Writer-director duo Devanshu, Sudhanshu Singh explain why they retained #MeToo accused Gursimran Khamba's name in Chintu Ka Birthday trailer
Uma Ramasubramanian (MID-DAY; June 4, 2020)

Back in 2018, the Vinay Pathak and Tillotama Shome starrer, Chintu Ka Birthday was dropped from the MAMI line-up after All India Bakchod (AIB) member Gursimran Khamba was entangled in the #MeToo controversy. However, two years later, the producer has been credited in the trailer of the film. Writer-director duo Devanshu and Satyanshu Singh stand by their final outcome. Satyanshu says, "Even when our film was suffering, we opted to stand by the movement by not claiming the film."

He adds that they didn't dispute MAMI's decision in 2018. "Considering we haven't spoken against MAMI's decision, means that we are supportive of the movement."

On probing further about acknowledging Khamba in the trailer credits, Satyanshu believes it is only "fair". "When this film was dropped, family members and friends were heartbroken. They wanted us to fight [for the film], but we maintained our silence. There is enough precedent in the past, where people in the wrong have [moved on] and done their thing. Khamba is a friend and I know the truth better than most people. I believe it is a fair credit," insists Satyanshu.

After being stuck in the cans for long, the light-hearted family drama, set in Iraq 2004, will finally see a digital release on Zee5. Writer-director duo insist they stuck their neck out for the film because of their faith in the project, they insist. Devanshu says, "It's not over confidence, we believed in the film when we wrote it back in 2007. It has stayed with us for 13 years, so one can imagine how special it is to us. On gauging the reaction of viewers, we agreed that the film is in indeed special. I am glad it is releasing digitally, but as directors, we understand the logistics."

As AIB-produced film is dropped from MAMI, Chintu Ka Birthday directors hope movie will find audience
Sonil Dedhia (MID-DAY; October 10, 2018)

In light of the sexual harassment allegations against All India Bakchod (AIB) member Gursimran Khamba and inaction on part of co-founder Tanmay Bhat, the Mumbai Academy of Moving Image (MAMI) dropped the AIB-produced Chintu Ka Birthday from the line-up of the upcoming edition of the MAMI Film Festival. In its statement, MAMI announced that the decision stemmed from their desire to "find solutions to harassment and sexual misconduct in the workplace".

Directed by Satyanshu and Devanshu Singh, the film marked AIB's foray into feature films and was to premiere at the festival. The decision has understandably evoked mixed feelings in the director duo.

Satyanshu (left) said, "It is unfortunate that our film is suffering. But we need to look at the bigger picture. It's not a time to be angry about it because I believe something big [referring to the #MeToo movement] is going on."

When asked if they plan to appeal to the festival organisers to reconsider the matter, Devanshu said, "On one hand, we support the movement and my heart goes out to all the victims. But on the other hand, it is our first film. I am too new to know how the industry works." Satyanshu though remains optimistic: "I am sure our film will find an audience."

MUMBAI MIRROR (October 9, 2018)

Over 10 days after actress Tanushree Dutta emerged from a selfimposed exile to revive sexual harassment accusations against her Horn OK Pleassss co-star Nana Patekar, the #MeToo wave has taken root in the Hindi film industry.

Sexual assault allegations have also returned to haunt Queen director Vikas Bahl and his associates. Over a year after Mirror broke the story (April 2017) about the filmmaker harassing a crew member in Goa. The survivor has spoken up about the ordeal again. Following the renewed backlash against Bahl and his friends, Anurag Kashyap, Vikramaditya Motwane and Madhu Mantena, who cofounded the production house Phantom Films’ and are being pulled up for not doing anything to protect the survivor at the time, the quartet has dissolved the company.

In the wake of newer testimonies, most prominent of the lot being from Bahl’s Queen heroine Kangana Ranaut’, who revealed that she too had been subjected to the filmmaker’s predatory behaviour, a major digital platform has reportedly dropped Bahl as the director of an upcoming show. Hrithik Roshan, the lead of his directorial Super 30, released a statement urging the film’s producers to take a ‘hard stand’ against the director. “It is impossible for me to work with any person if he/she is guilty of such grave misconduct.

I am away and have access to sporadic information. I have requested the producers of ‘Super 30’ to take stock of the apparent facts and take a hard stand if need be. This is not to be hushed or brushed under the carpet. All proven offenders must be punished, and all exploited people must be empowered and given strength to speak up,” Hrithik tweeted on Monday.

On Monday, actor-filmmaker Rajat Kapoor took to Twitter to apologise for his actions after a journalist accused him of “lewd” and unprofessional behaviour while a former assistant director revealed that he had harassed her to “shoot a film in an empty apartment” 10 years ago. After another journalist revealed that Kailash Kher had kept his “hand on my thigh,” the singer was quoted as saying that he was disappointed. “Those who know me will know how much I respect humanity, especially women, even more for the ones who work in media since their work is difficult,” he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, skeletons continue to tumble out on the comedy scene after Twitter user Mahima Kukreja called out comedian and YouTuber Utsav Chakraborty for harassing several women in the last few years. Aravind Subramanian, Jeeveshu Ahluwalia and Kanan Gill have joined the list of offenders as revealed by anonymous accounts by Twitter users. The comedy collective AIB put out a statement on Monday, revealing that its founder and CEO Tanmay Bhat, who has been accused of inaction even after being apprised of Utsav’s behaviour, has “stepped away” from the comedy collective.

