Neta ki kahaani, logon ki zubaani

Jasmine Singh

“Namashkaar bhaiyon aur behno, videsh jaatey picture dekhi, Dil Dhadakne Do. Picture hit hoi sakti thi agar picture ke nichey chota si likh detey…Dil Dhadakne Do in 56 Inch ka Sina…

The number ‘56’ gives out the identity. You know it well, who could be boastfully quoting this number!

Before you begin to Google for yet another power-packed speech, bhaiyo aur behno, wait— these are the lines from a new show on a radio station Picture Ki Kahaani, Meri Zubaani where Mr Mitron reviews a film. The show, of course, is gaining popularity as it draws attention to PM Narendra Modi’s style. Here is one politician which makes for a perfect spoof character.

Politicians make for an interesting character for spoofs and parody. If you are to go deep into the numbers of spoof videos made on politicians on Youtube, our Prime Minister rules the brigade with over 25 poof videos on him. The AAP leader, Arvind Kejriwal, is pretty close in the race with 22 videos on him, which is a number for Rahul Gandhi as well. Smriti Irani has almost 18 spoof videos on her, all made in good humour though. It could be upsetting for some politicians but most of them take it in their stride. Even while many stand-up comedians use them to evoke laughter, politicians don’t really care about it or do they, we let them take their pick.

Laugh or cry

Narendra Modi fights like Singham, he becomes a great dictator, Smrirti Irani is opening IIT colleges all across the country, even in America… spoofs on politicians that leave a smile, with politicians as well.

Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, education minister and spokesperson, SAD, would ideally laugh it off. “Such spoofs are always taken sportingly, in the right manner. All the same, if a spoof has some content, it draws attention, otherwise, one would just laugh it off,” he shares.

It is not just the national leaders who become the butt of jokes, state ministers, MPs and MLAs also find a mention in many such spoofs. Kewal Singh Dhillon, MLA and vice-president, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee, sees no reason to frown on such parodies. “Spoofs are meant to be funny in nature and that’s what I think how they are taken, in a light manner.”

Though Kewal Singh Dhillon would definitely want those who are making it to know that politics is not a joke. “Of course, we laugh,” he shares.

Parambans Singh Romana, chairman, State Youth Development Board and co-ordinator SOI, looks at the matter pretty nicely and objectively. “What is the point of getting into clarifications, there is no end to it if one starts doing that.”

Romana is also of the opinion that there is a thin line that needs to be drawn while making such spoofs. “If only this is something that kept into consideration it would be nice because some parodies are really crass. On the whole, they are taken lightly in the right spirit.”

Across the line

Politics and politicians are definitely the most favoured topic with the stand-up comedians. To them, these are the people who generate maximum masala. Comedian Satish laughs, “It is true that politicians can be funny. Or, let’s say what they do and say can make people laugh.” Also, Satish strongly feels the thin line between laughing at someone and making fun of someone to malign the image should be kept in mind.

I had unknowingly started this political satire, and I wasn’t sure whether anyone would laugh or not. But I must say the politicians have also enjoyed it. Each time, I have bumped into any politician, they have met me with a civil smile, no one has ever threatened me on phone. I remember how ex-Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee met me at a marriage function, and told me that he liked my show. However, there was one time, late Pramod Mahajan had told me that my satire was killing his career. I told him it was only part of my social responsibility, and later he hugged me when we met in a flight, saying he appreciated my work. — Shekhar Suman, actor

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