Comedy is like meditation- Rajesh Kumar

Ace actor and comedian Rajesh Kumar has left a mark on the viewers in many of his TV shows. He says that there is only one show that he is very proud of- Sarabhai vs Sarabhai. We quizzed him as to what was wrong with the other lovely shows that he has been a part of. He replied, “I was never ever unhappy with the kind of work I had done in the other shows. I was sad when they went off air too soon, especially shows like Mrs. & Mr. Sharma Allahabadwale and Chintu Chinki Aur Ek Badi Si Love Story. It is unfortunate that they didn’t continue for long despite having the potential.” Many people have tried to define comedy. How would he define it? He philosophically replies, “Comedy is like meditation. It has to come from the soul. You can cry using glycerin. If as an actor you have to laugh, you can’t use anything from outside to make you do so. Laughter has to come from within.” Our conversation then meandered to how he thought the forthcoming trends of comedy shows on Indian television would be like. “It is very difficult to predict the trend. This genre is getting all the more liberated. However, the downside is that below the belt comedy is also emerging. More of good and tasteful comedy based on situations and comedy should crop up. Instead of comedy shows in which people are insulted, there should be more family based, elite and polished comedies. For instance Sarabhai vs Sarabhai was based on characters and situations.” He added that comedy can improve if we hire good writers who don’t write under telecast pressure. “There should be seasons. Writers should research and write for five months. Shooting should continue for three to four months. Telecast should continue for six months. While the telecast is on, one can prepare for the second season. We need to have quality comedy serials like Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi and Sriman Srimati. We should have some ethics instead of churning out comedies on a wholesale basis.” He feels that an astute comedian can translate an average script into better comedy. “A good actor of comedy should have good understanding of the script and great execution powers.” On a concluding note we asked him what kind of shows he would steer clear of. “I will not do too serious a drama though I am good at it. I wouldn’t like to do a serial like that on a daily basis.” We wish Rajesh all the best!!!