Rise of satire

Call it a fad or an upcoming trend, what a telly viewer gets to experience today is a fair dose of satire and comedy spread over various slots in the prime time.
And how can there be a comedy do without a Gujarati connection? With shows like Instant Khichdi and Sarabhai Vs Sarabhai setting milestones, when it comes to humour and satire, the world of television, is borrowing interesting chapters from what Gujarati humourists have to offer.
Director Gautam Adhikari says, “It is Taarak Mehta’s Ooltah Chashma that actually set the trend with its popularity. And then followed Papad Pol. On the small screen, popularity of Hindi adaptations of Gujarati humour can be explained because of the attitude that it reflects. And comedy comes more naturally to Gujaratis because they are large hearted.”
According to humourist Shahbuddin Rathod, “The jokes cracked during marriage ceremonies become part of conversations. Most of the times, it is these incidents in life that gave an insight into life, which I brought forth with a touch of humour. But it is important that it should be enjoyed by the entire family. ”
So, does the Hindi adaptation manage to retain its charm? Actress Neha Mehta says, “Humour has no language barrier. And that’s why when a novel is adopted as a Hindi soap on TV, it retains its charm. Of course, there are certain things, which are typical to the language. And because of the variations in the intonation in Gujarati, humour and satire are more highlighted.”
Script writer and author Aatish Kapadia who wrote the script for Instant Khichdi and Khichdi-The Movie is of the opinion that this is just a transient phase in the entertainment segment. “I won’t call it a trend. We’ve got a herd mentality. And if one format clicks, we tend to follow it blindly. Literature when adapted into the small screen, in fact is a positive development. Moreover, Gujaratis are boisterous, flamboyant and that could be the reason why humour complements them.”
And most of the times it is the innocent humour that impresses one. As actress Zalak Thakkar says, “It is the theth Gujarati words that makes people laugh. Sometimes there are jokes which are not in good taste, but most of the time humour finds its own audience on television.”
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