Riya Sharma (BOMBAY TIMES; December 13, 2018)

Comedian Ali Asgar has made waves with his on-screen persona of the flamboyant Dadi on The Kapil Sharma Show for three years. So, it was no surprise that when he was in Delhi recently, fans kept calling him Dadi while trying to get pictures clicked with him. The actor was in the Capital to promote his upcoming show, Kanpur Wale Khuranas, in which he plays Chauthi, again a female character. In a candid chat, Ali tells us how comfortable he is playing a woman on screen and what it has taught him in real life.

‘OFTEN, PEOPLE ARE NOT ABLE TO TELL THAT IT IS ACTUALLY A GUY PLAYING A WOMAN’
Ali has been playing female roles so convincingly, that it has even landed him in trouble in real life. Sharing an incident that happened while he was performing at a Delhi wedding, the actor says, “Wherever I go for such shows, I don’t let the anchor announce my name, I just enter as Dadi. At this event, by the time I entered, people were already drunk. Unhone uske baad jo hamla kiya hai mere upar — they were putting their hands on my chest, they were pinching my butt, I was molested! There is a girl in my team, and she managed to save me, warna main nikal nahi pa raha tha. Mera tab yeh question tha, ki bhai aapko pata bhi hai ki ye ek aadmi hai jo aurat ka role kar raha hai? And the second question was — even if you don’t know, ye toh ek buddhi aurat hai na, usko toh chhor do!”

However, not all experiences of him being mistaken for a woman have been so scarring. “When we were shooting for The Drama Company, Jacqueline Fernandez had come for one episode. During the shoot, Jacqueline, Sugandha (Mishra), another female artiste and I were dancing, and Jacqueline ka mic nikal gaya. Despite there being two other girls with us, she asked me, ‘Can you please put the mic back for me?’ So I said, ‘I am a guy’, and the whole audience started laughing,” he shares, adding, “Quite often, people are not able to tell that it is actually a guy playing a woman. I don’t know if that is a compliment.”

While for his fans, Ali plays a woman convincingly, the actor says that he wants to try new things also now. “I am comfortable playing a female character, but as a performer, I try to balance ki main yeh bhi karun, lekin kuch aur bhi karun. I recently got an offer from a production house that surprised me. I won’t name the production house, but I was excited that I would get to play a different kind of role. But in the first meeting itself, they told me that they want me to play a ‘dadi’. They said that in the film, I won’t be a man dressed as a woman, instead, I would actually be a ‘dadi’, a female character. So I thought, ‘Boss, yeh toh zyada ho gaya. Kya ab main male role nahi kar paunga?’ I also have two-three films lined up which are different characters, so I convince myself saying that it is ultimately Ali Asgar who is doing these roles,” he says.

‘THIS SHOW IS LIKE A REUNION FOR US’
Talking about his upcoming show, Ali goes into Chauthi-mode and introduces ‘herself ’ as though she has mugged it up like a student before exams. “I am very good in academics because I have failed my class IV almost 30 times. Galti meri nahi hai, galti school waalon ki hai. Main roz school jati hoon, bas exam wale din nahi jaati toh fail kar dete hain,” says Ali, in his Chauthi voice.

He tells us that it is like a reunion on the sets of the show as the cast of The Drama Company, and other comedy shows, has come together — including Sunil Grover, Upasna Singh and Sugandha Mishra — along with new characters. “This show is like a reunion for us. After The Drama Company and other shows, we are all back together. Aisa lag raha hai aaj se school shuru ho gaya hai. Woh excitement hai ki hum ek nayi class mein ja rahe hain.”

‘NO RIVALRY WITH KAPIL SHARMA’S SHOW’
Though Ali accepts that it is not possible for fans to forget Dadi altogether, he is still trying to experiment with new things for Chauthi. “It will be very difficult to erase Dadi from someone’s memory. Wherever I go, people recognise me as her, toh woh obvious hai ki agar female characters banenge toh woh comparison aayega. But this one will be different from other female characters that I have played so far. It is our duty to try new things, and we will add new things gradually on the show.,” shares Ali.

Kapil Sharma also recently announced his return with a new season of his show and since Ali Asgar, Sunil Grover and Upasana Singh — its previous cast members — are no longer a part of it, we ask Ali if he is wary of comparisons between the two shows? “It is healthy, logon ke liye bhi achha hai ki unhe do jagah se entertainment milega. Frankly, I am not even thinking about the comparisons. We all are professionals and there is no rivalry, woh thoda hype ho jata hai. It is fine, certain things did not work out, but there is no bad vibe. Humari koi Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak wali dushmani nahi hai,” says Ali. When we ask him if an off-screen reunion of the original cast of The Kapil Sharma Show will happen anytime soon, he replies, “Off-screen reunion hota toh achha hota, par ab nahi hua toh the show must go on.”

Natasha Coutinho (MUMBAI MIRROR; December 5, 2018)

Mirror had earlier reported (November 22) that actor-comedian Sunil Grover, last seen in Vishal Bhardwaj’s Patakhaa, is making his TV comeback with Kanpur Wale Khuranas. Produced by sisters Preeti and Neeti Simoes, it also features Kapil Sharma’s former team members like Upasna Singh, Sugandha Mishra and Ali Asgar. Now, we have learnt that director-choreographer Farah Khan has also joined the cast.

Farah confirmed the news, saying, “I’ve done a lot of shows with Preeti and Neeti. They were the creative director of Comedy Nights with Kapil and I’ve been on that show many times. They are familiar with my comic timing and repartee and have been asking me to be a part of this show for a long time. We finalised it only recently. I’m playing myself, my holiday home is opposite the Khuranas’ and a lot of celebrities who drop by to visit me end up going to their house. All my favourite comic actors like Sunil, Upasna Singh, Sugandha, Ali and Aparshakti Khurana are there so I’m getting paid to laugh.”

