The Great Indian Kapil Show In the recent episode, the jokes did not die with the closing of the stage doors, but they also continued behind the scenes with a twist—a funny twist with Navjot Singh Sidhu and Archana Puran Singh. The second episode of the famous Netflix series suffered an unpredictable humorous twist when Kapil Sharma pretended that Archana had locked Sidhu up in his vanity van, leading to outbreaks of laughter in the viewers and the numerous A-list guests watching the show.
The banter continued till it was turned into a running joke in the entire episode when Sidhu could not physically appear, due to which the biggest joke of the entire episode was made. It was all in good humor, but the episode was like a nostalgic tribute by fans to one of the hit combinations of the show, Sidhu-Archana-Kapil, that has made the show magic over the years.
What vanishes is the Sidhu (literally!).
Many were surprised that the co-owner of the show, Navjot Singh Sidhu, was also absent in the second episode despite his spectacular entry in the first episode of the season (this time in a co-judging capacity with Archana). The cast of Metro was booked as the guest list of the evening. In Dino, starring Konkona Sen Sharma, Pankaj Tripathi, Aditya Roy Kapur, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Neena Gupta, Anupam Kher, Ali Fazal, and Sara Ali Khan, written and directed by Anurag Basu. However, in all this stardom, the presence or absence of Sidhu was felt.
With the cams on and recording the action, Kapil, being the mischievous and inquisitive host, turned to the ever-pretty Archana and in a solemn tone inquired, Sidhu ji kidhar hain?” (Where is Sidhu ji?) Archana shruged carelessly and said, Mujhe kya pata? (How will I know?)—and then the joke was on.
It was replaced by a parody act involving Sidhu, and it went on like this: Sidhu was confined in his vanity van, and there he was knocking on the door and begging to be released. I’ve rapped a long time! Hello! Does anyone go outside? I said, Who shut the door? Who shut the door? Hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, hoo-hoo-hoo, in the famous booming voice of his, and the audience shrieked themselves hoarse.
The One-Liners of Kapil Come into the Spotlight
Feeling gold as a comedian, Kapil did not miss a beat and converted it into an out-and-out roasting of Archana. Toh gaayab nhi kar de, unko? (You did not make him disappear, right?), he jeered teasing her. Archana never wasted a tennis ball, she quipped, “Netflix ka koi cup hai jo main gaayab kar dungi?” (Is he a netflix cup that I would put out of sight?)
Kapil responded still in character, saying, Matlab cup, plate utha leti ho? (So you will steal plates and cups?) Archana grinned rogue-like and tacked on, Woh purani aadat hai, rehne do. (Old habits die hard—leave it.)
When the give-and-take went on further, Kapil pretended to call Sidhu. However, there was a twist to the story that not even Archana was aware of; she had managed to steal Sidhu’s phone and hang up the conversation. I knew he would not pick up your phone. I guess he has got himself a cricket commentary job. “You just think of your show!” she sarcastically replied, and Kapil quipped, “Ek din mein do-do kaam karte hain Sidhu ji! (Sidhu takes two jobs every day!)
Sunil Grover Picks the Show
Amidst all this, Sunil Grover, who reappeared in the show featuring as a different character, dipped the humor further. In this play, he acted like the old film star Mithun Chakraborty, with his trademark swagger and speech.
The editors and producers of his act were brilliant and added a twist of humor behind his act when they put in clips of Grover in a Sidhu costume where he laughs away at the couch of the famous judge—again, the joke on the topic of the missing Sidhu was circulating. In each successive punchline, the viewer would get treated to shots of a groaning and laughing figurine of Sidhu as he would have done in the past.
Kapil Sudanshini Line of the Night
Musical chairs provided the comic high point of the evening. Archana had been explaining the rules to the cast when Kapil, in typical roast mode, had broken in.
Naturally she is familiar with all the rules. Jaanta hai in se badhne kaun ki kursi kaise hadapni hai?” (He laughed as he said,) Who knows better than her how to snatch someone a chair?
Then followed the gruesome punch line:
Kursi padi bhi thi, banda bhi hadap gayi! The translation being, it was already there, ready—the chair—and she even stole the man too!, specifically referring to the fact that Archana replaced Sidhu as the judge when he abandoned the original show many years ago. The comedic line got the house laughing.
Sidhu at Last Breaks Loose and Vows Vengeance!
The skit reached its full circle towards the end of the episode. Archana was observed opening the door of the vanity van and releasing Sidhu finally. Mockery moved him to step out with words in his own particular Punjabi accent, bursting out, as it were, at a locked door, and uttering, with oaths, the words, Who put the lock on it? Jhaklandi! (some old-school Sidhu style cuss). With a smile he threw in, making no pretense of seriousness, “Mil gaya na… photo taang dunga killi par!” (Now that I have found out who did it, I will hang their photo on a nail!)
Archana immediately hid behind the door to get out of the way of being caught, and the two had something light-hearted about the situation, to ensure that this was just banter, nothing more than scripted comedy.
What Fans Liked about It
The segment was not only entertaining, but it touched the emotions of many viewers who have been watching Sidhu exploding with laughter and Archana making witty remarks since their childhood years. Their on-stage friendliness with Kapil, their bickering and banter, and their play of words brought back to the memory of the viewers why The Great Indian Kapil Show has such a huge following.
To most of us, the presence of these three came as a comeback of Indian humor itself. The fact that Sidhu has disappeared briefly became one of the greatest running jokes that the episode offers. It was original and showed no planning, and at its best, it was genius comedy, which is what the Kapil Sharma brand is all about.
Does the Show Have a Future?
The Great Indian Kapil Show has been streaming on Netflix, and as the latest season unfolds, there is yet even more unscripted comedy and celebrity-filled episodes, and the connection between improvisation and performance is bound to become even closer. The comeback of some of its main members, such as Sunil Grover and Sidhu, Kapil with fine timing, and Archana with her comic stamina, promises one of the strongest seasons ever.
Sidhu As far as his seat is concerned? It is taken, just yet, but as Kapil quipped, Kursi bachi rahe na, toh bhi wapas aata hai!” (As long as the chair is there, he (the man) would come back as well.)
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