At the onset it seemed that the twain shall never meet. One an upstart from the streets of Amritsar and the other rubbing shoulders with the hoi polloi of ‘the filmy world’. One rustic, albeit with a roguish charm, the other polished to the last nail, slick and ruling the gossip world of Bollywood.
Karan in his wildest dreams would never have patronised the likes of Kapil or had them on his show and Kapil in his wildest dreams could not have thought that he would end up hosting a show where the mighty from Karan’s world would come and warm his ragged sofas.
His slow climb in comedy circuit culminating in scintillating success of his Comedy Nights is a fairy tale story. Karan was born to host such shows and display his friendships, intimacy and knowledge of the world he was born into.
Karan’s is an insider’s view coloured by his dynamics and friendships and secure position whereas Kapil was an outsider who had foraged into this world accidentally and now was holding his own and learning the strange ways of this closed, almost incestuous world where everyone is related to everyone.
He has come a long way from the gauche, hesitant, overtly humble, ingratiating host to a confident, sassy, saucy, cheeky and brash host who is calling the shots. His show is touted to be the preferred choice for publicity, to appear cool, nonchalant and let your hair down.
He has learned to don a veneer of sophistication guised by rusticity which has become his USP and on the other hand Karan has lost his crown, has started winking uncontrollably, giggling like a teenager and gossiping like our auntiji in mohalla except that his mohalla is of rich and happening.
He could have capitalized on his strengths and built on his restrain and dignity at display in his earlier years but he chose to fritter it away and squandered it on a gossip starved public.
Kapil has been steadily stacking his stock by being free from any burden of pretence as we had no expectations.
Now that he has tasted success and has himself photographed with the titans, its time that he soul searches and doesn’t let it go to his head and swell it. Keeping yourself grounded and not forgetting that what comes can go as easily should be his mantra.
meera unplugged
meerabhardwaj28 