“We have been closely monitoring the sequence of events on social media around the allegations against AIB and against our co-founder and CEO Tanmay Bhat. We cannot overlook Tanmay’s role and in light of this he will be stepping away from his association with AIB until further notice,” read a statement from Vidhi Jotwani, AIB’s Head of Human Resources.

Gursimran Khamba, an AIB cofounder who has been accused of sexual misconduct by a former female friend, has also stepped down from his position at the company after issuing a separate statement in which he apologised for his “bad behaviour,” adding, “But I categorically deny any violation of consent”.

MUMBAI MIRROR (October 5, 2018)

When Utsav Chakraborty retweeted a magazine report about 1300 Indian men harassing fellow passengers aboard an Australian cruise, calling the incident a “second hand embarrassment’, he didn’t know it would lead to skeletons tumbling out of his own closet.

The comedian-YouTuber’s post on Thursday morning elicited a response from Twitter user Mahima Kukreja, who describes herself as a writer and new comic. She accused him of sending her an unsolicited nude picture and subsequently pleading with her to not tell anyone about it, as it would ruin his career.

Soon afterwards, Kukreja was inundated with direct messages from other women who recounted their own encounters with Chakraborty, most of which took place when they were minors. “Hey Utsav. You give your number and slide into DMs of literal children. Like 17-year-old girls? You’re a creep of another level,” Kukreja tweeted with screenshots of the conversations.

Most accounts reiterated that Chakraborty also harassed women on Snapchat, a social media app popular for its disappearing messages feature, asking them to send him nude photos of themselves. Some revealed that they received random lewd messages from him.

The outrage was soon directed towards the comedy collective AIB, which has featured Chakraborty in several of their sketches in the past, and, according to Kukreja’s account, allegedly continued to work with him even after being appraised of his predatory behaviour. The group quickly distanced themselves from the controversy by putting out a statement, which read, “The accusations describe a pattern of behaviour that is unacceptable… We are also aware that by extending safe working spaces and collaborative environments to people like Utsav, we have contributed towards the toxic environment that can be scary and unsafe for women.” The collective has since de-listed every AIB video that Chakraborty had featured in.

Chakraborty re-emerged online in the evening to offer an explanation through a series of tweets. He began by saying, “To be honest, from all accounts, I've been a piece of sh*t. And I will try to do everything I can to work past that. There was no excuse. I know I was inconsiderate and entitled. Even in this narrative, when this whole thing started, I kept looking at myself as the victim.”

He went on to attribute his behaviour to mental health issues. He said, “To me, getting nudes from a person was an instant rush. I was not in pain for that brief moment. Someone trusted me with that information. I would feel honoured and not ugly.” The last tweet in the series read: “But now I know I have been the exact monster I've been trying to fight all my life. And I would like to do everything I can to make this better for everyone who has been hurt…”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 13, 2017)

It has been a tumultuous few weeks for Kangana Ranaut, who has been in the news for speaking unabashedly about her life and the prejudices in the Hindi film industry. As she is being labelled everything from ‘publicity hungry’ to an ‘icon of feminism’, Ranaut remains unfazed. “Why are we so wary of discussions and debate? I am told it’s bad PR, but I don’t quite understand that term,” she quips.

And just like that, the trademark Ranaut refusal to be conditioned by the society comes to the fore. It is this very trait that has seen her rise to the top. Or as her naysayers will put it, the trait that has earned her several detractors. It’s no wonder then that Ranaut is not willing to be a victim of Bollywood’s pay disparity either. “There are women in the industry who say that if actresses are unable to bring in crowds [in a theatre] that a male star can, how can they demand equal pay. If we, as actresses, keep instilling this inferiority complex in girls, there is no hope for better times,” she fires away, challenging the status quo, not for the first time in her career.

“Personally, my logic for remuneration has always been that I have 365 days to work, as much as any male star. An actor’s pay must be determined by the amount of work s/he does. Your gender is no yardstick for it,” she reasons.

The actor has even taken on the skewed pay disparity in her new video with All India Bakchod — even cheekily alluding to an actor who has his female co-stars’ names appearing before his in his films’ credit rolls. “The industry isn’t just made up of four actors who have lasted through the decades. I might not have 30 years behind me. But in my 10 years, I’ve achieved significant milestones to demand a certain fee. Anybody’s film can fail and this year has shown us enough proof of that. So, let’s stop giving the opening [weekend] and closing logic,” she says, also indicating that it is the responsibility of the creative industry to trigger a change.

Pay gap, Ranaut says, is one of the many examples highlighting the gender inequality that plagues the country. And her fight against these biases has come at a price. “I know actors can’t work with me,” she says nonchalantly.

She says that Bollywood is a breeding ground for biases against women. “By and large, the system is not comfortable with an actress being intelligent. Too bad if she is smarter than the male lead. And worse, if she is smarter than the director,” she laughs.

Is that why she has decided to go solo — be it for her upcoming film, Simran or her in-the-works biopic on Rani Lakshmibai? “I have no choice but to go solo at this point. I face prejudice and people joke about how I am the bully. I swing between being a bi** h and Buddha. Have you heard that I am a witch apparently,” she questions, the allusions of the statement not lost on anybody.

She adds, “This talk starts only because they want actresses to be dumb and pretty. I can’t act dumb. I can’t sit on a set pampering the male ego, just because it’s the easier way to get your way around men.”

