Sunday, February 8, 2015

What a comedy!


To relax and refresh from the mundane routine, human beings could have resorted to comedy in the olden days. Irony, satire, self-deprecating humor, stand-up and now it has taken the form of a roast.
The recent AIB knockout live show broadcast on YouTube featured Karan Johar as the roast master with a panel of stand-up comedians attempting to roast Bollywood actors Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor. It was known as insult comedy wherein the humor intended at the roastees was absolutely outrageous and outright adult insult. There were controversies and discussions as to the language used and overall decency of the content. As I had watched a few live stand-up comedies and this had a prior warning, it did not irk me as much as my initial tryst with such genres. In fact, I found some interesting details that needs to be shared.




FOR AN INSULT TO BE CONSIDERED AS COMEDY, ITS GOTTA BE MUTUAL
 Yes. That is a prerequisite and the show did complete justice to it. Not only did the panelists make fun of each other, but also the roasters were given the opportunity to mock at the panelists and the roast master. I insult you, you call me names and we laugh together like a .... well, that's it.

FUN IN THE FRONT
Criticize one in the front and praise him/her at the back goes an old adage. AIB Knockout ensured that most of the individuals who might get roasted along with the roastees like Deepika Padugone, Sonakshi Sinha, Alia Bhatt, occupied the front seats and were ridiculed generously. In doing so, you avoid being branded as backbiters.

One of the panelists, Aditi Mittal has to be congratulated for being in the panel itself as the single lady and for trying out some serious humor. To know why it is so, you can see my post here. Having said that, a few that didn't go too well needs a mention too. Though one appreciates humor intended at oneself, none ROFL. Ranveer's overreacting with not-so-funny facial expressions and gestures accompanied by Arjun Kapoor copying him seriously acted as spoilers. And Ranveer, didn't you learn from your panelists that you are not supposed to laugh at your own jokes though you might, at jokes on you? A little less of humor on racism, appearance substituted with more on personality sans cussing and gestures might have lessened the trouble the show had to undergo. Nevertheless, it was a trial in a traditional Indian context and it was pretty well executed. As to the controversies, I second Karan's tweet. You always have a choice dude.

Image courtesy: www.india.com

6 comments:

  1. Yes, Ranveer was over the top. Comedy is subjective. What is funny for one can be vulgar for another. Moreover the show confused many on several levels. Some did not like it but wanted it to go on for the sake of freedom of speech, while some were disgusted by the cuss words. As adults we can agree to disagree.

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  2. Very true Alka. Many donot like it personally though we acknowledge the fact that it has come to stay and will remain so. No more rumors, gossips but straight-on-the-face comments. And I can't wait to see if the celebrities would laugh incessantly every time.
    Thanks a lot for commenting Alka! It means a lot to have someone I adore in blogging,you, here.

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  3. Not advisable to be frank always. Sometimes its good to sugar wrap the bitter. In fact, frankness is situational

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  4. Frankness is situational, subject to circumstances. Sometimes its good to sugar wrap the bitter. Alternatively one has to be frank depending on the situation

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  5. Right... It's situaltional. Thanks for reading and commenting shilpa mam!

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