Jim Carrey, Kapil Sharma, Vir Das and other comedians who became actors

With the rise of platforms like YouTube, and other social media like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, comedians and other content creators find that they have an infinite canvas to create comedy and satire to share it with a wider audience. These social media networks have become a major alternative to TV and OTT platforms threaten to replace traditional cinema as well.

However, comedians of earlier generations did not have an instant exposure and had to make it the hard way in TV, showbiz and films. Let’s take a look at the fascinating world of stand-up comedians and some laughter specialists, who eventually made their entry into films.

Quick-witted Kapil Sharma, known for churning out creative puns on just about any word, needs no introduction. He began as a singer and then diversified into stand-up comedy with his stint on the The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. Today, he is a household name and as far back as 2015, acted in the rom-com Kis Kisko Pyaar Karoon where he made his Bollywood debut opposite four actresses. The next year, he signed up for two more films, then went on to act in Firangi which released in December 2017. He has produced the film, Son of Manjeet Singh in which he makes a special appearance. Just two months ago, Zwigato, a film directed by Nandita Das, in which Kapil Sharma plays a very serious food delivery boy was released at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada.

Raju Srivastav was born in Kanpur and was quite young when people discovered his talent for mimicry. So, he set off for Mumbai in the ‘80s and landed parts in various Hindi films such as Baazigar and Bombay To Goa. Raju did not move from stand-up comedy to films, but the other way round. His popularity in films prompted him to take part in the 2005 edition of The Great Indian Laughter Challenge where he finished as second runner-up. The rest, as they say, is history.

Johnny Lever began off as a small side act in local music shows before moving on to the Tabassum Hit Parade. His audience loved him and his popularity grew steadily. His father worked for Hindustan Unilever and he too, soon joined the company. It was at a company function that he endeared himself to the audience by mimicking the senior management. He was promptly given the name of Johnny Lever and he decided to retain the name when he got his first film break in Dard Ka Rishta after being noticed by Sunil Dutt at a show.

From being a TV stand-up comic, Vir Das has come a long way in the entertainment industry. Starting off with comedy TV shows on Zoom, Sab TV, and even performing in hotels, he went on to act in such well-known films like Love Aaj Kal, Delhi Belly, Badmaash Company and Shaadi ke Side Effects besides many more. He once said in an interview that he stays in the best hotels and travels the world, all for ‘making a fool’ of himself.

From being a YouTube sensation with his much-watched short comedy films, satirical and sarcastic reviews of popular Bollywood films, Kanan Gill went on to star in his own comedy series on Amazon Prime, titled Keep It Real. That’s when doors opened and he eventually made his grand entry into Bollywood opposite Sonakshi Sinha, with the 2017 flick called Noor.

Today, Jim Carey is a household name and a legendary film actor, known for his iconic roles in comedy films like Liar Liar, The Mask, Dumb & Dumber, The Truman Show, The Cable Guy, Me, Myself and Irene, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and many more. However, he initially started out with a role in the sketch comedy television series, ‘In Living Color’ and made various stage appearances as a stand-up comedian.

The receiver of the slap of the decade, Chris Rock is no stranger to making headlines on stage, whether it's the Oscars or the stand-up circuit. Before featuring in films like Madagascar series, The Longest Yard, I Think I Love My Wife and the legendary Saturday Night Live show, Rock was a popular stand-up act in New York. He was spotted by Eddie Murphy at a show in NY and also gave Rock his first movie break in Beverly Hills Cop II.