He is the connoisseur of comedy and a complete entertainer whose wit is the reflection of superior comedy. The stage is incomplete without him and no awards can measure the scale of his prowess as a comedian. Setting apart the comic standards, Sunil Grover of Sony TV’s popular ‘The Kapil Sharma Show’, chats exclusively with Dhrithi Sudhakar Gulvadi of The Free Press Journal about his take on comedy, the new show, Mother’s Day and more…
What inspired you to pick up comedy?
I was doing serious stuff only, which looked comedy. I started doing it from school and college but I didn’t know that it would become a profession. I was just doing it for entertainment. Later, after my graduation I realised that this could be my profession because I started getting paid for plays and theatre. During that period, I was pursuing my Masters in theatres and thereafter, I realised that I could become a comedian.
What restricts you to expand your horizons towards different roles other than comical roles in television, despite of having performed on serious roles in Bollywood?
This TV show (The Kapil Sharma Show) is not only a TV show; it is beyond that because of the way people have responded to the show. I am not comfortable (with other roles) because I don’t enjoy much fiction on TV, personally. It’s a very tedious process, as it needs a lot of hard work and I am not such a hardworking guy. I enjoy doing this show (The Kapil Sharma Show) because it falls somewhere between fiction and non-fiction. I get to do my acting as well and it is fun to do this show. Above all, it is very well received, acknowledged and connected, so at the end of the day I will entertain and want to entertain people, moreover, if I am getting a platform to do the same, then why not?
You are popularly known for playing female characters, how challenging is it to essay such roles?
For me it’s not a woman or man, it’s just the character of any gender. Of course, I have to dress up a little more to play the character of a woman but for me it’s just the character. It’s a mindset of a person more than the gender of a person. I enjoy playing such characters.
How instantly you change into various characters in The Kapil Sharma’s Show?
Firstly, it’s my job to perform various characters and secondly, I like doing it i.e. from one character to another and that keeps me going. I change my get up in half an hour or may be less. It’s not just about a physical change but it’s also about having the right script and right attitude for the right character for that moment.
How did you celebrate Mother’s Day?
I woke up late, as I was working the whole night. I messaged my mother and I celebrated Mother’s Day by making a script for the shoot. I had won Tassel’s Entertainer of the Year award from NIFD on Mother’s Day and I’ve dedicated the award to my mother.
As you became popular for the character of Gutthi in Comedy Nights With Kapil and people loved you for the same, was it difficult to break the stereotype when entering a new show as a different female character?
I am right now doing various characters in the show, so it’s just 2-3 characters that have been done so far and as the show progresses, I’ll be doing more. For me, the character is popular outside the television but while shooting we have to entertain the audience in the studio as well, of course keeping in mind about the television viewers too but one has to do something new and fresh after sometime, if not today then may be tomorrow. It’s just fine to explore new things and horizons.
