27 at Dubai World Trade Centre are now on sale on platinumlist.net and are priced between Dh250 to Dh2,500. Doors open at 7pm and the show is scheduled to start at 9pm. Call 050-1596134.
