Comedy sells: Bhavana

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious, actor-writer Peter Ustinov had once famously remarked.
Comedy, just like love, must not be done, it should happen. The first lesson I learned when I joined the business of making people laugh is not to try too hard. In ‘Sitcoms’, as the name suggests, comedy arises from the situation and must not forcibly be brought about by a character.A sterling example of a sitcom on Indian Television was Dekh Bhai Dekh; my very first serial. The characters were real and the predicaments they got themselves into and out of were hilarious.
When I was offered Dekh Bhai Dekh I had no idea what I was getting myself into. It was meant for an overseas network so we thought we’d never get to see any of it. But then the private channels started opening up in India and DBD (as we fondly call it) made its way into every one’s living rooms. Watching the breezy, frothy comedy no one would believe the hard work that went into it; long hours, exhausting shoots, minute detailing — but all well worth it; 16 years down the line I am still remembered and often addressed as Chachi !
Those were the days when we would take two to three or sometimes even five days to can one episode; such was the desire for perfection. As the television industry grew bigger it grew more demanding. Channels started mushrooming therefore more serials were needed, which in turn meant more scripts, more actors, more technicians.... eventually, quality had to make way for quantity. A good comedy is not easy to create, write or execute therefore it cannot or rather should not be mass produced. Since the supply could not meet the demand, sitcoms and other comedies took a back seat.
In a culture as varied as ours, the choice of entertainment is also varied. A large number of people still want to share a good laugh with their families after a gruelling day at work so comedies never left the small screen and, thankfully, neither did I!
Since competition was tough and survival was a necessity, makers started innovating and experimenting with different genres of comedy. It was my good fortune that I got to be a part of some of the successful experiments. From situational comedies like DBD to social shows like Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani, from adult comedies like No Problem to children’s programmes like Karishma ka Karishma, from language-based shows like Zabaan Sambhaalke to silent comedies like Gutur Gu —the whole gamut could not be more diverse.
16 years ago I would never have guessed that I’d be where I am today. I was sure that I’d be anything but an actor... today I can’t imagine being anything but an actor! My first two projects were both comedies and both were extremely successful so naturally my career took a humorous turn. Being an inherently serious person, it was a challenge for me to play the fool and play it differently each time. I must admit that I have enjoyed some of my serious roles too but frankly it is the timing, the energy, the spontaneity of comedy that gives me a high. Yes, comedy is tough but who wants to take the easy path... not I.
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