Point out that there are men who are championing women’s causes and she says it is a minuscule section. “To expect men to stand up for feminism is silly. They are used to being a priority in every field. It was a life of comfort for them — women were looking after their homes, giving them sex. Suddenly, women are coming out of this chauvinistic spell and asking relevant questions. That is bothering the men,” she says, before adding that it would be wrong to blame only the male population. “Women, too, are sometimes more chauvinistic than men, perpetuating the ‘men are better’ complex.”

Subhash K Jha (DNA; September 9, 2017)

Sunil Pal is on a warpath against stand up comics. He disparagingly calls them ‘YouTube comedians’ and considers it the denigration of comedy. His main target is the group of outspoken AIB people, who he feels would be the main beneficiary of the closure of The Kapil Sharma Show.

Says Sunil emotionally, “For what Kapil did to stand-up comedy and comedy as a genre in India, I am a fan. Not a word of vulgarity could escape Kapil’s lips. He made entire families come together for laughter. And now because his show is in trouble, guess who is the happiest? The YouTube comedians who will now bring their filth to Indian television.”

Sunil Pal was horrified when he received a call inviting him for The Great Indian Laughter Challenge. “I was told that members of the All India Bakchod would be the judges on the show, and would I be interested in performing. Then they asked me about my experience. Can you imagine? They don’t know that I’ve been doing stand-up comedy for decades now! Do I want to be a part of shows on television being taken over by YouTube comedians whose names families can’t say, let alone watch together?”

Sunil lashes out at AIB’s infamous roast (AIB Knockout) where Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor and a host of top Bollywood names had participated. “Their antics on stage that evening would never be forgotten. They ‘roasted’ stand-up comedy that evening. I’ve nothing against homosexuals or any other community of people. But when you go on stage and indulge in cheap lines and action you bring down the name of your community.”

Lashing out at Karan Johar, Sunil says, “Why doesn’t he promote good clean comedy instead of associating with YouTube comedians like AIB who represent maybe 10 per cent of the youth who talk in English and do their comic act in English, so they represent the so-called elite.”

Not that Sunil has any problem with English-speaking elitist comedy. “But why do they have to indulge in so much vulgarity? Do your comedy in English by all means. But why can’t you keep it clean like Charlie Chaplin or Mr Bean?”

Mohar Basu (MID-DAY; September 5, 2017)

Kangana Ranaut and Tanmay Bhat are possibly two of the most politically incorrect people around. When the duo gets together to battle sexism, one can be assured that it will be an unfiltered and unadulterated account. The two recently teamed up for a promotional video for Ranaut’s upcoming film, Simran.

Sources from the set reveal that it’s an uproarious original song, based on a hit ditty, which sees the actor take on sexism in Bollywood. Directed by Bhat, the video stars comedian Varun Thakur.

One to champion gender equality, Ranaut was glad to collaborate with All India Bakchod (AIB) on the subject. Bhat said, “Kangana is a natural at comedy. The best comic actors are always those who are able to take a script and elevate it.”

When asked whether their act will ruffle feathers, he asserted, “Offense is taken, never given. So who gets offended how and when shouldn’t concern the artistes.”

Ranaut remained unavailable for comment.

Following backlash, Mumbai Police have decided to file a C Summary report, which is for cases where a complaint has been filed ‘due to mistake of facts’
Vijay Kumar Yadav (MID-DAY; July 19, 2017)

The Mumbai Police seem to have realised their mistake in rushing to act against comedy group All India Bakchod (AIB) for the now infamous meme on Prime Minister Narendra Modi with the Snapchat ‘dog filter’. mid-day has learnt from the top brass that the Cyber police are most likely to file a C Summary in court that will nullify the FIR.

The controversy blew up last week, after AIB tweeted a picture of a doppelganger of Modi looking at his mobile phone at a railway station alongside a photo of the PM on which a ‘dog filter’ was superimposed from the Snapchat app.

The city cops were flooded with complaints from across the country, after one of the Twitterati, Reetesh Maheshwari, tagged the Mumbai Police and demanding that strict action be taken against AIB for the “disrespectful” joke directed at the PM. The police took suo motu action and, on Friday, lodged an FIR against the Twitter handle administrator of AIB under Section 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 67 (publishing or transmitting obscene material in electronic form) of the Information Technology Act. The cops had said that the picture shared by AIB was fully morphed and it looked like PM Modi, hence it was defamatory.

A crime branch officer had earlier said that they registered the FIR after taking legal advice from an expert, who said that prima facie, the act amounted to a cognisable offence.

The police’s move to file an FIR met with backlash from several people, including music composer Vishal Dadlani, who extended support to AIB. Few netizens also cited examples of sexual offence cases and criticised the cops for not showing the same speedy action in those cases.

The case against AIB will be nullified if the cops file a C Summary

What is C Summary?
Filed under Section 173 of the Criminal Procedure Code:
- If there is an error in facts while filing a criminal case
- If the offence is of a civil nature
- Once it is filed in court, the case is nullified

Gargi Verma & Nazia Sayed (MUMBAI MIRROR; July 15, 2017)

The Cyber Crime Wing of the Mumbai Police on Friday registered a defamation case against All India Bakchod (AIB), less than 24 hours after the group tweeted what the cops are calling an “obscene” picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Mumbai Police took a suo motu cognisance of a tweet to its official handle objecting to the PM being ‘mocked’, and promptly booked stand-up comedian Tanmay Bhat of the AIB for “defamation and publishing/transmitting obscene material in electronic form”.

