By now, everybody is aware of the controversy Indian YouTuber and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia has generated. At the time of typing this, multiple FIRs have been lodged against him and Samay Raina for ‘promoting obscenity’.
I wasn’t aware of what exactly Ranveer said to invite this hatred, but as soon as I came across the ‘offensive’ remarks, I was aghast. Really? How low could one stoop to make sexually coloured comments on someone’s parents? As my rage subsided, I began to ponder.
Did this decline happen overnight?
No!
Coming to think of it, the steady descent towards the nadir and the moral degeneration began earlier.
Kapil Sharma: His Intolerable Circus
Hailing from a non-filmy family, Kapil Sharma attained fame and stardom by making people laugh. His shows like The Great Indian Kapil Show and The Kapil Sharma Show proved to be massive hits. While I don’t grudge his success, I fail to understand the reason for his rise.
His jokes border on the banal. The repeated contrasts between the rich and the middle class, the references to cute girls getting more likes on social media—Kapil needs to wake up and smell the coffee. The lines are getting jarring now.
The celebrities look like somebody has pointed a gun at their foreheads and ordered them to laugh out loud. His cross-dressing co-hosts, out to embarrass the guests, are another level of cringe.
Who can forget the judges? Navjyot Singh Siddhu, otherwise known for his unique cricket commentary and catchy phrases, was reduced to a machine that only emitted haha sounds. Another target for bodyshaming was the talented Archana Puran Singh. Kapil’s jokes on her weight and perceived masculinity were downright demeaning.
The silver lining? Kapil Sharma doesn’t use crass words involving mothers and sisters.
At least, I haven’t come across those.
Jaspal Bhatti, We Miss You!
The 70s and 80s generation would know the satirist Jaspal Bhatti and his shows, Ulta Pulta & The Flop Show. The OG comedian brought to his show the issues faced by the common man in a humorous manner. The travails of a PhD aspirant, the unnecessary meetings where nothing productive transpires, the long waiting time to get a telephone—everything was delivered with a poker face. Jaspal Bhatti was fearless and managed to elicit chuckles without a single below-the-belt remark.
That’s comedy!
Most of today’s comedians need a crash course in humour.
The Current Breed of YouTubers: Their Obsession With F Words
Most of the Indian standup comedians are overrated. They labour under the misconception that
- Using F words makes them sound cool and Western.
- Randomly popping words that refer to human genitalia is the ‘in’ thing.
- Throwing occassional terms like ‘patriarchy’ and ‘feminism’ is hip.
They don’t realise that they sound like a broken record on loop. Where’s the originality? Where’s the creativity, people?
I despair when I look at the current celebrities on social media who garner a massive fan following. Their subscribers run into millions, and they are laughing their way to their banks.
A Few Saving Graces, Thankfully
However, there are a few who take their art seriously.
Ayyo Shraddha delivers her punchlines in a soft voice. Her jokes are clean, and her roasts of her parents (played by herself) do not come across as offensive. Angad Singh Ranyal draws upon his dating and married life without demeaning his partner. Jaspreet Singh talks about his middle-class upbringing, which in no way insults his parents. Rahul Subramanian’s crowd shows are fabulous, and I mentally saltute his presence of mind for being effortlessly spotaneous.
We need more of these gems.
We Must Take The Blame
Why is Ranveer Allahbadia famous? There are many subscribers who swear by his podcasts. I, for one, never understood this phenomenon called BeerBiceps. Interviewing a wide range of people is commendable, but Ranveer never looked like he asked intelligent questions. His attempt at keeping a straight face never impressed me one bit. But then, that’s my nitpick. And I respect the opinions of others who used to admire him.
But what about sensations like Samay Raina, Dolly Chaiwalah, and Elvish Yadav? These celebrities have subscribers running into millions, and their bank balance would put an actor to shame. I know comedy is subjective. My views might come across as those of an auntyji. But I despair at the IQ of our youth, if their list of idols is anything to go by.
Give me clean comedy any day. If that makes me a whining grandma, so be it.
I prefer my humour to be classy.
By Narayani V Manapadam
“Narayani is an IT Professional lost in the dreary world of Excel. When time permits, she loves to get lost in the maze of Word(s). But nothing makes her happier than being a cat momma to her beloved Uttam.”
She can be contacted at fraunara@gmail.com.
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