Kapil Sharma says channel told him not to use ‘paagal’ word on show: ‘I think we are moving backwards’

Actor-comedian Kapil Sharma recently appeared on an episode of What Women Want, hosted by actor Kareena Kapoor. On the show, Kapil answered multiple question by Kareena on whether women are also funny, about his recent film Zwigato and more. One of the questions was also about the current state of comedy in India and how comedians have to extra careful with their words these days. (Also read: Kapil Sharma on co-stars’ exit from show: ‘Except Sunil Grover, can’t put everyone else in same category’)

Kareena asked Kapil, “We are evolving as a society, comedy that used to be funny 10 years ago, people are now taking a lot of offence to that. So then when your write a script or sit down with your team, do you keep it in mind that we can’t make fun of such and such situation?”

Kapil replied, “Honestly it happens a lot, in the society that I come from Amritsar, Punjab it’s there in our culture that the bride’s side would tease the groom and call him out with names and joke over it. Body shaming and other things, that were in our culture but now if we do it here it’s called body shaming. When you work with GEC channels, you get SNPs on words you can’t even imagine. Currently, I was told by the channel that I cannot use the word ‘paagal’. I didn’t get it and asked why? Later, they told me the reason saying, actual people who are termed with the name get offended.”

He added, “Yet, it is a word that we use casually with our children, and siblings call each other ‘pagal’ with fun. I sometimes think we’re moving backwards. I recall Javed Akhtar said in an interview that he couldn’t write the moment in Sholay where Dharmendra speaks while hiding behind the statue of Lord Shiva because it would offend people.”

Previously, Kapil’s The Kapil Sharma Show has been called out for their body shaming jokes. He often teases Sumona Chakravarti on the show for her looks and Kiku Sharda for his weight.