Noting the alacrity shown by the Cyber Crime Wing in acting against AIB, this newspaper takes the opportunity to draw the Mumbai Police’s attention to the five victims of serious cyber crimes, who are either struggling to get the police to attend or act on their complaints.

Here’s hoping the Mumbai Police spokesperson, DCP Rashmi Karandikar, fast-tracks their complaints too.

‘Threatened with rape, morphed pics posted online’: Amena, Nagpada
THE CASE: Amena writes a blog on fashion. On April 12, she found her twitter handle was flooded with abuses and obscene messages from a particular handle. She said the abuses got worse, she was body-shamed, threatened with rape, and told her morphed pictures will be posted online. “I approached the police on April 12, but was subjected to a lecture on morals,” she said. “The cops told me I was ‘outspoken’, and was made to run between two police stations and the Cyber Crime Wing at the BKC. The complaint was finally registered on April 19,” Amena said.
Status: Three months down the line, no arrests made.

‘Lost Rs 19,900, cops refuse to file complaint’: Sagar Shah, Ghatkopar
THE CASE: Shah, 19, received a call on his mobile phone on January 5. The caller claimed to be an officer with the Greater Bombay Co-operative Bank, and told Shah his debit card would no longer be valid, and demanded details of the card. While Shah refused to divulge the details, he received an SMS saying Rs 19,900 were debited from his account in favour of One97 Communication.
Status: Shah has been repeatedly approaching the Cyber Crime Wing, but the cops haven’t even registered a case.

Prashant Dedhia, Powai
The complaint: On April 11, businessman Prashant Dedhia received several SMSes showing money from his account had been debited. He lost a total of Rs 19,000, and by the time he reached the police station, he had identified the phone number that was used to siphon off money from his bank account. “The cops just had to trace the SIM card, which was active for three days after I was cheated. However, the Cyber Crime Wing told me it can’t register a case as my account details could have been leaked due to my mistake. How ridiculous is that. The cops finally registered a case after five days because the media took it up,” he said.
Status: No arrests made, nor has Dedhia recovered his money.

Vaibhav Kangutkar, Chembur
The complaint: Kangutkar, a media professional, lost Rs 56,000 more than seven months ago, when he found that someone had used his debit card details at an electronics store. “The incident happened on January 1, and I was made to run from pillar to post by the cops. I have no hope of recovering that money,” he said.
Status: No complaint registered

Rizwan Siddiquee, Versova
The complaint: Well-known lawyer Rizwan Siddiquee tried filing a complaint with the Cyber Crime Wing in December 2016 against small-time actor Kamaal R Khan for posting derogatory comments on an actress. “Law being my profession, I am well-versed with the sections, but the Cyber Crime Wing refused to register the complaint citing some reason or the other. Finally, I had to approach the National Commission for Women to get a first information report registered,” he said.
Status: No arrest made.

After making the nation roar with laughter with Barely Speaking With Arnub, Vipul Goyal is back as the protagonist in a new web-series
Kusumita Das (MID-DAY; December 18, 2016)

As we step into the Andheri East office of The Viral Fever on a Tuesday evening, through the glass doors we see around 40 people huddled in the hall. A narration session is on, we are told. The setting is not what one expects — typically held behind closed doors with only the core group. "But, that's how we do things at TVF. More feedback, more fine-tuning. And feedback here has got nothing to do with one's position of power," says Vipul Goyal, comedian-actor and a core founding member of the comedy collective.'

Goyal, 33, has just made his debut as an actor in TVF's latest web-series Humorously Yours, the second episode of which airs today. He plays a struggling comedian on the show and is stoked by the reviews so far. "Every Indian child dreams of being an actor or a cricketer at least once in their life. I have only done standup and comedy writing for four years, this is my break as an actor," says the IIT Mumbai graduate, who self-admittedly, was the first to be laid off from his job, during the 2008 recession. Not that it surprised him. "I used to spend all my time in office reading transcripts of F.R.I.E.N.D.S., to teach myself the craft of comedy writing," he recalls with a smile.

With engineering out of the way, he decided to try his hand at theatre. "I had some stage experience from my IIT days, so I thought why not try my luck in theatre. But, that didn't work out. I knew, though, that I had a thing for comedy, because the plays I used to do, were funny plays. I met Arunabh Kumar (presently, TVF CEO) who used to make short films at the time and I would act in them. I had also begun my standup career by then. The AIB boys — Tanmay [Bhatt], Ashish [Shakya], Rohan [Joshi], [Gursimran] Khamba — along with me, were the first batch of comedians to perform at The Comedy Store, back in 2010," Goyal says. His association with Arunabh finally led to TVF being formed two years later, and he completely shifted his attention to the new venture. "I have been heading its Live section since then," says Goyal who was the head writer of the hugely popular sketch Barely Speaking with Arnub.

There were a few initial stumbling blocks in his transition as an actor, facing the camera for the first time, but he soon eased into his new role. He says the fact that it is such a close-knit community helps. The second episode of the show features AIB headliner Tanmay Bhat in a pivotal role. One would imagine it's a casting coup, given that he's the face of a rival comedy collective. "On the contrary, it's not. All the comedians you see on the show, who have their own setups, were on board after a single phone call. We are collectively fighting the same battle — against average mainstream television content. And that's all that matters. Also, this show being about the life of a comedian, it is essential to show the comedy universe. How does one do that without showing the big names!" Goyal says. He also reveals his connection with AIB. "I'm the common link between AIB and TVF. I knew Tanmay long before the existence of our collectives. The TVF guys were my friends even before we were doing comedy."

