Comedy has undergone a transformative journey; from the era of 'innocent' slap-stick humour to more satirical commentary on social anomalies

In her paper "Laughter Through the Ages: Role of Comedy Films in Shaping Bollywood," Dr. (Prof.) Maithili Ganjoo, a Professor in the Department of Journalism and Media Studies at Manav Rachna International University, Faridabad, explores the evolution of comedy in Indian cinema. According to Ganjoo, the first full-fledged satirical comedy film in India was “Bilet Pherat (London Returned),” produced by Dhirendra Nath Ganguly in 1921, addressing cultural mismatches with humour. While early films gained popularity swiftly, comedy took time to emerge, initially providing comic relief in theatrically driven plots.

She further writes that post-independence, Hindi films introduced comedians like Mukri, Asit Sen, and Keshto Mukherji, known for slapstick humour. However, situational comedy gained prominence with films like "Guddi" (1971) and "Bawarchi" (1972) by Hrishikesh Mukherjee and Basu Chatterjee, depicting middle-class life humorously. In 1983, Kundan Lal Shah's “Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron” marked the maturation of comedy in Hindi films, under the label of Parallel or alternate Cinema.

The next phase of Indian cinema witnessed a remarkable surge in the recognition of comedy movies, marking a shift towards blockbuster hits like "Chameli ki Shaadi," "Angoor," "Mr. India," and the iconic "Andaz Apna Apna." Concurrently, Indian television experienced a comedic boom with shows such as Jaspal Bhatti's 'Ulta Pulta,' Pankaj Kapoor's 'Office Office,' and 'Zabaan Sambhal Ke,' offering a delightful dose of laughter to living rooms across the nation.

The 90s again witnessed the rise of slapstick comedy, popularised by the David-Govinda camp, incorporating verbal comedy in films like "Aankhen" (1993), "Coolie No. 1" (1995), and "Judwaa" (1997). In films like "OMG!" (2012) and "PK" (2014), Prof. Ganjoo further explores how laughter is directed towards religion, navigating India's culturally diverse landscape.

Recent years have seen the success of ‘Comedy Franchises’, such as Rohit Shetty's “Golmaal” series, the “Welcome” series, “Hera Pheri” series, “Masti” series, “Dhamaal,” “Fukrey” series, “Housefull” series, featuring Bollywood's prominent stars and enjoying massive box office success with growing fan bases. Other series may follow suit.

The comedy genre has further evolved to include films like 'Hindi Medium,' which ingeniously tackles ‘contemporary social issues’, such as the significance of education in determining societal status. In contrast to parallel cinema, these comedies bring political undertones to social narratives, subtly critiquing societal norms while entertaining audiences with a humorous touch.

As time progressed, the landscape of comedy underwent a transformative journey. From the era of 'innocent' humour represented by shows like “Flop Show” and “Dekh Bhai Dekh,” the trend evolved into more satirical productions like 'Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai' and 'Khichdi.' The emergence of stand-up comedy further reshaped the comedic scene on both the big and small screens, introducing popular comedians like Kapil Sharma, Bharti Singh, Sunil Pal, and Sunil Grover.

However, the transition to small-screen comedy also brought challenges. Contemporary shows like 'The Kapil Sharma Show' and 'Comedy Circus' have gained immense popularity but have veered towards sensationalism, at times sacrificing subtlety and decency for ratings. This shift raises critical questions about the evolving nature of comedy and its responsibility to deliver wholesome entertainment to a diverse audience. The choice rests on the audience’s preference entirely. Until then, let us laugh with laughter.

(The writer is a programme executive with the Gandhi Smriti Sansthan, views are personal)

This is the second part of the two-part series on Bollywood comedy.

Concluded