I write this from Delhi where everyone seems to have a view on the odd-even scheme for vehicular movement initiated by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. I found the congestion on roads to have eased considerably. But this is not about Kejriwal and commuting in the Capital, but the one concern a lot of people have had over the last week: Comedy Nights with Kapil going off Colors.
See even Shah Rukh Khan is upset, I heard a 20-something tell a friend at an office I was at in Noida on Thursday. Hmmm.
From what I hear, Kapil Sharma is indeed going off-air. This time it’s for real. The contract’s over, and January 24 and 31 will be his last two shows on the channel. That’s going to be quite an ask, because Kapil is decidedly one of the top stand-up comics in the country. Krishna Abhishek, his replacement, is good, but not as endearing.
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There was a time when I would make it a point to watch every episode of Kapil’s show and even check the countless re-runs. However, over the last year, I found the quality dipping. Just as Sunil Grover is fantastic as Guthi, his role as Kapil’s father-in-law on the show is repulsive. One reason why Kapil gained popularity in its early days was his clean humour. Unlike Raju Srivastav and Sunil Pal who are popular but earthy, Kapil’s craft took him to an all-time high, making him one the most loved faces on telly. In fact among the various non-fictional biggies, pan-India Kapil would score far higher than a Sanjeev Kapoor and Arnab Goswami if one were to have a contest of the stars people want to click selfies with.
Will one miss Kapil Sharma on Colors? Yes and no. Yes, because even as the show may not be as good as it was earlier, if there’s nothing better one has on hand when it’s on air, it’s a treat to watch. Krishna Abhishek is louder and funny but, heck, he’s not Kapil. Not yet. And, a no, because not only has it got a little jaded in the last year-odd, Comedy Nights with Kapil is now essentially a platform for movie promotions. The fare is predictable, and there are better things to watch on a Sunday evening.
The exit may mean a bit of a blow for Colors in its weekly ratings, but I guess the channel management has factored in that and worked on a Plan B. Meanwhile, is Kapil shifting to Star Plus or Sony? Perhaps, but both channels haven’t done too well with their non-fiction offerings on weekends.
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The one common factor in three of the big film award shows that are aired around January is Kapil Sharma. At the recently aired Star Guild Awards on Sony, he was splendid as emcee. In fact he was the only reason why one watched the event. I saw pictures of him co-hosting the Filmfare Awards with Shah Rukh Khan and the Star Screen Awards with Karan Johar. Interestingly, the only awards that Kapil didn’t host was the one on Colors. That tells us the story.
I don’t always watch the first showing of awards given that they are repeated many times, but I generally look forward to the Filmfare Awards and now Stardust, ever since it’s moved to Colors. There have been question marks on the credibility of film awards and whether an assurance of an award and/ or putting up a paid performance are essentials for in-demand stars to make a presence. I am not sure if this is true, and beyond a point, I guess people don’t really care.
The Filmfare Awards are the gold standard and the most sought after amongst awards. None of the others add much to a star’s CV. You can even quote a nomination for a Filmfare Award in your LinkedIn profile. Okay, I don’t expect film folk to have a LinkedIn presence, but you get the message?! The only award that’s a notch higher is the government’s National Award.
Even as it is numero uno , I believe that over the years, the Filmfare Award has devalued thanks essentially to it becoming a Made-for-Television moneyspinner. The demands and spends of a TV show are huge. Top stars charge a few crore to shake a leg. The sponsor makes its own demands. It’s for the show organisers to ensure that they don’t dilute the equity and reputation of an Award.
Ask the product manager of an FMCG making soaps whether he or she will compromise on the quality of a soap to up profits? In an all probability, you’ll be shown the door for making the suggestion. Regrettably that’s not what happens with content, especially those of film awards. Sigh.
(The writer is a commentator and editor working across media. He is founder-editor at MxMIndia and Happ Post, an alternative news offering. Tweets @pmahesh)