The idea behind Humorously Yours, he says, was to create something that takes a peek into the life of a comedian. "People think we crack jokes all the time. And even when we express a view, intending for it to be completely normal, we are told, 'nahi, yeh funny nahi tha'. I wear glasses and people say things like, 'he looks so serious, how will he make people laugh'. Sometimes, they show you a joke on WhatsApp and ask you to say it on stage, because 'yeh funny rahega'. The story borrows from such experiences. I've had great feedback so far. In fact, I spend my days going through the comments over and over again. Do I want to do acting full-time? That depends on how the overall season fares. Right now, I'm enjoying this adulation phase," Goyal says beaming.

MID-DAY (December 12, 2016)

In what can be considered an extension to the debate around objectification of women in Bollywood, specifically through item numbers and derogatory lyrics, feminists took to social media earlier this year to fix ‘sexist’ songs. For example, Tu Haan Kar Ya Na Kar, Tu Hai Meri Kiran from Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Darr (1993) was tweaked to Tu Haan Kar Ya Na Kar, Teri Marzi Kiran.

Taking inspiration from that campaign, Indian comic group All India Bakchod has roped in Masaan co-stars Richa Chadha and Vicky Kaushal to feature in a satire video that takes on sexist lyrics. Says Richa, “We are working and thriving in the Hindi film industry and that gives us a right to question a few things, especially in today’s day and age. It’s like arguing with your parents about their long-held feudal or racist beliefs. In this case, we attempt to question misogyny.”

The video, directed by AIB’s Tanmay Bhat, will be a compilation of six parodies, including of songs like Laal Dupatte Waali from Aankhen (1993) and Varun Dhawan-starrer Main Tera Hero’s title track. “Bollywood filmmakers underestimate the impact their movies have in shaping our culture. When such songs become a part of our daily lives, they legitimize a certain behavioral pattern. That needs to stop. We have grown up humming these songs. Now, when we look back, we realise what they actually implied. So, we thought it would be nice to address this realisation,” says Bhat.

The video, which releases on YouTube today, has been choreographed by Shahzeb Sheikh, who had worked on AIB’s party song with Irrfan.

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; October 18, 2016)

Comedian-academic Nick Pillow on finding work in Indian showbiz, rubbing shoulders with Salman Khan and gaining overnight stardom online
Sanyukta Iyer (MUMBAI MIRROR; September 20, 2016)


Nick Pillow was faced with two choices for his traineeship after completing a degree in English and Theatre in England - to teach drama in either Peru or Chandigarh. And since he didn't speak Spanish but had dabbled in Indian literature during college and knew that Chandigarh was one of India's relatively cleaner and safer cities, he chose the latter. Sustaining on a stipend of Rs 8000 a month over the next 18 months, the comedian found himself falling in love with the country. He travelled extensively, visiting Mumbai for a five-day getaway in 2005. He was blown away by the Maximum City's "explosive" nightlife and the contagious energy that Bandra and South Mumbai exuded.

Mumbai meri jaan

Eleven years on, Nick is sitting comfortably in the canteen of one of Bandra Kurla Complex's most posh schools where he teaches Literature and Theatre. He is friends with his barber whom he teaches English, and enjoys drinking tapri chai. He lives in Chunabhatti; taking the harbour line local train to work is part of his daily routine. Interestingly enough, the Brit academic admits that he's managed to find friends with a geographic advantage, friends who live in more hip parts of the city like Bandra and Juhu so he can crash and shower at their place once in a while after a night of socialising. His after-hours pursuits, stand-up comedy to be precise, have earned him the unique moniker of being India's first blonde comedian.

"I was teaching in London. The rent was so high and everything so expensive, I was saving lesser that Rs 10,000 a year. I would never have been able to buy a house or travel the world on that wage. In Mumbai, my lifestyle is better. I can take off to Singapore and Sri Lanka for a vacation without spending 600 pounds on airfare. I've never regretted my decision to move to Mumbai even when it is 44 degrees outside," he guffaws, admitting that despite living in Mumbai for the last four years, he is yet to get used to the heat. When his gora friends remark that he's become whiter than a Norwegian, when people get tanned in India, Nick quips, "It's because I never go out!"


Being Salman's co-star

The heat recently got the better of him while he was filming with Salman Khan at Mehboob Studio for a commercial. "I had got the role on the basis of an audition tape. When I arrived on the set, everyone was a thorough professional. I was even assigned a trailer. Everybody called me sir. I was so sweaty; the make-up man had to do touch-ups between takes. They had to eventually resort to keep a fan directed at my face," Nick reminisces. In the ad, Nick is seen dressed in a Scottish kilt playing a bagpipe when Sallu walks in. The ad follows Salman on his quest to figure out if the Scots wear underwear under their kilts.

Not everything has been easy for him though. "Trying to get even the simplest of things done over the phone is impossible because my accent is difficult to decipher. Also, the way I phrase a sentence is different. When I cannot order food, I get very wound up. I lost my credit card once and I couldn't cancel it," he sighs.

