Kapil Sharma, an actor and comedian, recently appeared on an episode of What Women Want, a show hosted by Kareena Kapoor.During the show, Kapoor asked Sharma various questions about whether women can be funny, his recent film, Zwigato, and the state of comedy in India.
Sharma was also asked about the current trend of comedians being cautious with their words.
Kapoor asked Sharma if he kept in mind that people may get offended by some comedy scripts.
Sharma replied that in the culture he comes from, Amritsar, Punjab, it is common for the bride’s side to tease the groom and joke around, often body shaming him.However, what used to be considered funny 10 years ago is now considered offensive.
Sharma explained that when working with General Entertainment Channels (GEC), he receives “SNPs” (script notes and pointers) about words that cannot be used.Even words like “paagal” (crazy) are now considered offensive because people who are referred to by that term can feel offended.
Sharma feels that society is moving backwards, as words that used to be considered harmless are now considered offensive.
He gave an example of Javed Akhtar, who couldn’t write a scene in the movie Sholay where Dharmendra speaks while hiding behind a statue of Lord Shiva, as it could offend people.
Sharma also acknowledged that he has received criticism for body shaming jokes in his show, The Kapil Sharma Show.He would often tease Sumona Chakravarti about her looks and Kiku Sharda about his weight.
He believes that what was once considered a light-hearted joke is now viewed as offensive.