Speaking about her look she’s cut her hair shorts and will be seen in jeans and sneakers. “It’s not a decked-up mother-ofthe bride look and thank God for that! I told them ‘Mujhe housecoat mein bitha do,’” she confides, adding that she doesn’t have to follow a script and can say her own lines.

Farah made her acting debut in Bela Segal’s Shirin Farhad Ki Toh Nikal Padi opposite Boman Irani in 2012. This one marks her debut in a comic fiction show. “In that sense it’s new but I’m not part of the skits,” she says. “I watch them and give my expert comments.”

Farah adds she’s open to appearing on Kapil’s upcoming show as well. He is also returning to TV this month. “I’ve been chatting with Kapil, he’s getting married and wants to come over with the wedding card. He’s really talented and needs to make a comeback,” she signs off.

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; November 18, 2018)

Bollywood actor Kunal Kemmu is all set to make his debut on the small screen. He will be hosting a stand-up comedy show, tentatively titled Kanpur Wale Khuranas, which features Sunil Grover, Ali Asgar and Upasna Singh.

A source informs, “The show will see a list of celebrities and achievers of 2018 as guests. They will be entertained by Kunal with his crazy jija, played by Sunil Grover, and saalis.”

Kunal confirms the news and says, “I am both nervous and excited, as it’s a new space that I am exploring. I have known the makers, Neeti and Preeti Simoes, since a long time. They would always joke that we should do something together, as they felt that I am fun and natural. I took this up because it’s not a long-term commitment. Besides, it will also help me test waters and give me an opportunity to understand the medium. I would also get to know how comedy shows work on TV, because I have always been on the other side of the fence.” 

Neha Maheshwri (BOMBAY TIMES; September 1, 2017)

Upasna Singh has disappeared from Kapil Sharma’s show since Naseem Vicky returned home
Avinash Lohana (MUMBAI MIRROR; November 12, 2016)

While the entire cast of Comedy Nights With Kapil moved from Colors to Sony TV with the show’s frontman, Kapil Sharma, to start The Kapil Sharma Show, Pinky bua aka Upasna Singh stayed back to join Krushna Abhishek and Bharti Singh’s Comedy Nights Live. She quit later to reunite with Kapil on his new show in July. However, the actress hasn’t made an appearance on the show for a while now, fuelling speculations that she has quit this one as well.

When Mirror reached out to Upasna she had a different story to tell: “My character, Twinkle, was introduced with a producer-husband played by Pakistani actor Naseem Vicky. But in the wake of the ongoing Indo-Pak tensions, he had to go back to Pakistan, leaving the makers clueless about what they wanted to do with my character.”

She last shot for the show at the end of August but insists she hasn’t quit the show and will go back if the makers find an interesting track for her. “Even if they don’t, it isn’t a problem as I am busy with two other shows and a few films,” she adds.

Naseem, an actor and stand-up comedian, was judged best performer in Nautanki Ke Super Overs. He was also a part of Comedy Nights With Kapil, playing Ramu.

Letty Mariam Abraham (MID-DAY; June 15, 2016)

Makers of Comedy Nights Live, which received bad press after stand-up comic Upasana Singh quit the show, label her accusations of delayed payment and unreasonable terms and conditions in contract as “a selfish view”. Singh, who played ‘bua’ on the show, alleged that she was used for her popularity earlier only to be disregarded later.

Vipul D Shah of Optimystix Entertainment, which produces Comedy Nights Live, says, “Upasanaji spoke to her celebrity manager and the show’s director about not having great lines in the show. When we took over from Comedy Nights with Kapil and started Comedy Nights Live, she was the only member from the previous show who stayed back. It takes time to establish a story and give it shape. Somehow, it was difficult to fit in bua because the immediate recall is with the previous show. We tried, but it didn’t work as the equation with the new characters had changed. We didn’t intentionally keep her away from the limelight or give her bad lines. It is just her selfish view. We respect all our artistes and I have great respect for her too. She has decided to quit and we wouldn’t want to force her to stay.”

So, what was the issue with her contract? “It has been with her since long, but she hasn’t signed it yet. People often negotiate certain terms and that takes time. Also, there is no ‘We can throw you out of the show in 24 hours’ clause in the contract. We can’t fire anyone in 24 hours. We don’t want to give this matter too much importance,” he asserts.

Shah adds that he would clear her pending dues, but she has to sign the contract for that first.

Asira Tarannum (MID-DAY; February 26, 2014)

With Kapil Sharma, the host and producer of Comedy Nights with Kapil, all set to embark on a movie career, this popular TV show may now revert to its one-episode-per-week format. It seems that Kapil, who will debut with the film Bank-Chor, will have less time at his disposal once shooting for this movie starts.
A source from the production house says that the show’s crew is currently working in double shifts as they are trying to create a content bank.

Preeti Simoes, director of the show, says, “We are creating a bank for the show, and we have already asked the channel to air just one episode a week. We haven’t heard from them yet, but the show might become a weekly. If this doesn’t happen, we will speak to YRF and rework his film schedule.”

Upasna Singh, who plays Pinky bua in the show, confirmed the story as well. “Yes, we are shooting more episodes now and creating a bank of content. Next month onwards, we will shoot some more,” she said.

A source close to the actor says, “Two episodes every week means that Kapil will have to shoot at least 70 minutes of content every week. It's not easy to think up funny gags every 10 seconds. We can't afford to let our audiences get bored for even a few moments. We are all supporting Kapil now that he has landed plum roles in films. However, the channel might not want to make it a weekly show.”

Kapil’s debut film will go on the floors in April.