Along the way, he's also figured out hacks to survive Mumbai. "I started taking notes and did a stand-up routine. That helped me become a better teacher," he says, adding, "In UK schools, students form gangs and smoke pot before lessons, bring knives to class and have phone conversations while you're teaching. With them, you have to earn their respect and only then you can teach them. Whereas here, education is a traditionally respected profession, so if a push comes to shove, I know I'm going to win. But I can do a lot more with humour. The students are engaged, relaxed and learn a lot more," he reasons.

Will the real comic please stand-up

Nick notes that there's a new audience for Hinglish comedy that is hungry for intelligent humour. "When I started four years ago, it was all about Indian weddings, Gujratis and car accidents, but now, that's just not good enough," he points out, recalling one of his first blunders during a stand-up gig.

"It started with two, three shows. I realised that there were less than 100 comedians in the country and no one cared if an outsider switched from working with East India Comedy (EIC) to All Indian Bakchod (AIB). There are thousands of me in London, but here, I'm the only foreign comedian. I audition for a part, and get picked because I look and talk a certain way," he says, quick to add that everybody still thinks he is Samwell Tarly from Game of Thrones. His stand-up journey in India has been fraught with faux pas.

"I made a set about how the elephant God had come into existence, and made a conversation about two drunk sculptors who knocked off an elephant statue's head, and boom! That's how Ganesh was born. It was going really well but in that one second, I lost the whole audience. Two hundred people just stopped laughing. When I think about that first year of exploring comedy, I realise that it was neither funny, nor good. It was offensive, and I did not understand the religious connotation," he reflects.

Stardom central

Nick was recently seen in AIB's Independence Day Video: The Day India Resigned. He sports a red British uniform, and is seen interacting with fellow comedians, Utsav Chakraborty and Tanmay Bhat, who had also directed the video. "Honestly, I felt that my role was actually offensive to my home country, England. Making fun of the Brits really works in India," Nick laughs.

His first brush with fans happened after the video hit the one million mark within days. The last video Nick had featured in had been a TED talk at the BKC school and he had until then treated his 587 views of the video as a medal. "I grossly underestimated how popular and powerful AIB was. I knew them as the guys backstage at a gig," he says, recalling the shoot that had a professional cameraman and 40 people as part of the crew. Nick had been running a high fever that day but decided against cancelling on the gig. "Before I got into my uniform, some guy from the unit took my t-shirt. When we packed up he returned it to me and it was ironed! That t-shirt had not been ironed in four years. That's AIB for you, they never cease to surprise."

Today, he is a role model for 16-18-year-old students and admits that the key is to encourage freedom of expression but not freedom of insults. "I don't make any money from comedy, it's all for fun. My online presence just went through the roof because of AIB's controversial video. Unfortunately, that comes with its own conflicts, the social media loves you but there is a huge wave of people who are traditional and find your humour problematic. But I think I can continue without burning any bridges," he smiles.

Now that he has found his groove as a teacher and an actor, does he hope to find love in Mumbai? "I'd be silly to walk away from India but I am too independent for that kind of a life. My mom is secretly worried that I would never come back to England because my spirit of adventure is here. Mumbai meri jaan hain, lekin England..." he trails off, lost for words, "India has given me so many opportunities, I think I might just be the next Tom Alter."

Subhash K Jha (DNA; December 8, 2015)


Well, AIB got a chance to hit back at Aamir on their show on Sunday when the issue of Aamir’s self-deportation to escape the country’s climate of intolerance came up. Co-hosts Gursimran Khamba and Tanmay Bhatt took poker-faced potshots at the lately beleaguered superstar. Recalling AIB’s own harassment in the hands of the moral police when all hell had broken loose over their live roast, Khamba looked into the camera and asked Aamir, “Now do you know what it feels like when without knowing the facts of the matter, you are attacked...”

Then getting more direct in his attack, Khamba asked, “We know what it feels like when without watching the video, people attack us.” It should be recalled that Aamir had confessed to have criticised AIB’s live roast with Karan Johar without watching the content.

Describing the sedition charge slapped on Aamir as ridiculous, Tanmay Bhatt said, “There was a time when Gandhiji was slapped with a sedition charge for leading the Dandi March. Now you get accused of sedition when your wife casually says she wants to leave the country.’

Irrfan Khan has got huge appreciation for being part of a spoof on Party songs in Hindi films
Upala KBR (DNA; August 5, 2015)


How did the video happen?
People don’t know but there’s a humorous side to me. I have been doing this kind of stuff though the percentage is lesser than the more intense stuff I am known for. I knew of AIB’s work and when they came to me, I loved the concept and the wordings, I felt it was a satire, not just on B-Town but also on me so I agreed to be part of it.

Do you feel other stars like Akshay Kumar who have done party songs might feel irked with the skit?
I don’t even know which party song has been picturised on which star. I haven’t seen any party song ever nor have I done one, so I have no idea which one is a hit or not. I don’t think anybody would be upset by our video as it’s all in good fun. It’s not just about party songs but they are also making fun of me. It’s a satire so it has to be taken in the right spirit. The reactions I have got for it is outstanding. My mobile hasn’t stopped ringing since the video came out. My family, who has seen the video earlier, is very happy.

Would you like to do a party song now that you have done it for a spoof?
I don’t know, it all depends on what stuff it will have… The song should not be a stereotype.

