Die-hard fans of Comedy Nights With Kapil (CNWK) were certain that Krushna Abhishek's Comedy Nights Live (CNL) would tank, when it premiered last month. They had their reasons. They felt Krushna would not be able to match Kapil's level of spontaneity. Also, the absence of other popular characters like Dadi, Gutthi and Palak would create a dent and this show would have nothing new to offer. It was brave on Krushna's part to take on the mantle, which paid off. At least, for the moment. Krushna's CNL has registered ratings which are higher than the ratings garnered by CNWK in the last few months of his show.

According to the figures released by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), the opening episode of Krushna's show saw a rating of 3.2, the following week it plunged to 2.3. Yet, it is no mean feat for Krushna, given all the criticism that came his way before the show took off. But like they say, picture abhi baaki hai mere dost. The actual war is yet to begin, with Kapil gearing up for his new show on another channel. An industry insider puts things in perspective: “It's a tough job on hand for Krushna and gang. The second week of their show has already seen a dip in the numbers; they will have to keep innovating if they want to sustain good ratings. Let's not forget that when Kapil's comedy show started two-and-a-half years ago, it was a big hit and the good spell continued for a long time. The ratings went down only in the last few months. Kapil and Krushna's actual battle will begin when both are on a level-playing field and their shows are on air simultaneously.“

Kapil is a man on a mission right now. We hear that he is working hard on his new show and is keen to retain Dadi, Gutthi and Palak. But that could lead to a copyright issue, for which his team is currently seeking legal advice. Of course, his huge fan following is waiting for his show to kick-start, which is also likely to air at the same time as Krushna's...so gear up for round two of Krushna vs Kapil.