Television, as everything else, is a reflection of the times we are in.
‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’, is arguably one of the most popular TV shows enjoying one of the highest TRP (Television rating point). Yet, there are quite a few things which makes one think, “Is that supposed to be funny?” Here goes:
1. Why is an entire brigade of men (Daadi, Guththi, Palak) are masquerading as women in an attempt to generate humour? Is it funny if a man cross-dresses and poses as a woman? If so, on whom is the humour - on the man or on women in general?. I mean, once in a while it might be a novelty or even an acceptable gimmick but for every single episode?!
2. Let me do a bit more of explaining here. What I mean is, would the lines that these ‘Men as Women’ are saying be equally funny, if they were being delivered by women actors or is the entire humour wrapped in the fact that a man, posing awkwardly as a woman is saying this!
3. The character of Daadi (Male actor Ali Asgar) plants a kiss on all male guests on the show, to sequels of laughter, from the assembled audience for the show. One doesn’t understand what makes this so funny and gay? (pun intended, of course)
4. In almost all episodes, the character of Bittoo Sharma, played by the comedian Kapil around whom the show revolves, makes derogatory remarks about the physical and other attributes of his own screen wife. This is supposed to funny again, but the comments are offensive bordering on the vulgar.
5. Stereotypes and mindless remarks are a dime a dozen. Sharma has no qualms about making his coquettish remarks that female nurses cure half the ailments of patients or that air passengers get angry if they see a male crew instead of the air hostess.
6. The other part of Comedy Nights, which is a pure play PR Exercise for upcoming films and the actors who feature therein also resort to dumb antics like mindless smooching, pushing and shoving, tired practical jokes et al. Of course, everybody wants to include the show in the marketing mix of their films as it is the show with a huge TRP.
But why blame ‘Comedy Nights with Kapil’ alone? It is the overall standard of what passes off as comedy in Television these days that is of concern. Laughter challenge, comedy Circus or the very recent Comedy Classes, all follow the ‘skit’ format, where the so called witty punch lines keep the lowest common denominator of audience sensibilities. Fart Jokes and toilet humour are de rigueur. It is not that they are always offensive (though sometimes they are...) it is that mostly they are boring, inane and repetitive.
Shows of yore, such as Yeh jo hai Zindagi, Kakkaji Kahin, Wagle ki Duniya, Office Office all made us laugh and chuckle without being a joke-vending machine. Also, it is nothing about being puritanical or moralistic. International Shows such as ‘Friends’ and ‘Sex and the City’, were extremely funny in parts, though they were not comedy shows as such. ‘Everybody loves Raymond’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’ are comedy shows that tickle the funny bone, without appearing to be trying too hard. This is not a question of comparing oranges and apples, but questioning the ‘humour’ of a script that is more offensive, repetitive and cliched than funny.
But the question is where do you draw the line between comedy and bawdy? After all, Dada Kondke too had a huge fan following. After all, a lot of times, what defines us is what makes us laugh or cry.
(*The writer is a communications consultant)