What about a comedy film?
I would love to do one! Actually I have been on the lookout for a good comedy script that entertains me but I haven’t found one quite up to the mark. I can’t do a sex comedy as that’s not my cup of tea. I can’t name a particular comedy which I would love to do, as there are different types of comedies but the content has to be strong and intelligent. I love all kinds of performances from Johny Lever to Peter Sellers.

What comes easier to you: comedy or a serious film?
Both have their challenges and are very enjoyable to perform. Ek driver sab tarah ki gaadiyaan chalata hai and as an actor, so can I.

Rashma Shetty Bali (DNA; May 11, 2015)


A source close to the actors told us, “EIC has been with IIFA for long, but Ranveer specifically wanted the AIB team to put their act on IIFA together.” So, what went wrong? The backlash to the Comedy Roast spooked the organisers? Well, it seems that the reasons are very different. The source further added, “AIB was approached, but they had other film assignments in hand and hence turned down the offer.” That must have been a dampener, considering that the last time the actors came together with the AIB team, they not only tickled our funny bone, but also showed off some crackling chemistry.

Ranveer’s spokesperson denies that the actor suggested AIB for scripting, “AIB was amongst others who were considered by Wizcraft for scripting the show. Ranveer had nothing to do with this. AIB was busy and couldn’t take it up, but EIC is now writing for the show.”

Tanmay Bhat of AIB said, “Wizcraft approached us first. Shortly after, Ranveer did, wanting us to script for IIFA. We told him we already had our hands full — we’re in Singapore for our shows. Since we had worked with them earlier and had had a blast, we didn’t want to do it halfheartedly."

MUMBAI MIRROR (February 11, 2015)

Aamir Khan is the latest voice to join the ongoing debate surrounding the All India Bakchod Roast which saw the collective's comedians take down Ranveer Singh, Arjun Kapoor and Karan Johar, even as the trio laughed along.

Reactions to the event have been polarised and Khan has joined the list of detractors. At an event on Monday, the actor admitted that though he hasn't seen the video, he heard about it and saw a couple of clips. "After the Roast, I happened to be at a place where Karan and Arjun were also present. They told us about how they did this Roast and all the dialogues that were exchanged at the event... I was deeply affected by that and disappointed in what I was hearing," the actor revealed.

He added that though he's all for freedom of speech, he believed that the freedom comes with a lot of responsibility. "There was a lot of violence in that event. Violence is not only physical, it's also verbal and emotional," said the actor. It may be recalled that Khan produced the 2011 comic-caper Delhi Belly and at that time he was quoted as saying "Don't watch Delhi Belly if you can't stand abuses."

He even opted for an A certificate as he didn't think it was a film meant for children. More recently he reprimanded his friends for participating in the Roast replete with expletives and adult jokes.

"I scolded both Karan and Arjun and told them that I didn't find it funny at all. You can't give 25 gaalis and think that people will like it. I am not a14-year-old that I will be impressed by gaalis," he asserted. "When you insult someone, you are perpetuating violence and projecting it to the world. I don't like that. But I am sure that a lot of young people did like it."

He was quick to add that this was only his "personal opinion". "If you can make me laugh without offending anyone, I think I'd really enjoy that," he signed off. 
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MID-DAY (February 11, 2015)

With controversy over the AIB Knockout Roast refusing to die down any time soon, Bollywood star Aamir Khan has voiced his opinion about the profanity-riddled videos during a media interaction.

He has labelled the roast of Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh as “extremely violent and disturbing”. He said though he hasn’t watched the show, he came to know of it through Karan Johar, who was the host, and Arjun Kapoor as they described to him about what had transpired — with the aid of a few dialogues. “I have only seen a couple of clips of the roast… On hearing what they (Karan and Arjun) had to share, I must say that I was deeply affected and disappointed with it.” Mr Perfectionist however clarified that he was not against freedom of speech. “I am completely for it. I have no issues with that. But we have to understand that we all have a certain responsibility,” he added.

Aamir further called it a “very violent event”. “Violence is not just physical, but also verbal and emotional. So when you insult someone and show it to the world, it is like showing everyone see how violent I can be, this is something that I don’t like. But I am sure that there are a lot of young people who have liked the show and I believe that all of us have different opinions and we are allowed to have it. Karan and Arjun being my friends, I told them that I didn’t like it. Besides, trying to impress people by using abusive language is pointless. I am no longer a 14-year-old who will hear abusive language and laugh. If you really want me to laugh then do so without hurting anyone. That is what I will enjoy.”

Aamir steered clear of the legal complications and technicalities but said one has to face the consequences of breaking the law. “I don’t know if what they have done is legally correct or not. FIRs can be lodged, but they have to be proved also. If they have broken the law, they should face the consequences. If they haven’t, they should go scot free. That the court will decide.”

About the public shaming of AIB, he said: “I can tell them I got very disturbed by what you did, more so, because you did it in public. And that’s the extent I can interfere in someone’s life. Who am I to decide how anyone is going to conduct themselves?”

The star is of the opinion that there should be an age lock for such shows. Citing the example of his A- rated Delhi Belly, he said he had voluntarily applied for an adult certificate. “I went out of my way during promotions to tell everyone that it is an adult film, and not to watch it if that’s not your scene. As a creative person, do I have the liberty to express? Yes! But I also have a responsibility,” he stated.

