Shekhar Suman: Comedy today is about doing anything stupid, roasting people about their body, colour

Shekhar Suman has dabbled with the comedy genre enough till date to comment on what has changed. And it’s for the worse, he says.

He says things today, judging by comedy shows and films, are just about making people laugh anyhow. “Do something stupid, moronic, become a woman, dog, anything! But that’s the intention of humour or comedy, it’s a much deeper subject. You say sometimes the bitterest, or truest of things, in a lighter vein. But comedy has to have a purpose, it cannot be silly, once in a while it can though,” shares the 59-year-old, who has been a part of hit comedy shows such as Dekh Bhai Dekh, Comedy Circus, The Great Indian Laughter Challenge, among others.

He says comedy has fallen to a ‘pedestrian’ level, where people insult to evoke laughter. “It is not just about that or roasting them about their colour, height, body shape. It’s just about making you happy, and there can be many ways to do it,” adds Suman.

Pulling someone’s leg is acceptable, but insulting them is not. The actor says, “I cannot finish you off. Comedy is like bungee jumping today, it has gone to the absolute pits. There is a lack of entertainers… they are not well-read or educated, that’s why they were going around in a loop, doing the same thing.”