Aamir Khan’s openness and Kapil Sharma’s skilled interviewing created a perfect blend for the latest episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show. However, the biggest disappointment was the show’s writers, who struggled to infuse sharp humor even during the brief breaks.
When Kapil Sharma and his team welcome a guest ready to share it all, half the battle of entertaining the audience is won. The appeal of hearing exclusive, unheard stories from a Bollywood star about their personal and professional life keeps viewers engaged. And when that superstar happens to be Aamir Khan, known for avoiding interviews, the excitement is doubled.
Right from the start, it was clear that Aamir appeared on The Great Indian Kapil Show as an appreciative admirer. He recalled how Kapil’s previous sketch comedy show, Comedy Nights With Kapil, served as a lifeline during a challenging two-year period when he grappled with depression, bringing laughter into his life. Aamir confessed that his positive experience with the earlier show prompted him to make his first appearance on Kapil’s show in the last 11 years.
Aamir’s openness and Kapil’s skilled interviewing were a perfect match for the new episode. The actor came on the show with his two sisters – Nikhat Khan and Farhat Khan – whose banter provided insight into Aamir’s family dynamic. He also shared anecdotes about family and upbringing, defying his father’s temper to pursue acting, and the irony of his kids showing little interest in him despite his industry stature. There was a sense of novelty in hearing Aamir deal with everyday problems that most of us can relate to.
Aamir Khan’s fondness for Kapil Sharma and his team was evident throughout the show, resulting in several heartwarming moments. While he might have felt shy and looked away to avoid overly clingy, cheesy jokes, he was never uncomfortable. In one segment, Kapil even admitted, “We engage celebrities in such silly conversations, but that’s our audience.”
However, the primary disappointment of the new episode stemmed from Kapil Sharma and his team of writers. While the episode extended for over an hour, significant portions were devoted to Aamir’s enthralling stories, and rightfully so. Yet, the show’s team struggled to deliver sharp humor even during the brief breaks they had to alleviate the monotony of the interview. Most jokes felt routine and lacked the spontaneity that audiences anticipate from Kapil’s shows.
Kiku Sharda’s Chef Dhanyia Lal, Krushna Abhishek’s Mona, and Sunil Grover’s Engineer Chambuk Mittal relied on stale humor, failing to leave an impact. Even the sketch comedy segment featuring Sunil, Kiku, and Rajeev Thakur portraying various Aamir Khan characters was a missed opportunity.
Amid the declining viewership of The Great Indian Kapil Show, the passive approach towards the show’s writing is troubling. Episodes like this one are rare occurrences as celebrity guests won’t always be as willing to share their souls as Aamir. Case in point, the second episode, which featured cricketers Shreyas Iyer and Rohit Sharma. Therefore, the makers must ensure their sketch comedy segments are strong enough to attract the audience, regardless of the celebrities’ ability to draw viewers. Consider the third episode featuring the Chamkila star cast. Despite being the shortest of all episodes, the brilliance of the sketch comedy writing seen in that episode remains unmatched.
The upcoming episode of The Great Indian Kapil Show will feature Bobby Deol and Sunny Deol. While the trailer appears promising, we are not judging this book by its flashy cover. You can watch the show on Netflix.