Comedy time with Kapil Sharma
Kapil Sharma is a renowned Indian stand-up comedian, television host, actor, producer, and singer. He became a household name by winning the third season of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge in 2007, and has hosted and produced several successful television comedy shows, including Comedy Nights with Kapil and Family Time with Kapil.
I love watching comedy shows, and in my eyes, Sharma’s humor is unexpected, spontaneous, and off-beat. It’s not mean or hurtful, just silly and unbelievable. Sharma has his own flair, but if I were to compare him, his comedic style is more “loose cannon” like Jimmy Kimmel’s repartee. He is not a curmudgeon like Larry David or not sophisticated like Stephen Colbert, but he is a hit with Indian audiences. Now Sharma is making waves in 192 countries via Netflix on The Great Indian Kapil Show with its unique brand of slapstick comedy, odd humor, and celebrity guests.
Episode 8
I watched Episode 8 of The Great Indian Kapil Show, which featured English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran, and it was great! The “Shape Of You” international rockstar played perfectly with Kapil Sharma’s mix of humor. He was gracious and engaging as Sharma made jokes about his difficulty with English and his innate desire to become a singer. This episode was highly anticipated, and Netflix deserves applause for pulling off such a feat.
For many viewers, especially those on social media who have heard countless versions of “Shape Of You,” this episode was a revelation. I am sure Ed Sheeran became more popular by saying “I love you too” in Hindi to the swooning teenagers on stage.
Sharma has a knack for easing his guests into conversations and making them feel comfortable, even with his “odd” side kicks like Mona the stewardess from Faltu Airlines, and random unexpected guests. Sharma’s interactions with his live audience are unusual to the point of being like “live therapy sessions.” Sheeran took them in stride with a disarming smile.
The Shape of You
The show kicked off with the highlight of the episode – Sheeran performing “Shape Of You” live accompanied by Bhangra dancers and a catchy Bhangra-infused beat that had the audience on its feet as they sang along. It continued with the usual slapstick comedy and accidental humor that fans have come to expect. Ed Sheeran participated with easy aplomb alongside Sharma’s team of comedians, including Aparna Puran Singh (whose laughter is contagious), Sunil Grover, and Sumona Chakravarti, as they delivered crude jokes about food, condiments, and language.
He did not blink at Mona’s verbal khichadi about confusing “Ed” with an “Ad” and a nonsensical quizlet about Punjabi “undergarments.” He borrowed Grover’s dark shades and sequinned ‘bat’ jacket, playing his part to perfection in a hilarious mock rehearsal of a ‘janam din’ birthday party song by a motley ‘Chak Chak Dhoom’ band for an unknown recipient called Lakhanpal. “Aayo, aayo, aayo, aayo, Lakhan Pal janam din aayo!” warbled Sheeran, “Eating cake, eating barfi, paneer pakoda eating, eating,” as a delighted audience cheered him on.
Ed Sheeran appeared to have taken Hindi lessons (while watching Bollywood movies on flights) and shared some iconic Hindi dialog with Kapil Sharma. He described a visit with the great showman Shah Rukh Khan who taught Sheeran an iconic dance maneuver that the singer sportingly displayed onstage. Sheeran was accommodating, taking Sharma’s crude jokes about spicy food in his stride and countering with his own joke about “ring-sting!”
A song for a shower
Sheeran shared personal anecdotes about his early life, songwriting beginnings, and how he once sang a song in exchange for a shower. Gritty but true! Now Sheeran’s concerts are sold out worldwide. But on this episode, he sat down with Kapil Sharma and the Dharavi Reloaded troupe to play a vibrant percussion piece on found objects like oil drums. This 120-second “Chaka Chak Concert” was a treat!
I am sure Kapil Sharma endeared himself to Sheeran by repeated affirmations of how proud he was of the singer’s success (very avuncular but sincere). The show also featured Sheeran singing the melodic “Jeena Isi Ka Naam Hai,” from an old Raj Kapoor movie, mentored by Kapil Sharma, which added a heartfelt touch. The audience later joined Sheeran singing ‘Perfect” – as the camera panned the studio they clearly knew the lyrics perfectly.
Kapil Sharma’s ability to connect with the general public was evident in this episode. Known for notable guests such as Aamir Khan, Vicky Kaushal, the Deol brothers, and Aditi Rao Hydari, Sharma’s show continues to attract high-profile celebrities. His flair for making people laugh out loud with unexpected observations and interpretations of everyday life, sometimes raunchy and crude, was on full display.
Worth watching
With a knack for making people laugh through his unique observations of everyday life, Sharma’s humor resonates with the general public. His claim to fame is his ability to make people “laugh out loud.” He is not afraid of putting his “comedic foot in his mouth,” which has become his touchstone for success.
All in all, The Great Indian Kapil Show’s Episode 8 was a blend of laughter, music, and heartfelt moments. Kapil Sharma and his team delivered an episode that balanced humor with genuine respect for their celebrity guest, making it rather memorable. Worth watching again.