Amidst the din over the AIB Knockout, we’ve had the opportunity to reach out to some groups who have had questions about the jokes and the taste they were made in. Our conversations with members of the government (and other political parties) have been civil and frank. Authorities at multiple levels have heard us out patiently and open-mindedly, and we thank them for that. In places where we expected hostility, we have found instead a heartening willingness to engage.

The same holds true for religious communities that the AIB Knockout may have offended. For example we’ve had extensive discussions with members of the Christian community. We also met with members of the Archdiocese of Mumbai. We explained that we didn’t set out to hurt or persecute the Christian community (or indeed any community) when we wrote and performed those jokes. We explained that while writing jokes, no matter the subject, we never intend to hurt anyone, though we now realize that as an unfortunate consequence of the nature of our profession, we sometimes do, and we’re sorry about that. In turn, the kind archdiocese graciously viewed that we have every right to make jokes and speak our mind in a democracy however, that exact same democracy also gives members of the Christian community the right to be offended or hurt by our comments, and more importantly to raise their voices to point that out.

We offered an unconditional apology to the archdiocese and the Christian community for any offence caused to religious sentiments as a result of our jokes. The kind archdiocese acknowledged the fact that we have never been against any community, nor do we bear any ill will towards any community.

AIB believes and supports with complete certainty the notion that every community has the right to live with dignity, honour, and freedom from any form of persecution. We would also like to reiterate that the jokes at the AIB Knockout were not intended as a form of persecution or malice towards any community, for that is not who we are, or what we stand for.

It may be relevant to mention here that during our interaction with the archdiocese, both parties agreed on another important thing; these matters are best solved by frank, patient conversation, not by pointless rabble-rousing or politicization or by taking up adversarial positions for the sake of eyeballs. So we’d like to thank members of the Christian community and the archdiocese for sitting down with us, and hearing us out, and giving us a chance to explain and apologize. It isn’t a courtesy people give each other nearly often enough.

- AIB

Bharati Dubey (MID-DAY; February 6, 2015)

With controversy over the All India Bakchod (AIB) roast video AIB Knockout escalating, the Federation of Western India Cine Employees (FWICE) has asked Karan Johar, Ranveer Singh and Arjun Kapoor, who participated in the insult comedy show, to tender a public apology for the “vulgar” act.

The Federation has stated that the show was a “travesty of basic human decency in the name of art and a blot on the culture and tradition that we need to safeguard”.

The letter says, “It is unfortunate that young impressionable minds are being exposed to vulgarity being displayed by people who claim to be youth icons… They should tender an unconditional apology to entire industry and the people of India and promise never to repeat (such an act) which amounts to cultural terrorism.”

Kamlesh Pandey, president of the FWICE, says he is personally not against any kind of moral policing or censorship because it would imply that the creators were neither mature enough nor had a sense of responsibility to decide what was right and wrong for public consumption. “But if a member of any association is found doing something which is not conducive to the image and the health of the film and entertainment industry, the FWICE is expected to take notice of this. We all have the freedom to express ourselves but with the freedom also comes responsibility,” he says.

Stating that the letter was not an order or a warning to the roast video participants, Pandey says, “It is merely a note of caution to desist from being part of such a show that sends wrong signals to the people. It is not even addressed to the gentlemen, it is just a statement that the FWICE felt was its responsibility to make when it received complaints from its sources of the film and entertainment industry.”

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; February 5, 2015)

All India Backchod (AIB) Knockout Roast featuring Arjun Kapoor and Ranveer Singh has been embroiled in controversies ever since it aired on YouTube a week ago. The latest being Maharashtra Chief Minister, Devendra Fadnavis’s comment which states that action will be taken if AIB roast is found vulgar and not in accordance with the law.

Now, with the mounting pressure, AIB had pulled out the controversial video. The team tweeted: Have taken down AIB Knockout for now. We will speak soon.

While the knockout took digs at many celebrities such as Deepika Padukone, Alia Bhatt, Anurag Kashyap, Sonakshi Sinha and Sanjay Kapoor among others, with their consent there were many who weren’t spoken to. One such actress was Farida Jalal.

Comedian Ashish Shakya had said: You know Karan, Kuch Kuch Hota Hai is Ranveer’s favourite film. Even now when he watches the movie, he has to reach for tissues because he is the only guy who can jerk off to Farida Jalal.

When we contacted Farida Jalal, she says, “I saw a bit of it and then didn’t watch it further. Naturally people do not like it because it’s not our culture. What do I say about those kids? All I can say is god bless them. I don’t know if they poked fun at me because I didn’t watch the entire show or was there something else. No one told me either.” She adds, “But if they said what you are telling me then it’s quite embarrassing and no they didn’t take my consent.”

Sonam Kapoor, who was also taken a dig at, remained unavailable for comment, but when the actress was asked for her reaction, at a book launch on Tuesday she said, “I haven’t had the time to watch AIB knock out till now.”

A source close to Sridevi revealed that she hasn’t seen the show either as she is in Chennai shooting for a film. “Sridevi is shooting, so she hasn’t seen the show till now. Also she doesn’t like commenting on such things.”

AIB is a comedy collective run by Tanmay Bhat, Ashish Shakya, Rohan Joshi and Gursimran Khamba. The roast panel on the day also included stand-up comics Aditi Mittal and Abish Mathew, film critic Rajeev Masand and former Roadies judge Raghu Ram. The show raised about Rs 40 lakh which was donated to various charities, including Salman Khan’s Being Human.